Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-07-18
HEALTH HINTS.
The vapor Bath u Real Lusury-An Excellent
Substitute.

The yapor Bath "a Heal Luxury--An Excellent
Substitute.
From the Household.
A reader of our Household asks me how
she can have the benefit OF vapor baths in
her own home, where she has no conve-
niences for baths OF any kind; and thinking
there may be many others among our band
of 80, 900 TO whom such suggestions might be
helpful, and, having several other little |
things to talk about which pertain to home
treatment of invalids and well people too, it |
may be well to say it to all, rather than the |
one inquirer
The vapor bath is happily, one Of those |
comforts, yes, real luxuries, which is not con- |
fined to those who generally have surplus
| Of such things The humblest home may
| contain all necessary appliances for such
baths. All that il needed IL foot bath, or
| small wooden tub, pail two or three bricks
| and some hot water. The patient should he
| undressed, wearing only a night dress or
wrapped in very thin blanket and seated
| in cane chair under which Is the wooden
| pail half full of boiling water The foot tub
should be also half full of water as hot az the
| feet can bear comfortably. Then wrap the
patient in blankets covering the chair aud
tub, tucking them in about the floor that
no steam may escape, but do not cover
the head at all When the water begins
to cool, which II will do in three
or four minutes put one of the three
hot bricks, which should he all ready
for use, into the pail under tho chair, lifting
| the blanket as little as possible and holding
the brick with stout pair Of tongs, or a very
thick holder Then add boiling water to
that i'm the foOt-tub and in four minutes re-
! peat. 1.-THE patient is not by that time in a
| profuse perspiration repeat at the end OF
another four minutes. From fifteen TO
twenty minutes will be sufficient for bath.
; | Then take the feet from the water, wipe them
Q very dry, and wrap in a warm blanket
y Then with a soft towel, wipe the rest OF the
body gradually, keeping covered as well a.
r | possible. Next give good rubbing with
o Turkish or bath towl-a soft crash will an
g swer-put on dry garments and get the
- patient into bed Immediately. Do not pu
> on too many blankets, no more perspiriaG il
o needful or desirable --.--
% A feeling of rest and reireshment and
L sound, sweet sleep will usually follow thi
1t bath, which is not intended alone for inva
lids but Is mest helpidl to tired or debilitatet
& people, and IN invaluable in cases of sever
a eSlas, nervous headaches, when comTaniet
81 with chils, or in the slow ievers whicl
X abound in malarial districts.
e, Those who will take yapor bath once
m week at night, sponging the body afterwar
er with warm water and a little good soap, o
r. amonnia or boraN to give the water a fee
OF ing of softness should have no reason to nm
fault with their compilations No cosmeti
II | will give the satisfactory results of prope
G. bathing especially when combined wit
T. healthful exercises and wholesome diet, {
I'D which fruits, vegetables and the "fs
II, | wheat" Z" peeled wheat -four" oats an
or barley should form large percentage
lis Milk is excellent for those who can drink /
an | and the less tea and coffee one takes durin
the summer the better During July ar
lie August very little meat should be eater
tn One will not suffer from restricting hls {
or her diet in this respect, as at this time in I'll
IL year our native fruits and best vegetables al
al | in their prime.