Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-31
Written for THE EVENING srAn.
CAN WE BATTLE TOO MUCH?
some Doctors Say We Cannot and Some
Say We Are Washing to Death.

some Doctors say we Cannot and Some
Say We Are Washing to Death.
ONE PHYsIcrAN SAYS THE SCIENCE OF sArHrSo
Is VOW IN IT'S INFAScY--HE ADVISES BATHING
IN TEPrD WATERFALL DOCTORS FAVOR sxA
BATHING FOR THOSE WHO CAN STAND IT.
Some persons battle great deal too much.
This may seem odd to great many TO read;
nevertheless il is q fact
There are great many persons who think
that great deal Of benefit can be derived from
constant bathing. They take hot baths, cold
baths, Russian and Turkish and other foreign
baths, shower baths and altogether too many
baths. Doctors disagree very materially as to
the effects OF water upon the system. Some of
them advocate cold baths every morning;
Others say that these baths are injurious Some
say hot baths should be taken with the water
at temperature of about 100 degrees; others
say 1t should be below the normal heat of the
body, which is IS degrees and place the water
AT w. They all manage to agree, though, on one
question, and that is that everybody should
consult their own physician to the best
ana most beneficial kind Of bath for the patient
TO take. While they were talking on this SUBJ
lect OF bathing they all Of them had an eye to
business.
A prominent physician, talking of bathing and
sEstem.
recently:
1.-The science of bathing and use of water in
THIS country is, / think. in its infancy There
are only few places in this city where study is
mace OF the proper application of water, and
9uts,de the city there are very few places in
oeed. We have not the means here they have
abroad, where they have their sulphur spring
paths, their spas and sanitariums. / believe
that there is great deal in the use of water
wnen II is properly applied. And in one or
TWO places In this city they are just beginning to
properly apply it for various complaints. They
nave their sprays and douches, hot and cold,
shower baths plunge baths mud baths and
many Others. Some people take cold bath
every morning all the year around 1 don't
think it does any harm-thatis is. il the person is
healthy: Some won't feel any better for it and
some after taking cold bath will feel exhausted
ana tired. Those who have sensitive orgapi-
cation can't stand the cold. / think, though,
one who has a fair constitution or is of strong
constitution can derive a great deal of benefit
no" coio Dath taken every morning.
METHODS OF BATHING.
They should begin, though, to take these
baths in the summer when the weather is hot,
and then when the weather is cool and in
winter time they will be better able to stand
the sudden cold. In the winter time some
people think the shock to the system obtained
by plunging into cold water would be injurious
Ihis would not be so if the bath was taken in a
warm room and if there are proper appliances
to warm the bather afterward. There Is a club
OF men in London who make il a rule that
every one OF their members must battle in the
Serpentine in Hyde park every morning all the
year round. They go into the water in the open
ar In the middle of winter, and frequently
plunge, and then when they come out they tell
everybody that they feel much better
for their cold bath. This is simply a
RIDICULOUS idea, and there are only
very few who could stand this sud-
den shock. The benefits derived from cold
paths consist OF stimulation to the skin caused
by the cold application and by vigorous rub
blng, which the skin should receive with a
coarse towel afterward. Cold water applied to
the skin acts as nerve tonic, and cold douche
or plunge for weak people when properly reg
ulated is good. As a tonic cold water is supe-
rior to tepid water. But for purposes of clean
Illness warm water is the best. There are GER
tain diseases for which bathing in hot water is
especially beneficial. For hot bath the tenn
perature should be below 80 degrees and should
clan. A hot bath with the water above So de-
grees Is very often dangerous Turkish and
russian baths are not much good for sick peo-
pie They don't hurt well people when pre-
scribed and for such they are luxury. In
vallds, though, should beware of them"
ARE WE WASHING TO DEATH?
A well-known woman physician said: 81 am
there are lots Of people who are just washing
themselves to DEATH and 1 don't believe in
such heroic treatment. Many people can't en-
dure bath every day and person must have
very strong constitution in order to be able
to do SO. think it particularly unwise to at
tempt to take cold bath every morning all
the year round. In cases where have known
this to be done have usually found that in
nine cases out of ten after taking the cold bath
the bather feels languid and tired This ought
to be sufficient proof that it is injurious to
them. The system Of plunging into cold
water is not good at any time. The shock OBJ
tanned from so doing is very injurious and
greatly affects the nervous system. Cold water
Is not a natural element for man or a woman
to be in. And can't sec what benefit they
can derive from INDUCING so freely in
bathing over on this side is, think, a wrong
one. great many persons 90 into the water
early in the morning, will stay there until
noon, and frequently return to the water again
in the afternoon, and will stay until almost
shutdown. / wonder they don't get washed
| away altogether. By staying in the water SO
long they undo all the good that might be
done by taking a short bath. Twenty minutes
to half an hour in the sea is all the time that
should be spent II possible the bather should
60 into the sea head first, or, at any rate,
should wet his or her head before wading into
the water. The effect Of walking in the water
will cause the blood to flow to the head, which
very often will give the bather q severe head
ache. I think bathing in tepid water is much
more beneficial than bathing in cold water. 1t
| should be about the temperature of the body
or from ninety to ninety-six degrees. Turkish
baths and Russian baths are injurious to some
and beneficial to others. Any one suffering from
heart complaint should not take Turkish baths,
and really nobody should indulge in these baths
unless SO advised by their physician"
HE FAvoRs TEPID BATHS.
A doctor who has given particular attention
to vital statistics said: "To a strong man a cold
bath taken every morning might not seem to
hurt him, but 1 don't think that they are par
ticularly beneficial. In the summer time they
are all very well and are very refreshing: but
in the winter time think the shock to the sys-
tenn is too severe and should be avoided.
tepid bath Is much more beneficial in winter
time than cold one. The temperature of the
body is 50 degrees, and in my opinion bathing
in water under SO degrees is dangerous. Turk.
ish baths, to persons who can stand them. are
occasionally good. They open the pores of the
skin better than bathing in any other way. The
gradual heat and then a gradual cooling of is
the best way to take these baths. But / don't
think that the sudden plunge in cold water af-
ter coming out Of hot room is good and
persons suffering from any nervous or heart
complaint should not indulge in them. Turkish
and Russian baths are good for rheumatism
that is, ON account of the rubbing; and thew
are very often good for person suffering from
severe cold, but they are very weakening and
ahould not he indul0ed in too oftav r., A.