Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
What Ponce de Leon Never Found is
Within the Reach of All.
THE PLAIN LUKEWARM BATH
ReneWs the Waning Powers Of Age and
Paints Beauty's Cheek.
HOW TIE BODY WILL ABSORB WATER


existence has always attracted the greatest
attention. The Brown-Sequard excitement
is tine most recent example. OF course all
such claims are nonsense, but the belief in
the fact that there are draughts in existence
which have the power of prolonging life
has never entirely died out, and even at the
present day "arcanists" and wonder doctor.
are preparing elixirs of life from all kinds
of herbs for the benefit OF those who will be
deceived.
But this Unborn hope is not altogether de-
lusive; there are means, positive means,
which for time counteract the process Of
waste in the human system, which comes
with advancing age. retarding thereby the
end of the same. These rules. are purely
dietetical, however, and among them the
lukewarm bath occupies prominent rank.
CHARACTER OF OLD AGE.
The efficacy of this is not new-only not
generally known. Careful observers have
noticed long ago that aged persons are great
ly refreshed, restored and rejuvenated by
the lukewarm bath, but no one knew Just
why it should prove so beneficial TO old
people. 1t was not until the end OF the past
century, says writer in the st. Louis Post
Dispatch, that French physician, Pomme
by name, explained this circumstance. He
reasons as follows: 1.-THE character of old
age is increasing dryness, brittleness and
stiffness of tissue. Lukewarm baths are q
direct preventative for this drying up of the
tissues, and by reason thereof, are a means
of prolonging life, and it is easily under
stood why they should have such beneficial
effect upon the DID,"
The human body absorbs a considerable
quantity of water in the lukewarm bath,
HI oh 8 IL,
for this fact Falconet has furnished US the
proof This scientist demonstrated by the
scales that person remaining in the luke
warm bath for an hour absorbs through the
skin more than three pounds OF water.
Marcard, the famous PyrmonJ physician,
asserts the same, and has arrived at this
conclusion through several careful expert
| ments. Recent observations have been fol-
lowed by similar results, and everybody
who will set up a scale in his bathroom
can convince himself OF the correctness Of
| this statement.
| THE WEAR AND TEAR.
Beside this. lukewarm baths have ten
| dency for decreasing the number of pulsa-
| tions and respiration, and also in this direc-
ton they diminish the rapid consumption Of
vitality. Persons whose pulse is easily ac-
celebrated, who suffer from rush of blood to
| the head, ETC., derive most benefit from such
baths. A bath Of temperature of from $50
to $50 Fahrenheit and lasting a hall hour
| reduces the pulse from about 72 to 60, and
for quite a long time after the bath the
number of pulsations does not increase.
| Marcard says that he reduced his pulse to
| $40 during an hour and a half s stay in the
lukewarm bath.
Among others DR.. Zwierlein states:
Natural death is not caused through the
wasting away and wearing out of the organs
| but principally through the drying up,
| stiffening and immoYability of the solid
parts of the body, the narrowing down and
complete obstruction and growing together
| of all the delicate vessels, through corrup-
tion. incrassation and stagnation of the fluid
portions, through a superabundance OF the
terreous parts in the fluids and the disturb
ance caused thereby in all the functions of
the human system, particularly that of
nutrition and the circulation of the blood |;
therefore, no more appropriate medium for
the postponement of death can be found
| than the lukewarm bath, which, when
| judiciously used with increasing age, will
do all that human ingenuity can prescribe
in order to proiong lie"
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN's CASE.
At the time of Benjamin Franklin's stay
in England during the '70's of the last CEN
tury, when ne was past go years OF age, he
began to feel greatly the encroachments Of
old age. As a preventive DR.. Darwin
recommended to MIN the Iukewarm bath to
be taken twice a week. Franklin followed
his advice, and very soon experienced the
beneficial effects of these warm baths upon
his aging body. He continued to use them
up TO within short time OF his death, and
always with the most satisfactory results
He reached the age OF 81 years, and to the
last was strong and vigorous in body and
mind.
Count Berchtold, of London, says of the
English Consul General, of Alexandria Ia
gentleman OF go years of age), that by rea-
son of his protracted stay in hot climates
and his sedentary mode of life he hSd lost
much of his former herculean strength, but
that frequent lukewarn bath, into which
he poured a cup OF pure olive oil, always re-
freshed and strengthened him greatly. The
addition of the olive oil enhances the soften
ing, flexible property of the lukewarm
water. In former days physicians knew
little or nothing of the fact that water could
be absorbed into the human body while in
the bath, and yet this is its most important
factor.
A TRUSTWORTHY BEAUTIFIER.
The frequent lukewarm bath for ladies is
a sure beautifer. 1t restores elasticity and
smoothness to the dry, harsh skin, it loosens
the tissues and thereby brings back fullness
and roundness to the limbs. It prevents
eruption OF the skin, and where present, it
removes them, often even from the face.
For elderly ladies lukewarm baths are the
best means OF conservation.
The slight irritation of the sensitive
nerves has quiet;ug effect upon the nerv-
Gus system in general. Without increasing
ha nj Ua No
ing organs, these baths protect the body
enhances nutrition, whereby the important
part which the ''indifferently warm" bath
plays in the dietetic is explained.
RULES FOR BATHING.
1t is we'll to commence with these baths az
soon as the first infrmities OF old age begin
to make themselves felt, between the 5Oth
and Goth year. Two to four baths should be
taken every week. Thei temperature must
be from $50 10 $50 Fahrenheit, and within
this scale that degree should be chosen
which is the most conducive to the comfort
of each individual. As the water cools off
hot water must be added and the thermom-
eter constantly consulted. In the beginning
the bathing should not be extended beyond
the limit Of half hour, but it may grad
ually be increased to an hour. Lukewarm
baths lasting less than half hour cannot
be regarded as OF life prolonging char.
acter.
The best time for bathing is the forenoon,
one or two hours after breakfast, or the
afternoon at least four hours alter the mid
day meal. After the bath the BODY must
be thoroughly dried and rubbed with coarse
towels, first the arms and limbs, then tho
body and lastly the head. Baths either too
hot or too cold are dangerous to old people.