Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-12-16

cum, which was composed of a large
central hall, surrounded by chambers,
and containing the vapor baths. The
modern staircase, by which We ascend
to the platforms of the ruins, occupies
one of the pillars of the celia caLdaria; /;
so that, looking down over the side
towards the city, we see the ceLid-frigi-
dtara, and opposite 1t the long hall of
the celia catdaria; while still Eeyond
rise the giant towers and arches OF the
Mcontcunl, through whose open spaces
CLEANS the western sky. The celia
catddrid, which was surrounded by
COLUMNS of granite, contained what
waS probably the most magnificent of
all the halls.
''Outside the central building was an
open space, surrounded by porticoes
and gardens, and containing a gymnas-
lum, stadium, arena, and theatre, where
games, sports, plays and races took
place; and beyond the porticoes on the
westerly side was a reservoir to supply
the baths. Within the baths of this
magnificent enclosure could be accom-
modated 1000 bathers at one time"
But, vast as they were, these we're
not the largest public baths of an
cient Rome. Those of Diocleti tian,
which were said to have been built by
the labor OF 10000 Christians at the
command of that great prosecutor, af-
forded baths to twice as many persons
as those OF Caracalla Some portions
of the remains of this structure are
now utilized as studios, granaries,
churches and prisons. In its very
centre stands the noble church of Sta
Maria degli Angel, built by Michael
Angelo, and taking its form from that
Here one still sees the massive col
umns of Egyptian granite IN their old
places, and from the vaulted roof still
ancient lamps depended.
"Besides these there were the Baths
of Agrippa, of Constantine, of Nero
and Severus, and those of Titus. :.
The extraordinary number of
Ihernae shows how universal among
the Romans was the daily use of the
bath. 1t was not confined to rich
classes, but extended to all, and was
usually taken after exercise, and be-
fore the principal meal of the day,
which was then about three o'clock in
afternoon"
To this universal use OF the bath is
undoubtedly attributable the general
health of the Roman people under ex-
cesses that would soon exterminate any
people living under modern conditions
The superfuous and poisonous matter
which otherwise would soon have car
ried the transgressors to their dis
honored graves, was daily removed
from the system by the activity and
diligence Of those untiring little slaves,
the pores of the skin. Entering the
bath after open air exercise in the
gymnasium-for these though covered
by a roof were always open on the
sides to the free circulation of air-the
pores were ready to be stimulated to
their proper work by the intensely hot
air of the celia caldaria. These halls
answering to the hot-rooms of the
modern Turkish Bath-were heated by
large stoves below them, much as
modern houses are heated by furnaces.
Here the bathers reclined on marble
slabs, and whiled away the time with
games, or chat, until the perspIration,
flowing freely, had effectually relieved
the clogged system. This and the
farther processes of shampooing aud
doucning with tepid or cold water,
seem to have been almost strictly
identical with those of the best con-
Quoted of the so called Turkish Baths
of the present; and indeed the latter is
lineal descendant of the Roman, as
that was of the Greek Bath. When the
Romans established their seat of EN-
pire in Constantinople they carried
their bathing habits with them; one of
the two or three priceless legacies which
the civilization of that dominant and
corrupt, but highly intellectual people,
left to the world.
The Turks, succeeding to the En-
pire of the East, had the good sense to
adapt some of the best things left by
their predecessors. The religion of
Mahomet advocated cleanline s, and
the Turks soon saw that the Hot-aIr
Bath of the Romans served this pur-
pose better than any other form. For
various reasons Christianity had but
sorrowful associations with the great
Baths of Rome. Christians had labored
on them and in them as slaves to the
hardest and vilest of task-masters, and
they were all dedicated t. ancient
gods, which were, in truth, bu-
deified vices. Hence, when Christian
Rome rose upon the ruins of Pagan
Rome the great Baths were not re
opened to the public; and gradually
the use of even private baths was dis
continued under the pressure of a su-
perstition which held that all self sacri-
fee was commendable; that no form of
sacrifice could be more abhorrent to
nature then that of personal cleanli-
ness; ergo, the greater the filth, the
more the merit. From the beginning
of time pestilences have followed close
upon war and famine. In Medieval
Europe, they sprang up and spread
without such inducing causes. "They
were the scourge of God for sin, said
the people. 1t was true. War and
famine were sins, and so is dirt. The
pestilences which under various names
devastated Western Europe all through
the middle ages, were Gods punish
ments for the sin of filth.
The Turk profited by his adoption of
the Bath. He found that the Roman
armies were the least Affected by sick
ness of any armies in the world, be-
cause wherever they went they estab-
lished their Baths, as existing remains
in all countries conquered by the
Romans amply show. The Tlrk, copy
ing the Romans, did the same thing
with the sme result. To this day the
Turkish armies suffer less from sick
ness than those of their (otherwisel
more enlightened neighbors. The Duke
of.Wellington reckoned ten per cent.
to be deducted for sickness from the
effective force of every English Army,
even wien it is supposed to be in the
best possible condition. Yet in
"Moltke's Campaign" (Russo-Turkish,
1923 81 the average number of Turks
IN hospitals-raw levies, in war time
is set down at but five per cent.
"Thanks to their excellent state of
health, cases of illness are so rare
saws Mr.. Skene, writing at the time of
the Crimean war,-''that on one occa-
sion, when fifty men out of $3.50 were
in hospital, the circumstance appeared
so alarming that an extraordinary con-
sultation was held" Urcini. in his
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