Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1892-04-14
as A RUSSIAN HATnEs


Gle.
Th- Philzdelphian who INDUCES in
the pleasures Of the bath mar be sur
prIsed 20 learn TIA; he has never had =
genuine Russian bath. although he has
had the full worth % his money and
over in the luxurious establishments
that flourish in the business center OF
the c8ty- Il is a fac. however, tha.
none Of these places givesa Russian
bath. and that the only place 70 find
the genuine Is far removed from IN.
usual kaunts II the patrons Of thes>
resorts IL il located IN the heart Of
the Russian Hcb-ew district on LON
bard street. ard differs in many re-
spects from the uptown baths
. Inc visitor to this establishment
which IS plaialy but comfortably fur
uishesL notices the abSenc. Of the
small dressing rooms usually found IN
such places lie j. ushered INTO 4 large
room. the walls OF which are hidden oy
rows OF lockers similar 10 thos= in gym
uaslulaS IL the dsv - busy one AZ
the hath h. finds several men disrobinx.
and As there seems TO be no privacy oh
scrvet he proceeds 20 follow their ex-
ample When ready to 20 - the bath
he Is handed a small linen shee: 20 en-
fold his anatomy. and he Is then nc
compauied down n narrow stairway 20
a dark. damp whose sitting at
moSphere almost ~sutfocates HIM A.
soon As his eyes become Accustomed to
the place the meager light admitted
through i small window enables him
10 get a glimpse Of the place. whose
furnishings consist OF an iron sink and
two marble slabs
The attendant is n little old man with
the features and beard Of the typical
Russian. and dressed in 4 linen cloth
around the loins The patron has the
privilege Of bathing himself IL he de-
sireS but the services OF the attendant
are ObtAinabl- for n small fee The
services are similar to those of the
maSseu@ Of other baths. except tha,
the rubbing. Shaping. pounding and
rolling given are more heroic and more
tire>ome TO the patient
After the massage the hather Is given
a coating OF a peculiar soap. applied
with n bunch Of ihers which resemble
wood shaTin1s or the excelsior of the
uPholsterer-
After he = thoroughly coated with
he soap which has \ pungeut odor.
the hather j. taken into n steam room.
hes SIDES Of which are arranged with a
series OF benches or shelves They are
three deep. and accommodate twelve
persons The bather reclines on one
ot these shelves the attenfan. opens
the 0or Of an 0-cn somewhat ike tina.
used by the baker. except tha. IL n
paved with large stones and which il
located IN one former Immediately .
blast OF hot air fills the place and
makes breathing anything bat pleas
ant After a few minutes the attend
ant dashes several buckets of water on
he stones Of the bottom oven
The room : az once filed with a
dense steam which 5 essentially DIFF
fereut from hat generated in boilers
While recumhent on the shelves the
batner : gently rubbed BY the attend
ant with a bunch Of OAK leaves The
effect 81 this treatment - TO cause a
prteklIug sensation. a. IL thousands OF
needles were being stack in the body.
or a. Z the patient was connected with
n lively electric battery After the
bather has had enough of this treat
meut and a very littl~ usually does
one he i gwen a shower bath rubbed
down and sen, 10 an urP-r floor where
the usual smoke and sleep follow
n-