Feliciana sentinel., 1892-07-09
PUBLIC BATHS.
These Useful Instituttons II Ancient ses
Modern Tiues.

PUBLIC BATHS. /
These Useful 1nstitutions II Ansasnt sae
M0dePn TiSnoss
Nearly all American and European
visitors to Japan speak with admira'
ton of the public baths of that country.
In the city of Toxic there are between
eight aud nine hundred public bathing
.sta ablishments, each frequented by at
least three hundred people. who pay
for the privilege an extremely small
.u,n-,o small that no one is too poor 70 |
afford 1t. Outside of the baths the
Japanese arc much given to bathing In
their own houses. They are one Oh ene
cleauest people In the world. Travellers
from the western world would frequent-
ly express their regret, in describing
these japanese baths, that the prog
ressive peoples of Europe and America
have no such establishments. Our
American cities, indeed, are fcf the
most part blessed with public baths
which are open in summer, out tney
| have none, or practically none wn1en
are warmed and opened in the WINTER
like those OF Japan.
In many parts of Europe, indeed,
! bathing is almost unknown. People
who are supposed to be civilized and
aysn enlightened go from infancy to
the grave, through a long life, without
a single thorough-going bath "all over"
Thev did not derive this uncleanly Gus
| tnrn from, their ancestors OF the ancient
,rorld. The Roman empire throu4hout
almost its entire extent was world OF
magnificent and universally patronized
public baths.
The abandonment Of bathing was, Ia
a curious way, the result of the triumph
of the Christian religion, though
Christianity itself certainly could never
be accused OF encouraging uncleanh'
ness. Proper care of the body, as the
'"temple of the Holy Ghost, - is enjoincd
by the Christian Scriptures. In the I'M
perial reigns which marked the decline
Of Rome the public baths. which In
former generations had been sources OF
national strength, became, on the con-
trary, sources of corruption and a cause
of the decadcnce of the people. A use
full institution had been subjected te
; great abuses. In these baths the
t | Romans of that degenerating age spent
l a great proportion of their time. They
bathed.in warm and perfumed water
a and so softened and weakened them
c selves by continual indulgence in thi
e luxury that they not only became In
capable of resistance to their tyrants
+ but fell an easy prey to bodily vices an
. sicknesses.
1 The early Christians, who led a sever
and virtuous life, regarded the publ
I baths with horror. With the trump
G of the new religion, these sources c
u corruption were prescribed. But tn
Q reaction against the abuse OF the publ
baths went too far. Not only were tn
e baths abandoned, but bathing as vel
The French historian, Michelet, cal
d ,.;,,on; ,,iia'6 = BATH thhees Thousand veal
The DAYS of chivalry were not days
i. nersonal cleanliness Many famo,
e knights and kings were SO untldy
"a their habits that they created remar
lr even in those days. The magnlf1ce1
=. courticrs and ladies who surround'
,e Henry ". and Louis NV. OF Fran
DO hardly washed their hands and race
TX though they ate their food with the
It fingers The duke of Orleans, the
ne nous regent during the minority
III J,o,is Nv. was the first to introdu
he clcanly manners in the French cou
then the center of the worlds poh
ness. If personal cleanliness was
". that time almost unknown in the cour
'ly the appearance of the people may p
NV hans be dimly conjectured. This 10
ncric,d was time of terrible epideml
,cr MYSTERIOUS plaques, feeding, no dou
nd upon the filth of towns, swept a"
on myriads of people. a comparative fr
dom from epidemics has resulted fr
ly, the more cleanly habits and the
creased knowledge of sanitary mode:
IA. living Public baths, beyond all dou
my are conducive to pubic health.-A LOU
son Companion.