Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-08-22
the Puslic sArH.

tNs F00&IS 0RtNs
When We remember what superb phy.
siqucs, what tremendous strength and
vigor were the property Of thoss an
clients 70 whom the bath was . daily
pleasure, lt 70 wonderful that We make
no more Of it among ourselves. Every
town Of any sise at al must have club.
public schools, book clubs and library
but scarcely any town has . public bath
house. It u difficult 70 undcrstand why
We, at our boasted height Of civilization,
think 90 slightly Of the Advantage OF
tho bath, whom those whom 10 consider
greatly beneath 10 In that point found Il
90 great necessity. Far back In the be-
ginning Of Hebrew history publication
By the bath Was prescribed a. . part Of the
moral law; and all know at what trc-
mendous expense water was brought
from the hills to Rome, through mighty
aqueducts-some of them still In use
for the sake Of the public bath. The
Roman rulers knew no better way Of
coucillating the populace than BY build
Ing for them vast baths Of woudrous
msgnlficence, their colossal exteriors 20
solid and imposing a. could be compass
ed, their interiors rich with vaulted and
painted ceilings, with mosaic floors,
with vases, statues, pictures, bas-rellefs,
with wonderful marbles, carvings and
precious stones. One Of these baths was
90 vast Il IL said 5000 people might be
bathing within lts beautiful walls at one
time. And the bathing Was Of the most
elaborate description. The bather was
first anolnted In the unctuarlum with
oil, and afterward sprinkled with pow
der; afterwards In q great spherical
apartment he took various physical ex-
ercises for his musclar development;
then In the caldarium he sat on marble
seat beneath water In gigantic basin.
and the attendant scrspod him down
with strlgills, an ivory knife, and after
vigorous rubbing great vases Of water
were poured over him. But not yet
Satisfied, he went next to the tepidarium
and after that to the frigidarium, these
gradations bracing him for the dlffer-
ence between the first great heat and the
natural outer air. But before he came
to the outer air he was dried with nap
kins, and highly scented oils were rubbed
into his skin from head to foot. But
the baths were not only places for wash
Ing and making clean, they were made
delightful places Of resort; all sorts OF
pleasures were attached to them; there
were gymnasiums, halls for theatrical
exercises and philosophical discussions,
libraries, temples and academic games,
where one attended before and after
bathing; and here one met ones friends,
discussed the topics of the day, and en-
joyed festivity. And although every
patriclan had his private bath at his
dwelling, yet he patronlzed the public
baths rs well, even an emperor there
mlngllng with plebelans. Wherever the
Roman rule held. even as far as Great
Britain, the remains Of their vast and
bountiful baths are still to be found.
IL "a people, however lofty 10 the pleas
urable arts, who had not In any degree
reached either our moral or scientific
point, could 80 honor the public bath, II
seems strange that It should receive 20
little favor among ourselves, especially
when Il Ia not splendor that Is needed,
but merely tubs and towels and soap
and water, and seeing that It Ii as nee
essary to the skin to-day as II was thou
sands Of years ago. Many Of our dis
eases now may be traced to the absence
of bathing, many fevers and contagious
among the poorer classes, which, II
baths were made easy and convenient Of
access, might be kept under or exter-
minated. Those who have cold sleeping
rooms, and no hot water ut hand, are
very apt to let the matter 20 by the
board until they almost forget there IL
such u practice as that of bathing, and
think they have fulfilled all requirements
by rinslng the front of their frees and
washing their hands. II the skin, load
ed with exuvle and impurities, IL unable
to perform Its excretory Office, and
throws all the work that Il ought to do
upon the interior organs, till, overwork-
ed, they fall, and mortal illness follows,
Ii IL the neglect of the bath that Ii at
fault. II our towns do not feel at llber-
ty to use the public resources for the
erection of lighthouses Of the simplest
character possible, Il is to be hoped that
the subject will appeal to our wealthy
citizens, and while they are devlsing
their property for libraries and homes,
and things Of the usual sort, they will
remember the necessity and healthful-
ness Of public lighthouses, and desiring
the public good, remember also the old
saying that cleanliness Is next to god.
llness."-Harper's Bazaar.