Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-03-14
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.

Cersspondsnos on topics Of Interest 70 the lAdiee
u sofcitsd. Addrsss; Editor H0nEnAkkhs
CoLun. Oxford Democrat rsnss haans-
THE USE AND ABUSE or THE BATH.
The old couplet,
| .whats one mans poison, signor,
IL another mans meat and drink"
10 a true In the matter Of bathing a. 1t
ID In matters Of dlgestion and Of taste;
though Il may almost seem heresy 70
even suggest that any evii may Iurk
In the bath. But, heresy though u may
be, I am willing to maintain Il; though
yield to none In strength Of alteration
for cleanliness, even to the extent OF
Joining with John Wesley In assigning. u
to Its tlme-honored place next to godii-
ness. :,
There is no doubt that health aud
beauty depend very largely upon the
condition OF the skin; and among those
accustomed to daily bathing there Is no
dispute that comfort, also, 10 dependent
ON II. A very large proportion OF the
waste matter OF the system is discharged
through the pores Of the skin, and u "a
OF the utmost importance that they
should be kept open aud free from all
distractions. Should they become
clogged In any way, the refuse thai
should have escaped through them VIII
be forced back into the system and ac-
cumulate there until the blood becomes
tainted, resulting finally Ia blOtches ana
pimples on the face and body, and often
In serious disease.
Il 4.
daily cleansing of the skin is necessary
10 health and purity; and this being es-
tsblished beyond any doubt, II only re-
mains to be determined how II can Dest
be done. II IL here that the personal
equation becomes Important; aud the
careful observer will hnd that method
which brings health and vlgor to one
person, may bring disease aud death to
another, and many deyotee Ut the daily
bath finds, to his sorrow, that what he
has supposed meat for his system Is
often for him only poison.
OF all subjects upon which one mas
convictions there are none except re-
llgiOn and politics concerning when one
holds more strenuOusly to his own views
and methods than one does on the SUD
ject Of bathing. The healthy and vigor-
Gus man with an iron constitution, VINO
4 for fifty years has every morning taken
plunge into the coolest water obtain.
able, will, with aggressive Vitality, tell
you that his splendid health IL entirely
due to this habit. Such a person usually
has all but open contempt for Que VINO
|. content to keep himself equally clean
and healthy by less violent methods,
and wonders how such hot-house plant
can hope to flourish.
John Quincy Adams was man OF this
sort. IL Is related of him that while he
was President he walked every morning
from the White House down to the Poto-
mac and, regardless OF Ice or cold wealth.
err, took a plunge into the river, and
came out brisk and glowing. III he had
been king of France Instead OF President
of the United States, he would have cau:-
ed the death OF many poor courtier with
weaker action OF the heart who at
tempted to follow him.
We admire the constitution OF such
person, but to suppose his method good
for everyone would be n great mistake,
aud AN abuse OF the bath which happily
does not often occur. A cold bath IL
certainly a great stimulant, and In one
form or another almost every person
can take such bath. 1.-The has a consti.
tuition which will sustain the shock, he
can take It as Mr.. Adams did, with great
advantage; a little less robust person
can stand a cold shower-bath, or n
plunge In q bsth-tub Of cold water; and
a much less vigorous one cen still have
all the benefit Of the stlmulant, with Its
after-glow, by taking the water In u
basin and applying It with sponge or
wasli-cloth.
In this last way anyone who IL not
extremely weak from disease can take
moderately cold bath and be the better
for Ii. The degree Of severity with
which II may be taken can be determined
only by experience. Its healthy result
should be only momentary shock, fol-
lowed by a glow which gives warmth to
the body and buOyancy to the spirits.
IL these results do not follow, more
harm than good Ia derived from the bath
and continuing to take Ii Is an abuse OF
very valuable aid to health.
Another way In which something OF
the effect of cold bath may be secured
without experiencing even the moment.
airy shock Of sudden contact with cold
water Is by taking tepid bath In tub,
and while In the water turning on the
cold water until all Is quite cold. Then
rub the body briskly until dry and glow
ing. While better than none, this Is not
SO good way as the use Of simply a
basin of water as already suggested; for
II involves taking tepid tub-bath,
which, II done daily, Is likely to be de-
billtating to most persons.
a sponge-bath of salt water Is eI-
tremely beneficial at all seasons OF the
year, and especially so In winter, rs
those accustomed to 1t are less liable to
take cold. This can be taken by itself,
or In addition tn q warm or cold bath.
Sea-salt or rock-salt can be used. Dis
solve about half a teacupful Of the salt
In a quart OF water of the same tempera-
ture AS the room; with this sponge the
body quickly, and rub briskly after 1t.
All cold baths should be taken with
great rapidity II one would have the full
benefit of them. Ten minutes II quite
sufficient to have the bathing and drying
completed; aud II 1t can be done In less
time, so much the better. Care also
should be taken not to stand directly In
a draft while the body Il wet, to work
fast, and to be sure to be perfectly dry
before putting on any clothing. a lack
Of attention to these details sometimes
brings unpleasant results which lead
one to believe that he cannot stand a
cold bath, when, In reality, 1t Is only his
mismanagement In taking II which
works him harm.
But II Is In the hot bath that we find
the greatest temptation to Its abuse.
The cold bath, being more or less vig0r-
Gus, requires some courage In the bsther,
and there are comparatively small
number of people who are In danger of
using II to q harmful extent. The warm
bath, on the contrary Is luxurious. We
indolently enjoy splashlng In the soft,
warm water, and have sense OF lux
uriousuess In the gentle lsnguor which
perya,les rs after the bath Is finished.
Added to this sensuous righteousness IL
the feeling that We are doing u very
commendable thing. IL bathing IL good
for US, we can hardly have too much OF
Il; so We 90 on half parbOlling
our bodies daily, and undernln.
Ing our health, under the Impression
that we are doing 1t for the sake of
cleanliness. And the hot water bather
takes rs much pride In his feeling Of
languid refinement, as the extreme cold
water bather does 10 his vlgOr and glow.
The fact is, that hot water bath
under ordinary circumstances Il very
l.lahiIitotin0 and ah,,,,ld be intluIVed In