Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28


situations and battle themselves for Moth
Ing or for few pennies. Perusal of data
collected by an agent Of the department
who has Travelled abroad astride the pub
lie bath as his special hobby justiiss the
rear that although We smart Yankees cen
set the old world many good example
our european cousins, nevertheless, can
give us some practical pointers anent pub
lie cleanliness.
Public Baths in American Cities,
Public baths accessible to the poorer
classes and open the year round are found
completed in only two of our hundreds of
progressive cities-Buffalo, N. Y, and
Brookline. Mass. 1t should be added, how
ever, that New York, Chicago and Boston
have appropriated for such public estab-
l1shments within the past two years. In
some scattering cities-as Washington, for
instance, public baths are open in summer
only. But 1t is claimed that the poorer
classes should be as clean in winter IS in
summer Up-to-date municipal housekeep-
ers are agreed that free public baths are
other overcrowded city districts. Anthem
tic statistics from eighteen fourishing
American cities, which represent cross
section of the country at large, show that
ties for washing themselves other than af-
forded by pail and sponge or flowing
streams.
England In the Lead.
Although public baths are relics of glo-
rious classical times, when mea found time
to cleanse their bodies as we'll as improve
their intellects, the general introduction
of the modern public bath in Europe
where it is now found in every progressive
city Of any size-is said to be due to John
Bull. who, in spite of his faults and mar
rowness, has always believed in keeping
clean. Public baths have been the thing
In Great Britain since more than CEN
fury ago, when they were first introduced
IN Liverpool In that city today men and
women of all classes can take Sea-water
bath in any season of the year. In winter
the water is pumped out of the sea, warm
ed and collected In monstrous tanks, where
1t may be enjoyed by any one who has
eight cents in our money. Nine public
baths and eighteen sheltered swimming
pools Is the good record. of the mother city
Of the institution which we most need.
Three OF these establishments have at
tached to them public laundries, called
wash houses" where inmates may have
their clothes as well their hides made
Immediately clean for a few cents. One
large free public bath establishment in
Liverpoof1is for the exclusive use of boys
III der fifteen. Sixteen Thousand youngsters
sometimes battle here in week By most
of the baths of this cleanly city special
rates are offered to public school children,
swim ming clubs and other associations.
In some establishments school boys can
enjoy warm swim in winter for a cent.
Mammoth Bathing EsfabIishments.
Public baths have been established in
200 cities Of England and Wales, and in
many of Ireland and Scotland. There are
said to be more club bath houses in Glas-
Cow than any city in the world. In Man.
chester there has lately been established a
tremendous hat OF hi ich
which cost 6O,OOO 1t contains two large
pools. one first and The other second class,
after the aristocratic notion of the Brit
lsner. THESE are patronized by men and
women separately. The building contains
gymnasium. lecture hall, retiring rooms,
waiting rooms and cafe. The typical pub
lie bath of the British is a monumental
structure, containing swimming pools and
additional private rooms equipped with
tubs. AS rule, public laundries are at
tached. England and Wales have spent
more than seven millions Of dollars on such
Establishments in the past dozen years.
The most elaborate institution of the kind
in Great Britain is believed to be the Ro-
man Read bath, a parochial establishment
erected in East London, at a cost of $780,
OOO The immense pools are lined on the
sides with white tiles and on the bottoms
with white glazed brick. The second-class
pool Is surrounded by galleries, from which
the bathing may be viewed py spectators.
Floating Baths I'm the Seine.
The floating bath attracts the foreign eye
in Paris. Many of these are conducted
in the Seine by private parties. They con-
sist usually Of floating frames bearing
cabins for dressing purposes and surround
ing perforated tank, through which .he
river water can freely circulate No mat
ter how far from shore the bather ventures
he never gets into deep water. Swimming
pools or ''piscenes" as they are cahed by
the natives. are of more modern adoption
in the French capital. They are erected
at public expense in many parts of the
city. To go further east-Vienna within
the past ten years has established ten new
public bath houses, and Is increasing he
supply until each ward of the city shall
have been sufficiently equipped with such
means of keeping all of the common people
clean. These consist simply of shower
baths, hot and cold.
Germany's Shower Baths.
Germans have more economical and more
practical ideas concerning public baths
than other European cities. Their typical
establishments of the kind as now built
are simple one-story buildings. provided
with rain baths,' SIS they are called
German sanitarians consider shower baths
to be more cleanly than tub or pool baths
Cases of disease in Berlin have been traced
to the swallowing OF water during recrea-
ton In swimming pools. 1t is now urged
that bethers must thoroughly wash them
selves before entering such pools, and that
self-cleahsing expectoration troughs be
placed along the sides to be used by those
who wish to emit water from their mouths
after diving. Before entering the typical
German shower bath. the bather soaps
himself thoroughly in a closed cabin. He
then enters the shower bath, and by pull
ing down a chain brings down upon his
head a shower, first of warm and after
ward of cold water. The physiological
effect of the shower bath is believed to
be less weakening than that of the plunge.
Furthermore the cleansing Is absolutely
thorough, since all the dust and dirt with
which the water becomes saturated is
constantly carried away and the water
continually refreshed. =
In the case Of the tub BATH which Ameri-
CARS commonly indulge in, one finally
bsthes in dirty water, especially the work.
ipgman, who generally leaves all of the
aecretions of an entire week in the tub.
The shower bath Ii preferred by the Ger
mans also, because 1t requires very little
warm water for one bath and enables many
people to battle quickly. one after another.
board of German judges who lately
awarded prize for the most perfect pat
tern for a shower bath ruled that the spray
should be directed against the bather
obliquely and not vertically, since they be-
lieyed that water rushing straight down
might t,Sh NJ - Aor =