Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-12-09
BATHS.

be washed his feet not oetener than
once in six months,
She has left his bed and board.
Who blames her?
Another lady consulted a physician
about some trouble with her foot.
She undressed that member; the
| Musician remarked that one thi ng was
evident, that soap and water was need
ed.
Said he, II would bet one dollar that
this is the dlrtiest foot in town." She
took the bet, undressed the other foot
and the doctor lost.
People who are clean themselves do
not know, nor do they have the least
idea, of the amount of dirt and filth
that is carried about on the persons of
the multitudes.
1t would seem after all the talk that
has been made and all that has been
written on the subject, that the import
ance Of personal cleanliness would be
thoroughly understood, so that refer
ence to 1t would be scarcely necessary;
yet physicians meet with very odd, very
careless people, who use water very
aparingly.
People who suffer from the want OF
baths are not confined to those EN-
ployed in occupations that soil the
skin, for thu Sc naturally use means to
remove foreign matter. The sufferer is
apt to be a person surrounded by ele.
gance and luxury, abiding in Clearly
apartments, living sedentary lite in q
warm room. Under these conditions
without bath there may be accumula
tions from the skin more dangerous
than the foreign matters on the skin o.
the working man. The sebaceous, oily
matter mixed with dust and the solid
portions Of the perspiration, packing
the pores of the skin full and forming
a sort of varnish, preventing healthfu
and necessary evaporation of moisture
is common cause of illness.
While the skin is in this condition,
the lungs and kidneys are required tc
do the work nature intended should be
performed by the skin. People so suf
fering often apply to the physician fol
relief from headache; lassitude, fever.
ishness and lack OF nerve eneIg y. The
physician who detects the true cause Of
these symptoms and ADVISES the bath
instead Of medicine, may not be as pop
ular with that particular patient, as
some inferior man who would fill them
with medicine, yet he is the right kind
of physician to employ.
The healthful use of the bath Is not
altogether for the purpose of cleanli
ness. 1t has immense power for good
in other directions, determined by the
time and manner it is taken, together
with the temperature of the water.
In the summer we battle because it is
a luxurious and delightful means Of Sc
curing comfort. The manner, time and
temperature of the winter bath is a
subject upon which the opinions of the
laity, if not of physicians, are varied
Many of the common theories are false
One false opinion causing much harm
to those entertain and practice it. is
that the proper time for a full bath is
before breakfast. This is an error
fraught with danger. We know that
there are persons who can take a full
bath before breakf fast, and q cold one
at that and yet retain their vigor thro
the day. These are exceptions. As
for bathing children on rising, 1t is rep
rehensible. This, of course, refers to q
full bath and not to washing of the face
and hands. There are two kinds 0.
morning baths in the winter that are
not only admissible but beneficial, VIZ,
the wet and dry friction baths.
The frat is taken as follows: Procure
some crash or any rough material wiring
this out in cool water and rub the
trunk and limbs quickly, but not vi
olently. Wipe the moisture with {
soft towel and repeat the rubbing will
dry hands. This can all be done il
two or three minutes. The result is q
delightful glow and source of stimula
ton and warmth. The clothing should
be put on quickly, as the skin shoulc
not be allowed to lose the new warmth
otherwise the tonic effect of the bath il
lost There is no better protection
against cold and no better defense fol
sentative lungs than the regular daily
bath taken as above. A little ammonia
added to the water used is an improve
ment.
The dry friction bath is an air bath
Drop the clothes and expose the body
to the air, use the rough cloth as before
but use it dry. Rub all parts of thu