The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-02-04

ury of these bathing customs continued
until the downfall of Rome, which is
ascribed by many historians to the en-
ervated race of people which the Ro-
mans had made of themselves by in
dulg.ng immoderately in hot baths.
These they utilized not for purposes Of
cleanliness but for the pleasing physi-
cal sensations produced.
To this fact may be ascribed the
statements of the earl y fathers of the
Christian Church, VINO wrote that bath
ing might he practiced for cleanliness
or health but not for pleasure. The
Romans continued, however, to prac-
tice it for pleasure until the middle of
the fifth century, when the cutting Of
the aqueducts by the Huns, as we'll as
the decrease in the citys population,
caused til, lar est uf the therma to fall
into decay. In the East, however, at
Alexandria and Brusa, the institution
hourished in full vigor. The Moham-
medans subsequently learned how to
give hot air and vapor baths, and
through the Arabs these were intro
duced nto Spain.
At later period the Turks carried
the innovation high up the Danube. "
The great development Of the vapor
bath fn Europe is due to the fact that
in the time of the crusaders it was
looked upon as specific for the lcpro-
sy, then so prevalent. The use Of this
particular form of bathing spread very
rapidly, until after the beginning oft the
thirteenth century there were few
European cities that did not contain
vapor baths as we'll as separate vapor
baths for lepers The Jews were usu-
ally allowed to visit the vapor baths
but once week. In England, these
baths were called lighthouses. Eras-
mus, at the time of the Reformation,
speaks of them as being common in
France, Germany, and Belgium. He
gives a lively description Of the mix
lures and classes of people to be found
in them, and from his description it is
probable that they were at that time
adJuncts to inns. This form ofbatlling
was popular for centuries, to the eNclu-
sion of river bathing. which Tacitus
tells us the Germans enjoyed and prac-
ticed daily. 1t was not until the eigh-
tcenth century that a revival of cold
water bathing developed, and it re-
mained for the bygiensts of the pres
cnt century to impress on the public
mind the great usefulness Of sea-water
bathing, which had fallen into desue-
tudc, but which has for some years
been on the crest OF a wave of popular
approval and enthusiasm.
Up to the beginning of the Middle
Ages bathing remained popular. but
subsequently the practice degenerated
and public baths were regarded as quite
in the nature of Il novelty when they
were revived in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries.
The earliest attempt in England in
the direction of free baths was when,
about the last quarter of the s~r"'-
tecnth century, the Duke of York to-
vided in London a certain public bath
called the Duke Of York's Bagnio.
Medals or tokens bearing the figure of
man for mems baths and woman for
women's baths. with the respective
days of admission, were issued. These
tokens are now extremely rare and
may be regarded as one of the curiosi-
ties in the history of bathing. The
first public baths and wash houses in
England were erected at Liverpool,
where the ST. Georges Pier Head Baths
were opened in 1928. In lS49 the cor
poration of Liverpool increased their
bathing and washing accommodation
and erected two new establishments.
In London the movement was slow.
In September. 1874, the Lord Mayor
convened meeting for the formation
of an ''association for promoting clean
illness among the people," which re-
suited in the establishment Of one of
the first bath houses in London-a
building on Glasshousc Yard near the
London docks. Such was the success
of this establishment that its promoters
erected larger set of baths at White
chapel, which, however, gradually fell
into decay "Semi-public philanthropy
having pointed out the way says a
recent writer, ''the matter was pre-
sented to the House of Lords, and bill
prepared which received the royal as
sent on the Goth Of August, 1885,
The baths authoriz. ID to be provided
10y the Act We're swimming baths, warm
and cold slipper or tub baths, vapor
baths, and warm and cold shower baths.
The Turkish or hot air bath was not
generally known at the time, hence was
not included 1t has never been wide
ly used in England. The bathing
houses then inaugurated have always
proved popular and their number has
been constantly increased. Twenty
five parishes of London maintain thirty
one bathing establishments, Of which
twenty-seven have wash-houses in con-
nection with them. Thc cost Of fsevcn-
teen of these baths for which figures