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

ers. None of these baths are free, the
fees ranging from two cents for school
children to twelve cents lor first-class
swimming or private or warm bath.
1slington, the largest parish in London,
with 100000 people, maintains three
public paths at the initial outlay OF
$529,5l4. Turkish baths are now in
prospect. The three baths were Us, i
by 72l ,575 persons in the year ending
March 31st, 1895. The receipts
amounted to S45, ,7S3, and the working
expenses to s47,s57.
Germany also boasts of exceptional
ly fine public baths, Oh which the limits
of the present article preclude de-
scription. The Germans, with inherent
common sense, early foresaw that tub
bathing was not practicable for work
ingmen, who being grimy and sooty
from their labor, soil the fluid immedi-
ately, and are then compelled to bathe
in water that is not clean. This diff
Guilty was obviated by the use of the
inclined overhead tepid spray, an i'm
provement that was first indicated and
exhibited at the Berlin Health Expo
stion of 1888, where it met with in
stant appreciation and approval.
To the Germans is also due the
credit of having first tried the expert
ment of rain baths in the public schools.
The idea, however, originated with an
Englishman, DR.. Alfred Carpenter, of
Croydon, who first broachcd it in his
lectures on preventive medicine in re-
lation to public health. He contended
that it would tend to purify greatly
the air of schoolrooms, and at the same
time teach children habits of cleanli-
ness, which otherwise they might never
learn in abodes that lacked proper
bathing facilities. To Professor Huegge
and Mayor Merkel of the town of
Gottingen, in Germany, must be adj
judged the honor of first carrying out
the idea. The experiment was begun
in 1885. Groups OF children are bathed
together. The baths are never given
ut or near the end Of the school session,
so that children run no risk ofcatching
cold whel going home. 1t is found
that the children enjoy them and APP
pear to be far more attentive and less
restless after indulging in them; that
the baths induce greater cleanliness in
clothing and underwear; that the par
ents pay greater attention to the ap-
pearancc of their children; and finally
that the air ofthe schoolrooms has been
greatly purified and improved. No
doubt the little ones, thus early intro
duced to water, will remain bathers for
life.
The important movement is rapidly
becoming popular in Germany. In
this country there are yet few school
baths One on the rain bath principle
vas erected at high school at Scran-
ton, Pennsylvania, two or three years
ago, while swimming and rain baths
(known universally among the people
as "shower baths') have recently been
paced in certain New York schools.
The same c.:, IS of bath has also been
introduced with great success at the
New York Juvenile Asylum, where.
under a rain of warm water, two hun
dred and eighty children are bathcd
every hour The movement will un-
doubtedly become popular in course of
time. At present compulsory school
baths are apt to be looked upon a little
in the nature of an invasion OF the per-
sonal right of the scholar to be dirty.
TO supplement this sketch of the
history of bathing a briefdescription of
the principal baths will be appropriate:
"Slippcr" or 'tub' baths are con-
stantly becoming more popular in
America, although at present not more
than twenty-three per cent. of our
houses contain them. Hygienists and
sanitarians are, however, beginning to
insist that they be made a feature of
all dwellings and in course of time we
may expect to see such consumma-
ton. The most popular form Of this
bath among robust people is in the use
of cold WHITEWATER Of a temperature
of thirty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit.
The cold bath can hardly be called y
cleansing ablution, being employed
rather for its tonic and sedative effects.
Unless the bather's constitution is Wig
orous. cold baths are apt to have a de
pressing and injurious effect upon him.
Notifications of this bath consist in
moderating the GOODNESS of the water
to suit peculiarities Of taste and temper
ament.
Warm and tepid baths are used pri-
marlly for cleansing purposes and give
an agreeable and refreshing sensation
They equalize the circulation, and their
use is widely approved by physicians
in host Of diseases The hot tub
bath-:n water ninety eight to one hum
dred and ten degrees Fahrenhelt-is
utilized chiefly in the treatment OF
sickness.
The Russian or vapor bath consists
in the application OF hot vapor, at a
temperature varying from one hundred
and twelve to two hundred degrees