The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-20
GOLD WATER AND HEALTH


One of the most interesting develop 1 ments in modern medical science Is the proof of the immense importance of cold water to health, both as remedy for and a prevention of disease.
 But cold water should not be confound- ed with Ice water. that is almost as dis asterous to stomach, heart and liver as a liquor or drug habit. Cold water means the temperature of spring water of an October morning, just a crisp freshness about 1t but no shock. For drinking pur- poses water should be be cooled in an ice box. just bottled or canned. but never with Ice in It. which is unhygienic as well as unaesthetic.
 Physicians declare that very few Amer jeans drink enough water, that the bad di- Gestion, bad complications. bad nerves of our city and town people are largely due to the result of not drinking sufficient cold water.
 The system demands its full allowance of clear. cool, natural fluid in order to do its work properly and break fast coffee. luncheon chocolate and dinner COCktdllS are not only u Ddu but worse than none,
 When the body is thirsty 1t is calling for water; at least half pint before
 breakfast another before going | to bed and three and half pints dur | ing the day, preferably not at meals. It Is an excellent plan every morning and night before drinking the water to | rinse the mouth with a solution of warm l water and borax. Just a pinch Of powder | in half tumbes of water. It gives the water deliciously fresh taste besides
 sweetening the mouth, hardening the
 gums and cleansing the teeth.
 A course of this cold water treatment Is worth trying if just for sake of a hearty | appetite and rosy cheeks.
 | To get the best value of your effort ] you should accompany the cold water 1 drinking with a daily morning cold bath ] The bath should be taken before the l drink, so that there is not the faintest
 chance of aTesting even the simplest process of digesting water. A cold bath | Is only success with an empty stom- l ach.
 While the water Is running In the tub l prepare for the slight shock of the first | plunge by .aking long breaths at an open | window. Wrapped in a wool bath gown, 1 there will be no danger of catching cold, | and two or three minutes long, slow in- haling and exhaling of fresh air will
 start the circulation so that there is no | hesitation about a cold water bath,
 rather sense of enjoyment of it. But
 If at the very start you should still be at
 sl sensitive to the straight cold plunge,
 stand at the edge of the tub lean over,
 and dash cold water over the face, arms neck, chest and throat. Dry thoroughly with crash towel, and plunge in first enc leg and then the other.
 | After week of this sort of tempor- 1 izing you will be able to take the
 straight plunge. That is. of course, If the | room is warm. cold bath in a cold
 room may be fine heroism for athletic boys. but is more than likely to prove dangerous to the average woman who | has not much power of reaction. The daily tepid bath usually taken by | women in winter may be luxurious and | cleansing but it IS no substitute for | for the health giving power of the cold water Its the sting of the cold that | starts the blood coursing through lungs and heart, that warns the hands and | feet and sends a fine color to the cheeks A cold bath should be taken quickly al- ways followed by brash towel rub and | always in soft water.
 | Much of the value of the cold bath is iobl II the water IS nara, the pores are | clogged rather than opened, it is impos- ] sible to dry the skin quickly and 1t is left with a clammy sensation that is de- | pressing. It also makes sensitive skin rough, and go coarsens it.
 Where rain water can be had noth- ing is better. It is an emolient as well as stimplant to the cuticle. but in town and city the water supply is arti- cial and it is the exception to find it soft.
 Fortunately hard water is not an ir- fevocable misfortune. The worst miner- al water can be softened with pure borax. Two tablespoonfuls of pure bor- ax will soften the tub of water to the mellowness of rain water. And in addi- ton to its beneficial effects in the water 1t has medical properties that actually stimulate the action of the skin and whiten it.
 In fact .here is no simpler. more econ cmical. really enjoyable way of keeping or improving ones health than this daily conscientious use of cold water. It will