Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
le12. 20. ja23
HEALTH AND THE BATH
MODERN MAN USES MORE
WATER THAN ANCESTORS.
Royal Persons Of a Few Centuries
Ago Were Not Remarkable
for Cleanliness.
From the London Leader.

From the London Leader.
Washing is, in 80 far as modern nations
at least are concerned, very Hooeln
custom. We know. OF course, that the
ancient Romans built fine baths and used
an immense quantity of water Tor DALI
ing purposes. They appear to nave asso'
ciated the highest social pleasures WIN
water. Just as moderns associate them
more or less with wine. But 1t Ii quite
certain that the early Britons were not
impressed by all this zeal TOR Datnlns'
and the fashion Of holding bathing par
ties surrounded by warm pipes ana tric-
king streams. Our remote ancestors
could do anything on water. but IL ls
not certain that they washed In 1t.
A hundred years ago and less any one
who suggested daily baths would have
been looked upon as a lunatic. In the
nurseries Of the rich there was always
cally-for use. But all the records-dls-
Greet as they are-go to show that even
exalted persons were very dirty. Inc
ladies OF the Georgian courts were
gorgeous, but not dainty. The srandees
Of Spain had habits which are simply
unmentionable. Even brilliant Versailles
was. under the gilt and sparkle, a dirty
place, full of dirty people. No one en-
phasizes these facts now, because, re-
cent az is the conversion OF the few, they
are very much ashamed or ever nav w y.
been other than above reproach. The fact
remains. however. that cleanliness 1s not
only a modern custom, 1t 1s q neW-very
new-fashion, and Is not taken up readily
because Of its costliness.
The Crusaders.
Costly 1t is, indeed. Perfect cleanness
of hair, teeth. skin, nails and clothing
at all times is a far better test of real
solid balance at the bank than are pre-
cious stones and a motor. There are peo-
ple such as the Yorkshire women, Tor
example who follow after cleanliness all
their lives long, and wash with hot water
even the streets and courts before their
houses. Their brasses shine, their kitch-
ems are temples of cleanliness; but even
they do not spend hours every week
in washing and brushing their daughters
long hair and their own. Even the mar
tyrs Of cleanliness have to stop some
where, and often they stop at most
unfortunate place.
The cleanliness Of the upper and upper
middle classes in England today is mat
ter not of taste in the first place. It Is q
matter Of money. In the early part OF
the nineteenth century George ComDe
and others began crusade on the neeu
of cleanliness, founded on new study or
the functions of the skin. These writings
had a great success. They alarmed the
people who read them. The custom OF
bathing was introduced among the ricn,
and the Englishman who Travelled began
to amaze the continental mind by asking
French and Germans into the notion that
the English were an amazingly clean ma
ton This error has been a!togetner ex.
posed by the findings of school medlcai
officers, however. and above all by the
school nurses.
There are very clearly strata to be
found at every stage of the community
The Welsh miners, for example, are al
most as clean as the ancient Romans
and certainly as hygienic Though COW
ton Of washed English noblemen. But
the plain truth is that we are as whole
a dirty people, exactly like most OF our
neighbors abolish the slums." says
Mr.. Chesterton, who wants to suggest
remedy. But there is no immediate rem
edy in throwing down bricks and mortar.
1t is hot water, soap. brushes. towels ana
time that are wanted. Baths. TOO, ano'
above all, time, and g. new pleasure.
Even good houses in themselves are
nothing There are many fine baths in
this country that are used as lumber
rooms and storage places.
Worship and Washing.
Nevertheless, there is no going back
now. Dirt has been found out. It Is the
arch enemy Of human life-the mother OF
disease. The nation has begun to make
war already. The death rate has gone
down steadily as the habits of some Of
the people improved. The black death.
leprosy and host Of abominable diseases
have been chased out by new sanitary
laws and a developing health conscience
And. in spite of deceiving traditions, we
are coming to see that education begins
in hygiene: that great religions COM
mence here and cannot advance far be-
yond the sensittveness Of the worshiper.
When we remember how most OF the
raw material OF our mental life is made
up Of impressions streaming upward into
the sensorium, and rejecting the condi-
ton of the body itself, and how, there
fore. every degrading element must re-
fleet itself in the higher region Of thought
and affect the personality. we can hardly