The Washington herald., 1909-04-04

II you would be healthy" says an au-
shortly In the New York Tribune "use
lplenty Of soap to keep the skin clean and
the pores open"
IF you want good health admonishes
another authority. do not use soap often;
Il removes the natural oils of the skin.
which are necessary &c its healthy condi-
l1ion.'
Don't wash at all" urges an anti
bathing faddist Il have perfect health
j never wash, Look az mel''
One look IN such a case has been sufi-
cient to discourage others from maintain
l4ng health on his principle. Many writ
ters aver that the ancients and most IN
civilized nations Of later periods did not
use soap. and were therefore uncleanly in
consequence. Substitutes for soap. how
ever existed almost as far back as did
those who desired 10 make use OF such a
material.
New American fads and hygienic meth
Iods for the bath. however. seem to show
that we are only just arriving at knowl-
edge Of cleansing preparations which were
known 10 the ancients, and which were
considered an Improvement upon soap.
There is nothing new about the liquid
soaps now employed in public places as
imore hygienic than cakes Of soap. which
Iformerly lathered al conditions OF hands
in succession. Wealthy Romans and
Greens Of empires long since perished
were wont 20 carry 10 the public baths
which they frequented phials OF costly
Rlabaster, gold. and fine glass. which
icontained expensive unguents and liquid
Foaps.
Used PerfUmed Oils.
Those perfmed oils. prepared not only
TO cleanse. but TO round out and beautify
the skins Of maids and men Of Egypt and
the Orient before Rome dreamed of en-
pire, were surely an Improvement upon
even the best OF CASTLE, cocOanut, and
palm oil soaps Of to-day. made in solid
form for commercial purposes from the
detergent oils extracted from olives
fcastor beans. and cocoanuts and other
fruits Of palms. We noderns think our
selves improving on old methods when
I'VE use oatmeal. perfumed and tied up
en thin bags; cornmeal. soured. and al
zmond meal for cleansing purposes. In
Ssncient Rome the poor, VINO could not af-
ford costly unguents, used meal OF lupsis
sfor bathing This was a highly cleansing
vegetable production. harmless 70 the
skin and therefore possibly better than
She cheap soaps which our tenement
house dwellers purchase for a similar
purpose
In very early times vegetables and oils
which possessed detergent qualities were
tsmployed 10 cleanse the skin, and addl-
I1ons TO harems were wont 70 be put
Through a regular system OF amounting
with eraollients and refined fragrant oils
;nruch as women to-day submit 20 like
treatment In beauty courses TO fit them
Nor a season Of social triumphs Egyp-
lfians chiefly used liquid preparations for
scleansing and beautifying their persons
and practitioners Of Egyptian processes
.of beauty culture in Europe and New
York employ various liquid unguents
compounded from recipes almost prehis-
toric, when they set about converting a
corrugated cOuntenance OF tanned leather
Into a rose petal Of satiny Ioveliness
They charge $500 and upward for this
treatment Nobody knows what the
Ptolemies had 10 pay for it. In all times
these cleansing and beautfying oils and
extracts have been very expensive.
Soap Evolution Of Economy.
Cyprium IS still used in the manner en-
ployed by the ancients, as a powder and
TO stop Precipitation Other concomitants
of the bath in ancient Rome and Greece
herbs and nuts. inter and various frag-
rant powders and meals.
1t Is said that the Romans Of old were
possessed Of an astonishing number Of
oils. soap substances. perfumes and wash
balls. To-day our wash balls consist Of
oatmeal, almond meal, olive oil, caked.
scraped. and mixed with other ingredi-
ents and tied I'D in a bit Of cheeseeloth,
10 cleanse, refresh, and beautify the skin
Soap IN its modern form seems rather
TO be an evolution Of economy and com
Snercial convenience than an evidence OF
q great accession 10 cleanliness. The
rich to-day in their homes use unguents,
OILS, meals. ard bath powders in prefer
ence TO it. A lather is usually prelim-
mary 10 the bath, but II is not In this
age as picturesque as the old method,
when slave poured liquid soap over her
mistress from a costly jar before the fair
bather stepped down into the water
MIX as n Bathing Fluid.
Milk was highly priced as a bathing
fluid by the ancients The women OF
'Nero's household performed their ablu-
tions In asses milk. and this valued pro-
moter Of beautiful complexions was al
ways used by the lovely Empress Pop
paea. Nowadays milk IS too expensive
10 waste IN the hathtub. and modern
beauties content themselves with a tea
cupful in a basin wherein their faces
may be laved.
That American nOUveau rich who when
invited out to dinner. wanted 70 know
whether she should bathe for a high or
a low neck dress would not have been
tolerated in the time Of Socrates when
guests at . banquet were expected not
only TO battle, but 70 use unguents and
perfumes after ablutions. and so exhale
an atmosphere Of fragrance and fresh
ness as an accompaniment 70 witty con-
versation. The ancients reduced bathing
10 a fine art. Their private baths were
or the utmost magnifcence, and public
ones were places Of extravagant luxury.
Not only we're they provided with hot
warm. and tepid baths but with a sys-
TEN OF more gradual change 70 cool wa
Ter than the cold plunges and showers
which some moderns find so nerve-shock-
ing. Old Roman sweat rooms resembled
those in our Turkish baths. and their
natatoriums sometimes exceeded 200 by
400 feet. IN one Pompeiian place a thou
sand lamps were used in a single bath,
and the ancient public baths generally
surpassed ours not only In point Of mag
nihceuce and costliness. hut in that they
contained room. tempered TO a consid-
erabie warmth. for perfuming and anoint-
fng.
Emperor Bathed with Subjects.
The sncients also made their public
baths places for social assembiage and
amusement. Everybody patronized them.
The Roman emperor bathed with the
meanest OF his subjects. and even the