The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-28
The TURKISH BATH
A Victims Story of the Real Thi7g
In Its Native Land.
WELL MIULED AND SCRAPED,
He Yves knosded, Plucked, Turned
Over and Walked Upon and Then
Scrubbed as Though He Were a
Kitchen Floor.

The tourist who wanders about
Sramboul will from time 10 time come
OH domed buildings of all sizes which
might be taken for mosques but that
they seem to have no fountains and
no minarets. From some place. such rs
the terrace of the mosque of Sultan
Sulayman. where their roofs may be
overlooked, it will be seen that the
low domes are often Of peculiar salm-
on pink color and always covered
with glass buIlseyes. These are the
real Turkish baths.
Quite apart from the ceremonial
wash before prayer, Islam, which con-
siders cleanliness not so much next
to godliness rs a part of goodness 1t
self, ordans periodical scrub all over,
And the Turk. unlike the sodden west,
never sits in hot water. but prefers a
hot room, a tap and IL basin as a min
imum and a shampooer and a flesh
glove If he can afford such luxuries.
One enters, as III the west. into tie
cooling room, generally high domed
room with many galleries around. IL
fore going TO private room or. if tie
bath is to be done on the cheap, to
n place on the big common sofas one
exchanges dirty boots for slipshod
heelless slippers. Watch and valua-
bles may be left under the care Of the
cooling room attendant. who superin-
tends the process Of undressing, winds
loin cloth around one and throws
primrose towel over ones shoulders.
Before crossing the floor Of the cool
ing room the slippers are again eX-
changed for wooden clogs, wherein the
novice walks like Agag, delicately, In
fear Of fall, till he learns to imi-
tate the speed of the bath men by
abandoning all attempts to walk and
executing a fast shuttle.
The outer hot room, at about the
temperature of an English shampooins
room, is a very secondary affair. One
stays there for little, still clothed In
the primrose towel, reclining on Il dis
tant imitation of a bed, drinking cof-
fee and smoking cigarette, perhaps
watching couple Of shampooers
amusing themselves by wrestling
bout The customer and the shampoo
err wear the same type Of loin cloth,
an elaborate check Of red and yellow
that may he seen any day in the
streets on an apron worn by the AL
bantam sellers Of chestnuts or sweet
meats.
If that cigarette is finished come
into the inner room, heavy with damp
heat. the real bath. The attendant
II
the door, a heavy wooden affair, kept
shut by a counterweight, whose bang
ing is not the least characteristic noise
in the bath. Inside is large square
domed room. Innumerable bullseyes
in the dome admit the light, which the
whitewashed walls reflect, making a
light and airy effect. On the great
square slab in the middle they have
placed towel and pillow. and here
one lies, leaving the clogs on the floor.
Round the room. screened from one
another by dwarf walls, are a row OF
marble basins. and here may be seen
all classes-such is the democracy of
Islam-from the army officer to the
day laborer. whose shaved head oddly
suggests a tonsure The poorer classes
do not indulge in the luxury Of mas
sage. They come for a wash only and
often bring their own soap for econo-
my's sake. 1t Is not uncommon to see
two of them scrubbing one another by
turns.
Presently. unbidden. the shampooer
mounts the slab and squats beside his
victim. Most Of his work consists in
ha ho~ ho
long, heavy strokes of an English mas
seur. But when the customer is turn
ed on his face the masseur becomes
more energetic He plucks the skin
OH each side of the spine, walks up
and down on the back and strenuously
gathers up arms and legs into curious
bone breaking knots regardless of the
grunts of the stiff jointed west 4
final super-Gordian knot and the clap
ping of his hands show that 1t is over.
The customer, as soon as he can col
1ect limbs which seem to have been
pulled clean off him, adjourns to one of
the basins and is rubbed with a rough
glove to take OF the old skin. Then
the man brings a battered metal bowl
cold bowl, old bath" is the Turkish
soap and a lather wisp of "lyf'' Mecca
palm fiber, and scrubs conscientiously
for some ten minutes, working with
the abandon Of jealous housemaid on
q floor. forgetful apparently that the
object he is scrubbing is flesh and
blood.
Finally he pours warm water from
the bowl TO wash away the last of the
soapsuds and. II the bath is large and
UP to date one. conducts his we'll scrub
bed victim to cold douche.
Drying takes place in the outer hot
room. sundry loin cloths and towels
are wrapped about the body. small
towel makes a turban for the head and
clean clogs are produced for the feet,
which have been dried with great
souiati;ues inconveniently great-care.
4 loud clapping of hands announces
that the process is over. and the three
or four Turks who seem always to be
doing nothing zealously In tho room
crowd round to wish one good health
--..or:oa Globe.