The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-02-10

DAILY BATH FOR THE YOUNG BABY Is
OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE
the belief that away back in dim an
tiquity our ancestors were quite as
well adapted to water as we now are
to land.
The practical application Of the above
reflections Is that bathing has a wide
| range Of usefulness aside from its
cleansing effect Every self respecting
American citizen desires to be clean
and will battle for that purpose more
or less frequently, but the mistake
should not be made of looking upon
the bath simply as cleansing proc
ess. Possibly for the reasons suggest.
ed above the mere contact with water
stimulates and invigorates the body
entirely apart from the influence Of
temperature and the removal Of dirt.
Warm water and pure soap are con-
sidered the essentials for cleansing
bath, but cold bath. followed by Wig
orous rubbing, will accomplish all that
is really necessary for cleanliness.
Dangers of Warm Bathing.
The vast amount of supposed dirt
removed by the Turkish bath is most
~ epithelial scales from the various
layers of skin. To remove an excessive
| amount of this scarf skin may impair
its protective qualities; hence the ad-
| visibility of not taking the Turkish or
Russian bath oftener than once a
| week. However, the warm bath gives
| q greater feeling Of confidence In ones
cleanliness than the cold bath and is
doubtless beneficial If not employed
| too often and to the exclusion of the
more valuable and tonic cold bath.
1t is a good plan to spray or sponge
the neck and chest with cold water
| after finishing the warm, cleansing
| bath. This precaution should always
| be taken by those who rely solely on
| the warm bath, especially If they
battle every day; otherwise undue sus-
| ceptibility to colds may develop. AS
! q rule the warm bath should be taken
in the evening,
Most people who have employed the
cold shower or plunge will testify to
its delightful and invigorating effects,
but there is no reason why 1t should
be forced upon delicate children or
feeble adults.
Baths For Babies.
A daily bath for the young baby is
Of the utmost Importance. At first the
temperature of the water should be 90
degrees T., but by the end of the first
month 1t may be reduced to 70 de.
grees f.
When the child reaches eighteen
months a cold sponge may be given
as a finish to the warm bath.
Delicate children who have not been
thus trained may be gradually Injured
to the cold bath and enjoy Its benefits
If caution is used. For such children
the temperature Of the water should
be warm or tepid at first and daily re-
duced until it is obvious that vigor'
Gus and healthy reaction will not fol-
low further reduction.
1t is really dangerous, not to say
cruel, for obstinate, nurses or parents
to force an anaemic child with a poor
circulation TO take a cold bath from
which 1t is physically incapable Of re-
acting.
Very often the cold shower or sponge
bath is well borne If one stands In q
tub OF warm water
Value Of the Cold Bath.
The cold bath is most valuable nerv
GUS and circulatory stimulant. When
well borne II improves the circulation
not only in the skin. but in the remot
est recesses Of the vital organs.
The cold bath trains the nerve cen
tiers that control the production OF
body heat and those that control thu
blood vessels In such a way that th'