18 Dr Traill on the Russian Vapour-Bath. 



ture, which affected my eyes. This temperature, high as it ig, 

 is far short of what Acerbi asserts of the Finnish baths ; he says 

 that they reached from 70° to 75° of Celsius, = to 158° to l^T 

 of our scale : but perhaps his thermometers w-ere subject to the 

 influence of the open fire-place in the rude baths of that people ; 

 for their furnace consisted of a few loose stones piled into a sort 

 of rude arch, over a fire on the floor of the hut : or perhaps he 

 did not accurately ascertain the temperature; as he never en- 

 tered the bath but momentarily, for the purpose of placing his 

 thermometer ; and I am confirmed in this by observing that the 

 Finnish operator, in his plate, appears dressed in her ordinary 

 clothes, which I should think insupportable in so high a tempe- 

 rature as he assigns. 



• The effect of the Russian vapour-bath is to accelerate the 

 pulse, which soon regains its natural standard on leaving the 

 bath ; and, when I took it in a highly feverish state, I was with- 

 in an hour after entirely free of fever, and able fully to enjoy 

 the philosophic soiree that evening. 



On bathing a second time, I was accompanied by the same 

 two friends : our pulses were befoi-e about 74 in a minute. On 

 just comh)g out of the bath, 



Dr Traiirs pulse, - - =116 



Mr Johnston's do. - - = 88 

 MrPalk\sdo. - - . = 88 

 A quarter of an hour afterwards, while on the couch, they were 

 as follows : 



Dr Traiirs pulse, - - = 114 



Mr Johnston's do. - - = 88 

 MrPalk'sdo. - - - =88 

 After being dressed, and sitting in an adjoining coffee-room, 

 perhaps one hour after the bath, 



Dr Traiirs pulse beat, - - =88 

 Mr Johnston's do. - - = 88 



MrPalk'sdo. - - - =80 

 These experiments shew the great difference in the excitabi- 

 lity of the heart in different individuals, from exposure to the 

 same heat. My pulse, in my best health, is about 70 ; since I 

 had the gout it ranges from 74 to 80, but is very easily ex- 

 cited; and I have often found it raised to more than 90 by an 

 interesting conversation, or even a cup of strong tea. 



