ISCi.] 



Modern Impiwemetits in Bathing. 



Ihe surface of the body is a much more 

 iiiipdiUuit agent in tbe preservation of 

 liealtli, and prevention of disease, than 

 lias formerly been supposed. 



The idea of curing disease, prevent- 

 ing- contagion, &.c. by Mcaring linen 

 wiiiclt has previously been washed in 

 wafer wherein various medicaments 

 have been dissolved, is at once new, 

 and bespeaks their usual habit of in- 

 ;^enioiis research. The experiments 

 on this subject are yet under consider- 

 ation, and the report not yet returned; 

 :iny opinion therefore relative to it 

 must here be premature. 



The real improvement in baths seems 

 to me quite obvious, who have been 

 led to consider the matter from cir- 

 cumstances, which were grievous to 

 ine, now no longer heeded, but too 

 complex to be detailed ; and the im- 

 provement seems to consist simply in 

 lliis : — 'I'he body is submitted to an 

 increased but pleasant heat, by which 

 means the circulation and various 

 secretions arc enforced and regulated, 

 the pores of the skin are opened, and 

 at this juncture diflTereiit medicines, 

 in a state of combustion, are placed 

 under the patient, who is immediately 

 surrounded with the medicated gas 

 liius formed ; wiiich, entering the pores, 

 lias been proved to be surprisingly 

 cflicacious in many obstinate and in- 

 veterate maladies. 'J'hc face only is 

 excluded in these baihs ; all other 

 jjarts are submitted to the action of 

 the medicated gas, and there is nothing 

 uncleanly or unpleasant in the process. 

 These balhs are of French introduc- 

 tion ; but, like most other French 

 inventions, are improved by us. Mr. 

 Green, an experienced and ingenious 

 surgeon, whose attention to this sub- 

 ject Las led him to considerable im- 

 provements in the construction of these 

 baths, and whose candor upon all 

 Occasions cannot but be satisfactory, 

 bus, at much [lains and expense, 

 formed an eslablisbmcnt in Bury- 

 street, St. James's ; and which pro- 

 mises, from itK increasing celebrity, to 

 he a source of much general good to 

 the cnmniunity. 



Sir Arthur Clarke, and Mr. Wal- 

 lace, anatomical professor of Dublin, 

 have for .some time i)ast liad e.slablish- 

 "luents similar to those in Fiance and 

 "on the Continent, and \\hieh have 

 already become very gen(;rally known 

 j'rpm the henelits Ihiit have resulted 

 from tiiciii. It ujipoars that mucit 



115 



good is effected by frequently inur.er- 

 sing the body in a bath of warm or hot 

 air simply, for half an hour at a time, 

 particularly to persons advancing in 

 years, or who arc afflicted with obscure 

 internal chronic complaints, indepen- 

 dent of the fumigations or medicated 

 gazeous baths; see Sir A.Clarke oh 

 " Fumigations," Mr. Wallace "on 

 Fumigations" and "on Chlorine," Mr. 

 Green "on the Utility and Importance 

 of Warm Air and Fumigating Baths." 



There are many writers on the in- 

 fluence of the surface of the body as 

 occasioning or aggravating disease, 

 but more particularly Dr. James 

 Vetch, Dr. Kentish, Dr. Fordice, &c. 

 who have written on the superior 

 efficacy of vapour-bathing, giving it 

 due preference. It needs no great 

 share of wisdom to immediately see 

 wherein this efficacy exists; for either 

 in vapour-bathing, and more especially 

 in gazeous bathing, the body is im- 

 mersed in a rariticd atuiospliere; by 

 which means latent or morbific matter 

 in the system is, by excitement and 

 consequent perspiration, carried ofl' in 

 a very considerable degree. It should 

 be recollected, that the perspiration 

 thus induced is effected without bodily 

 exertion, consequently is not weaken- 

 ing, or attended with any unpleasarjt 

 consequences. , , 



In the common way of bathing in 

 warm water, tliough never so much 

 impregnated with medicine, the water, 

 by pressing equally on all sides, must 

 by its very weight oppress and close 

 the pores of the bodj, through which 

 the medicine was intended to enter; 

 consequently, itself defeats all good 

 that was therebv expected. 



These, then, I believe to be some of 

 tbe real improvements in batiiing; to 

 say more, is not within my ran;;c of 

 ability or leisure. Many persons of 

 my acquaintance, who understand the 

 subject better, entertain tlie highest 

 o|)inion of the beneficial results that 

 are daily becoming known, and may 

 be expected to bo graduallydevejoped 

 by the extended practice of this novel 

 and agreeable agent in aid of medi- 

 cine; but which of itself is highly 

 salutary, and, uhen medically admi- 

 nistered with judicious diserimiuatioji, 

 bids lair (o obviate long and iirotraclcd 

 coursesi of medicine, with the atten- 

 dant inconvcnieiiccs, puins, and other 

 drawbacks to usual avocations. 



VliKIT.'S. 



