BATHING FOR ADULTS. 



that cannot be too severely condemned. Dr. Braithwait, a specialist 

 on children, states that frequently diseases and deaths of children 

 are due to improper and irregular bathing. It is highly essential that 

 the child should be bathed at regular intervals and as nearly as possi- 

 ble at the same hour each day. 



BATHING FOR ADULTS. 



Superior Mode Of Bathing. The most advantageous mode of 

 bathing is the SWIMMING BATH, whenever an open sea, or river, or pond, or 

 pool is at hand. Swimming should never be practiced more than once 

 a day, and about midway between the two meals. 



Sometimes and with some people ten minutes' duration of the 

 swimming bath is even much too long, and again it may be extended 

 to twenty or thirty minutes when accustomed to it. After the bath 

 the skin must show a healthy glow, otherwise it will be recognized 

 that the bath was too lengthy. 



When Bathing is too Frequent. When bathing is followed 

 by itching, or a persistent redness, or wheels, or pimples or watery 

 heads, the person so affected has remained too long in the bath or it 

 has been too frequent. It should be remembered that when a feeling 

 of comfort follows taking a bath, it is of special value, otherwise not. 

 Persons who are in a weak, debilitated condition from any cause, and 

 especially sickly, delicate children, should have a sponge bath in a 

 warm room or under cover. But all healthy or robust persons should 

 have a complete bath daily in the summer; other seasons of the year 

 every second day. Ten o'clock A. M. is the best time for taking the 

 bath. Bathing in cold rooms and in cold water is nearly always in- 

 jurious, except to the most vigorous constitutions. Sometimes people 

 are injured from their baths because of a want of knowledge as to the 

 proper time for bathing. 



Proper Time for Bathing. Baths should not be taken for 

 two hours after eating a meal, three is better; nor taken when one is 

 excited, overheated or exhausted. The neglect to bear in mind these 

 plain facts has brought on many severe afflictions. The bath may be 

 taken in the morning before breakfast. It may be taken, though not 

 the best time, before retiring at night, provided it is at least two hours 

 after the meal. Bathing should be regular, the same time each day, the 

 system then becomes accustomed to it, and readily accommodates itself 

 to the act. 



Cold, Hot or Tepid Bath. Most authorities agree on the fact 

 that as a rule individual inclination should be consulted as to the kind 

 of bath that is best adapted to the individual. When a cold bath is 

 disagreeable and repugnant to a person's feelings, it is not the charac- 

 ter of a bath he should take, and vice versa. This same rule should 

 apply with equal force to the kind of bath that should be given children. 

 Too much stress cannot be placed on the regularity of the bath, 

 whether it comes once a day, once in two days, or less frequent. Don't 



