BATHS. 73 



Pot Barley, Pearl Barley, and French Barley are only- 

 barley freed from the husk by the mill, the distinction be- 

 tween them being the round, shot form of the Pearl Barley, 

 which is caused by the sides of the grain being clipped off at 

 the mill, leaving only the centre or heart. 



We seldom export barley from this country, being con- 

 sumers rather than producers of the grain. The virtues of 

 barley for medicinal purposes are of great antiquity. Hip- 

 pocrates wrote a whole book on the merits of gruel made 

 of barley. Barley Water is a pleasant liquid to administer 

 medicine in. (Farmer's Encyclopaedia. Abstract of the Sev- 

 enth Census.) 



BARLEY WATER. Take four large table-spoonfuls 

 of well-picked and washed Pearl Barley, and put it into a 

 porcelain-lined kettle, containing two quarts of boiling water. 

 Let it boil slowly till reduced to nearly one half the liquid. 

 Strain it and season it with salt, and, if the patient's condition 

 will admit of it, flavor it with white sugar and fresh lemon- 

 juice. It is a grateful drink to invalids. See Soups. 



BASTING. A dripping. Different liquids and sub- 

 stances that are used as corroboratives in roasting meats. 



BATHS. All nations, in every stage of society, have 

 indulged in the bath, from the savage tribes of North Amer- 

 ica to the magnificent Roman of eighteen centuries back; 

 nay, the savages imitated the refinements of bathing by throw- 

 ing into the waters of caverns heated stones, to produce the 

 vapor bath. 



No positive rules can be laid down with regard to the 

 suitability of cold baths as a universal axiom. Feeble per- 

 sons cannot always venture upon them, but should rather in- 

 dulge in the tepid bath, which ranges from 60 to 97. 

 7 



