RULES FOR BATHING. 6 1 



sufficient ; after a short period it may be tried every other day. 



If the system be very weak and reduced, it is advisable to 

 take a few preparatory warm sea-water baths, having the 

 temperature daily reduced, so as to pave the way for bathing 

 in the open sea ; or a system of preliminary partial sponging 

 with cold sea-water may be adopted, increasing the surface 

 wetted daily, and commencing with the chest and back. As 

 the good results of sea-bathing depend very materially upon 

 securing the proper amount of reaction, where this is not 

 attainable in the ordinary way, means should be used to bring 

 it about ; for this purpose the flesh-brush, or horse-hair gloves, 

 may be used, both before and after the bath, applying friction 

 more particularly over the stomach, chest, and back. No 

 doubt the best mode of using the bath is that of quick 

 immersion. As cold bathing has a constant tendency to propel 

 the blood towards the head, it ought to be a rule to wet that 

 part as soon as possible ; by due attention to this circumstance 

 there is reason to believe that violent headaches might often 

 be prevented. 



There are many reasons why aged people should bathe with 

 great caution. The tendency to disease of the brain increases 

 as age advances, and it is very important that sudden and 

 violent excitement be avoided ; the strictest moderation should 

 be maintained in every kind of mental and physical effort. In 

 youth and manhood the waste resulting from the exercise of 

 mind and body is soon repaired ; but after the maturer years 

 of life are passed, a point is reached when what is lost is lost 

 for ever any attempts to force either mind or body only 

 leads to exhaustion. The warm bath is much more likely to 

 be productive of good results in persons so situated, especially 



