THE SKItf. 6* 



For all such cases it is better to begin with a warm bath, 

 and day by day make it cooler, until such a temperature is 

 reached where reaction is prompt and the bath is refreshing. 

 The degree of coldness that may be safely reached in this way 

 will vary with the age and strength of the bather. Young 

 children and old people, unless strong and vigorous and well 

 used to it, cannot take a cold bath without some risk. The 

 healthy and robust can take a colder bath and endure more 

 exposure to cold water than the weakling. 



It would be difficult to say how long a person should stay 

 in a bath. Age and strength are here also the best guides. 

 So long as a prompt reaction, with a pleasant feeling of 

 warmth, is experienced, the bath has not been too long. This 

 is a safe rule. Warm baths are never so refreshing as cold, 

 and though the warmth tempts us to linger, they should 

 never last beyond four or five minutes. Young children 

 should be given a warm bath two or three hours after their 

 morning meal. Young people and grown persons who, from 

 preference or from delicate health, take warm baths, should 

 always do so just before retiring at night. There is little 

 risk of taking cold if they go to bed at once. 



It is not always convenient, nor even possible, to have baths 

 with hot and cold water attachments, such as are found in 

 most dwelling-houses in a city, yet it is not necessary to go 

 into a bath to obtain the benefit desired. A tub of water, 

 with a sponge and towel, will answer as well, and is always 

 available. A daily washing of this kind, followed by brisk 

 rubbing, v acts as a stimulus, and to some extent fortifies the 

 skin against any evil effects of exposure to cold during the day. 



Too frequent bathing is injurious. A general bath every 

 morning in the summer, and a cold sponge-bath every morn- 

 ing in winter, with a hot bath at night once a week, will 

 keep the body clean, promote the action of the skin, and 

 strengthen and refresh the whole system. More than this is 



