THE TURKISH BATH. 215 



no manger or any other projecting body of metal, for when the 

 heat is raised to 160, the contact with the teeth and tongue is by 

 no means pleasant. Tan forms the best material for the floor, or, if 

 this cannot readily be obtained, sawdust will answer nearly as well, 

 if the wetted parts are changed after each bath. A brick floor 

 feels too warm to the feet, and when the bath is given very hot, it 

 may injure them, if uncovered by some non-conductor of heat, so 

 tliat it is better to avoid all risk, by using tan or sawdust. With 

 this apparatus in working order, and the fire lighted in the stove 

 A, the box H is heated to 80 or 90 of Fahrenheit, by robbing 

 Gr of its warm air through the open door I, and the valves in the 

 wall between the two to which I have already alluded. As soon 

 as this is prepared, the horse is brought into it with his clothing 

 on, and allowed to remain for a short time, which may be twenty 

 minutes, half an hour, or an hour, according to the state of his 

 skin, and the warmth of the box. As soon as he is settled in it, 

 the clothes may all be removed, and here he may remain, with a 

 whisp of hay in the rack, to amijse him, and chilled water in the 

 tank, till his skin shows evident symptoms of breaking out, and the 

 bath is prepared, that is, until the latter is raised to a temperature 

 of 140 at the least. To effect this the door I and the adjacent 

 valves may have been closed, if necessary; for a small box once 

 raised to 80 or 90, will keep its temperature with the horse in it 

 for the time which is required. The groom must be careful not 

 on any account to take his charge into the bath till his skin is 

 beginning to sweat, for if he does, the blood may be driven too 

 forcibly to the brain, without the relief which is afforded by the 

 natural discharge from the skin, and dangerous mischief may be 

 produced. On being taken into the bath Gr, a bucket of chilled 

 water is placed within reach, and he is tied up with his head in 

 the corner nearest the entrance door, which must be left open, so 

 as to allow him plenty of fresh air. In about a quarter of an hour 

 the sweat begins to pour out in large volumes, and this should be 

 encouraged by friction with the hand, which may be guarded with 

 horsehair gloves. As it becomes very profuse, a scraper may be 

 applied occasionally, but two grooms, each with horsehair gloves 

 on, will be able to remove it by keeping up continuous, deep, and 

 steady pressure upon the skin, so as at once to squeeze out the 

 watery particles from the hair, and to remove any scurf and other 

 tenacious matters which accumulate there. According to the 

 amount of reduction which is required to be made in the fatty de- 

 posits, and to the action of the skin, will be the time required to 

 be devoted to this operation, but in general it is completed in half 

 an hour. Some horses, however, have been kept sweating for a 

 full hour, as I am informed, without apparent injury, and have 

 afterwards gone out to exercise as full of life as ever. Indeed, it 



