BATHING, 421 



man as a social animal in daily intercourse with others, 

 the mere fact that the healthy Body can manage to get 

 along under unfavorable conditions is no reason for expos- 

 ing it to them. A clogged skin throws more work on the 

 lungs and kidneys than their fair share, and the evil con- 

 sequences may be experienced any day when something else 

 throws another extra strain on them. 



Animals, a considerable portion of whose skin has been 

 varnished, die within a few hours. This used to be thought 

 due to poisoning by retained ingredients of the sweat. 

 But the real cause of death seems to be an excessive radia- 

 tion of heat from the surface of the body, which the vital 

 oxidative processes cannot keep up with, so the bodily tem- 

 perature falls until it reaches a fatal point, about 20 C. 

 (68 F.) for rabbits. If the animal be packed in raw cotton 

 or kept in an atmosphere at a temperature of 30 C. (86 F.) 

 it will not die from the varnishing. 



Bathing. The general subject of bathing may be con- 

 sidered here. One object of it is that above mentioned, to 

 cleanse the skin; but it is also useful to strengthen and 

 invigorate the whole frame. For strong healthy persons a 

 cold bath is the best, except in extremely severe weather, 

 when the temperature of the water should be raised to 15 

 C. (about 60 F.), at which it still feels quite cold to the 

 surface. The first eifect of a cold bath is to contract all 

 the skin -vessels and make the surface pallid. This is soon 

 followed by a reaction, in which the skin becomes red and 

 congested, and a glow of warmth is felt in it. The proper 

 time to come out is while this reaction lasts, and after 

 emersion it should be promoted by a good rub. If the 

 stay in the cold water be too prolonged the state of reaction 

 passes off, the skin again becomes pallid, and the person 

 probably feels cold, uncomfortable, and depressed all day. 

 Then bathing is injurious instead of beneficial; it lowers 

 instead of stimulating the activities of the Body. How 

 long a stay in the cold water may be made with benefit, 

 depends greatly on the individual; a vigorous man can bear 

 it and set up a healthy reaction after much longer immer- 

 sion than a feeble one; moreover, being used to cold bathing 



