^S Russian Vapor Bath. 



one by one to the middle of the floor, where a powerful affusion of 

 cold water from the shower-bath in the ceiling removes every vestige 

 of soap. This sudden affusion of cold water is remarkably grateful : 

 it is scarcely possible to describe the effect, which is highly exhilara- 

 ting and refreshing. 



It is usual again to undergo the steaming after the temperature of 

 the bath is increased by the affusion of water on the glowing pottery 

 in the furnace. For this purpose, the operator opens the door above 

 described, and placing us out of the direction of the immediate ef- 

 flux of the steam, he dashes, in successive jets, a small bucket of 

 water into the furnace. The apartment is instantly filled with clouds 

 of steam, at a high temperature ; and when the door of the aperture 

 is closed, we resume our places on the benches, gradually proceed- 

 ing to the highest, as we become inured to the temperature. From 

 the upper tier we finally descend to have the cold shower-bath re- 

 peated ; after which we leave the bathing-room, are rubbed dry by 

 assistants in the small heated apartment, where^we resume the flannel 

 dressing-gown and slippers, and are reconducted to the saloon, where 

 we find the couches spread with blankets ; and we recline for half an 

 hour in a most profuse perspiration, and in a state of luxurious lan- 

 guor, and mental tranquillity. 



On a subsequent occasion, I provided myself with the means of 

 ascertaining the temperature of the bathing-room, and noted its ef- 

 fect on the pulse of myself and two other bathers. The heat is gen- 

 erally from 45° to 50° of Reaumur ; that is, from 133°.25 to 144.5 

 of Fahrenheit. On the occasion referred to, it ranged in the bath, 

 during my stay, from 32° to 46° R.,= 126°.5 and 135°. 5 F. in the 

 lower part of the bathing-room ; but I was unable to examine the 

 temperature near the ceiling, on account of the thick vapor, and the 

 intensity of the temperature, which affected my eyes. This temper- 

 ature, high as it is, is far short of what Acerbi asserts of the Finnish 

 baths; he says that they reached from 70° to 75° of Celsius,= to 

 158° to 167° of our scale : but perhaps his thermometers were sub- 

 ject to the influence of the open fire-place in the rude baths of that 

 people; for their furnace consisted of a few loose stones piled into a 

 sort of rude arch, over a fire on the floor of the hut : or perhaps he 

 did not accurately ascertain the temperature ; as he never entered 

 the bath but momentarily, for the purpose of placing his thermometer; 

 and I am confirmed in this by observing that the Finnish operator, in 

 his plate, appears dressed in her ordinary clothes, which I should 

 think insupportable in so high a temperature as he assigns. 



