January, 1916 
39 
When a section of a 
bathroom is devoted to 
the exclusive use of a 
shower bath, it formerly 
was the practice to place 
a square or circular re¬ 
ceptor of enameled iron or 
porcelain at one side or 
in a corner, enclosing the 
shower space with linen 
or rubber curtains. This 
form of installation is 
now entirely superseded 
by the modern built-in or 
tiled-in shower enclosure. 
A porcelain receptor about 
40" square (sometimes 
circular) is set into the 
tile flooring. Three sides 
are walled up with water¬ 
proof tiling. The door¬ 
way or opening to the 
bathroom is provided with 
a curtain or glass door. 
As shown in Figures I 
and II, the shower bath 
is really in a separate 
compartment, completely 
preventing the splashing 
of water on the bathroom 
floor. 
Built-in shower enclos¬ 
ures offer the opportunity 
of equipping the shower 
apparatus with all the re¬ 
finements of the modern 
shower bath. At (a) in 
Figure IV is shown the 
ordinary rain shower 
from which the water is 
discharged in broken 
streams descending direct¬ 
ly on the head of the bath¬ 
er. This is the most popu¬ 
lar form of shower as a 
cleansing and tonic bath. 
When desired, the center 
of the rain shower head 
may be fitted with an ori¬ 
fice (b) of about y&" di¬ 
ameter, called a “douche.” By means of a 
valve, water is forced through this opening 
in a solid, compact stream, which strikes 
the body with considerable force. 
Needle Baths 
Next in favor is the needle bath. This 
is formed by the vertical tubes (c) in which 
are drilled a number of minute holes. The 
water is projected horizon¬ 
tally from these apertures 
against the body in fine 
needlelike streams. Needle 
baths are effective in stimu¬ 
lating blood circulation and 
are extremely invigorating. 
Rose sprays (d) are set 
at a height to concentrate a 
number of needlelike streams 
of water against the body 
just above the hips, and for 
this reason are generally 
called “liver sprays” and are 
beneficial in special cases. 
Five or six of the vertical 
tubes (c) are sometimes 
placed closely together at 
the rear of the shower in 
order to direct a number of 
fine streams in the center of 
the back from the neck to 
or cold water, as the case 
might be. To ensure a 
thorough mixing of hot 
and cold water before 
discharging through the 
shower, and to guard 
against sudden changes, 
mixing chambers are in¬ 
stalled. One is shown at 
the left in Figure V. The 
sketch in Figure VI in¬ 
dicates the principle in¬ 
volved. Mixing chambers 
are customarily placed on 
the more elaborate forms 
of shower baths. The 
chamber is connected at 
the back or side of the 
shower in order not to 
obstruct the open space 
within the shower enclos¬ 
ure. Thermometers are 
placed on mixing cham¬ 
bers to facilitate an ac¬ 
curate regulation of the 
temperature. When lo¬ 
cated outside the shower 
enclosure, as in Figure 
VII, they are very con¬ 
venient and useful; but if 
installed within the show¬ 
er enclosure a reading of 
the temperature is diffi¬ 
cult after the shower is 
in operation, as the face 
of the thermometer quick¬ 
ly becomes covered with 
spray and steam. 
Mixing Valves 
The mixing valve is 
another safety device 
with which all showers 
may be equipped. Ordi¬ 
narily, shower baths have 
two main valves, one for 
the incoming hot water, 
and likewise for the cold 
water. Mixing valves 
have but one handle, as shown in Figure 
VII, and take the place of the usual hot 
and cold water controlling valves. Mix¬ 
ing valves are sometimes mistakenly called 
anti-scalding valves. They are anti-scald¬ 
ing only so long as the supply of cold water 
obtains. When a positive supply of hot and 
cold water is assured, mixing valves are 
desirable. 
As the handle of the mixing valve, Fig¬ 
ure VII, is slowly moved forward, the full 
flow of cold water is ad¬ 
mitted, and then as the han¬ 
dle is further moved for¬ 
ward, the cold water is grad¬ 
ually checked and the inflow 
of hot water increased. At 
the limit of the valve, the 
larger part will be hot water. 
It will be observed that by 
means of this one handle it 
is possible to obtain any de¬ 
sired mixture of hot and cold 
water. The convenience will 
be appreciated, as very slight 
shadings of temperature may 
be obtained. These valves 
appeal to many people be¬ 
cause of the facility with 
which a dash of cold water 
may be administered. 
Figure V—No matter how elegantly fitted, the modern bath¬ 
room is incomplete without a modern shower. In this room 
the shower is entirely enclosed in glass with nickeled frame, 
the base receptor of solid marble 
t7ot Water Co/d Water 
Figure VI — Mix¬ 
ing chambers 
guard against sud- 
d e n unpleasant 
changes in the 
temperature 
the base of the spine. These are called 
“spinal baths,” and are suggested by physi¬ 
cians for nervousness. 
Ascending douches are provided by a 
swinging or adjustable connection (c) in 
the lower section of the shower, so that it 
may be swung out into the center of the 
shower enclosure when its use is desired. 
Some of the newer patterns are fitted 
up with testing devices by which it is pos¬ 
sible to have the water properly tempered 
before stepping into the show¬ 
er. Water is turned through 
the testing valve and the prop¬ 
er temperature ascertained by 
placing the foot in the run¬ 
ning water. This avoids an 
unpleasant shock of cold or 
hot water, which often occurs 
when the valves of an ordi¬ 
nary shower are first opened. 
In fitting up all shower 
baths, precautions should be 
taken to have sufficient hot 
water to properly temper the 
cold water. If the pipes are 
small and the water pressure 
low, the opening of a faucet 
in another part of the house 
might rob the shower of the 
required quantity of either hot 
Figure VII-Com¬ 
pleting the mixing 
chambers is the 
one handle which 
controls hot and 
cold temperatures 
