A Plunge-bath sunk below the surface of the bath-room, lined with white glazed tiles, and nearly full of clear water, into which one can take a header, and clamber out by the aid of a rope and gently sloping ladder, is perhaps the best and most luxurious form; it is to be regretted that there are few such baths in modern houses.
There are persons who habitually bathe in tepid water, and remain splashing about for a considerable time, but much greater benefit is to be derived, and the body becomes infinitely more refreshed and invigorated by a shorter immersion in water of a lower temperature.
The head must remain uncovered and receive the full benefit of the cold water. This may be a serious consideration for ladies, but there is no choice: the penalty for keeping the head dry will usually be a violent headache with the probable complaint that “baths don’t suit me,” but whether, in the absence of wetting the head, headache follows or not, the health must suffer.
The momentary shock of the cold dip is succeeded by a delightful feeling of vital internal warmth—a delicious triumphant glow. It is highly unadvisable to be leisurely over this part of the bath, however one may dawdle in dressing: the coldness of the water would gain upon the warmth of the body, but without waiting for this, the bather at once quits the cold bath, and proceeds to make ample use of dry towels.
A Water-gate of Bruges.
Some bathers with tough cuticles affect the use of towels bearing to the touch a strong resemblance to rasps or wire brushes, and affirm that everyone ought to use the very roughest that can be procured: there are others, on the contrary, possessing an outer epidermis so delicately soft and velvet-like, that very rough towels would, if used, cause insufferable agony, and almost flay them alive; what would be thought a rough towel by one, producing after use a full glow, would have no effect upon another.
The use of the flesh-brush, after a thorough rub down with towels, is to be commended for producing a more vigorous reaction; there are many persons, however, whose skins are too delicate to allow of the application of the flesh-brush, but this is of little moment, as a moderately rough towel will with them produce as strong a reaction, or as great a glow, as the flesh-brush would with those possessing less sensitive skins.
