of personal cleanliness. In the spacious public tepid baths of London, swimming may be safely indulged in even in cold weather.
Bath, Tum′ble. An obsolete form of the shower bath.
Bath, Turk′ish. Syn. Bal′neum tur′cicum, L. A hot vapour bath or sweating bath, with massing or shampooing, ending with a warm bath or warm ablutions and friction. The Egyptian, Persian, and Russian baths are essentially similar. In the Anglo-Turkish bath, recently introduced to this country, hot dry air wholly takes the place of vapour. See Bath, Air (antè).
Bath, Turpentine. Syn. Bal′neum terebinthina′tum, L. Prep. (Dr T. Smith.) Camphine (rectified oil of turpentine), 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 pint; Scotch soda, 2 lbs.; oil of rosemary, 1⁄2 dr.; for an adult. It calms the pulse, softens the skin, and renders the perspiration freer.
Bath, Va′pour. Syn. Dew′-bath*; Bal′neum va′poris, B. ro′′ris†, As′sa suda′tio, A. vapora′tio, Vapora′′rium*, L.; Bain de vapeurs, Fr. The vapour of hot water, either pure or medicated.
The simplest form of vapour bath is, perhaps, produced by placing some wet cloths, or sprinkling a little water on two or three heated bricks, laid under a chair on which the patient is seated; both the patient and whole apparatus being covered with a sheet or blanket, or, better still, a spacious waterproof cloak, to keep in the heated vapour. A large lump of quick-lime, set in a pan or an old iron pot and sprinkled with a little water, or else wrapped up in a thick coarse towel which has been previously soaked in water, may be substituted for the hot bricks; and often advantageously so. The slaking of the lime and the consequent evolution of vapour may be kept up or renewed, when necessary, by sprinkling on a little more water. This forms the “POOR MAN’S VAPOUR BATH” of the French. Dr Serres has suggested, as something apparently original, that a lump of quick-lime, wrapped in a wet cloth and covered with a dry one, be placed on each side of the patient;[118] and the whole being covered up allowed to remain until copious perspiration is established. It must, however, be recollected that by none of these minor contrivances can the temperature of the vapour, and its supply, be regulated, as in a perfect bath, even a portable one, such as is shown in the engraving.
[118] “In bed” (!), says the Dr; but surely one who could only afford such a bath would find it difficult to obtain a fresh, dry bed; whilst it would be equally improper for him to lie in a wet or damp one.
The following are the temperatures, &c., of this bath:[119]—
[119] The temperatures of baths given here, and previously are those now generally adopted in the profession. See Dr Forbes’s ‘Cycl. of Prac. Med.,’ vol. i, 265; Pereira’s ‘Mat. Med.,’ i, 17; &c.