5. Never apply either very cold or excessively hot treatment to aged or feeble patients. Cold is especially dangerous.
6. Hot baths are rarely useful in health. The warm bath answers all the requirements of cleanliness.
7. Never take a cold bath when exhausted or chilly. A German emperor lost his life by taking a cool bath after a fatiguing march. Alexander came near losing his life in the same manner. Many have been rendered cripples for life by so doing. No harm will result from a cool bath if the body is simply warm, even though it may be in a state of perspiration. Contrary to the common opinion, a considerable degree of heat is the best possible preparation for a cold bath. The Finlanders rush out of their hot ovens—sweat-houses—and roll in the snow, without injury.
8. Cold baths should not be administered during the period of menstruation in females. At such times, little bathing of any kind is advisable with the exception of a warm or tepid sponge bath, or such treatment as may be advised by a physician.
9. Bath attendants should carefully avoid giving “shocks” to nervous people or to those inclined to apoplexy or affected with heart disease. Shocks are unpleasant and unnecessary for any one.
10. Never apply to the head such treatment as will cause shock, as the sudden cold douche, shower, or spray bath.
11. A light hand bath every morning will be none too frequent to preserve scrupulous bodily cleanliness. More than a week should never be allowed to elapse without a bath with warm water and soap.
12. The best time for treatment—especially cool treatment—is about three hours after breakfast.
13. Always employ for bathing purposes the purest water attainable. Soft water is greatly preferable to hard on many accounts.
14. Those not strong and vigorous should avoid drinking freely of cold water just previous to a bath.