Bathing in the sea is much practiced by fashionable people who make
annual visits to the sea-coast for this purpose. It is no doubt useful,
though many who participate in it would doubtless receive quite as much
benefit if they took as many baths at home during the whole year as they
take at the fashionable watering-places in a single week. It is a fine
thing to be well washed once a year, however, if not more often.
As generally conducted, sea-bathing is not more beneficial than harmful.
The dissipation accompanying it more than counterbalances what good
might be gained. It is rather absurd to attribute any specific virtues
to sea-water, as many do. Quite a large business is carried on in the
evaporation of sea-water and the sale of the dirty residue, which is
again dissolved in water and used in bathing by those who live too far
inland to enjoy the benefits of bathing in the sea, or who prefer to
take their sea-bath in their own private bath-room. Everything must have
a counterfeit, and so this seasalt is imitated by base swindlers who
prepare a mixture of chemicals just as powerful, but not quite so
complicated, and less dirty, though certainly equally good. All of this
trouble and swindling might be saved if people would only consider for a
moment the fact that all the benefit they obtain from bathing is derived
from the exercise, the temperature, and pure water, and not from any
impurities which the water may chance to contain.
Sea-bathing is usually overdone. More benefit will be gained by one or
two daily baths than by a half-dozen. Fifty baths in a single week are
not equivalent to a single bath each in fifty weeks.