1. THE BORAX BATH.--This is soothing and calmative in many irritable
forms of skin disease. It is made in the proportion of four ounces of
borax and three of glycerine, to thirty gallons of hot water.
2. THE AMMONIA BATH, used as a skin stimulant and derivative. The
following is Mr Grantham's formula:--Two ounces of strong hartshorn in
two gallons of water, used in a hip bath. An excellent hip bath, very
useful for people to whom stooping is objectionable is that made by the
Messrs. Allen (Plate Eight). One glance at the figure will show its
many advantages, and we strongly recommend it.
People who suffer from cutaneous eruptions ought to take skilled advice
before using a course of baths, but the following sentences excerpted
from E. Wilson's "Diseases of the Skin" may be read with profit by all.
"Aqueous remedies," says the dermatologist, "present themselves in the
form of simple water in its various states of cold, tepid, warm, hot and
steam; water impregnated with saline matter as in the sea-bath, and
saline solutions; in lotions, fomentations and poultices. Water may be
sedative, emollient, or stimulant, according to the manner in which it
is employed. As a tepid bath or fomentation it is sedative, and its
sedative action is increased by the addition of various substances, such
as oatmeal, starch, gelatine, and soda in small quantities. It is
emollient when used as a water dressing or in the condition of steam,
and it is stimulant when cold or hot. When hot it is the best means
known of relieving pruritus (itching), and in its cold state it
refreshes and gives vigour to the skin; hence, the morning bath, the
sea-bath, and daily ablutions with soap. On this principle it is that
we advise daily cold ablutions with soap of the face in cases of acne
(pimples), and to other parts of the body, particularly the _axilla_ and
_perinaeum_ in chronic eczema or chronic pruritus. Aqueous lotions of
_liquor plumbi_ (sugar of lead) are refrigerant and sedative, while
lotions of carbolic acid, sulphurate of _potash, acetate_ of _ammonia_,
and _bicarbonate_ of _ammonia_ are anti-pruritic. Warm fomentations are
sedative and anodyne, and their properties are increased by the addition
of poppy heads. Poultices are emollient and sedative, but their
protracted use, as of all aqueous applications, macerates and weakens
the skin, and tends _to perpetuate_ the disease or cause boils. As a
rule, all aqueous applications except simple bathing, must be employed
with great caution in skin diseases. Saponaceous ablutions generally
aggravate eczematous affections; but certain forms and stages of that
disease are benefitted by their use."
As a means of using the hip bath, whether medicated or otherwise, and
for female complaints and irregularities, there is nothing to equal the
bidet herewith figured (Plate Nine).
3. FOMENTATIONS are simply local baths and are used to relieve pain and
reduce inflammation, as in the poppy head or laudanum fomentation to
painful swellings, or the turpentine fomentation to redden the chest in
severe colds. The water must be very hot, and two pieces of flannel
must be used, wrung from the water, time about. These may be sprinkled
with laudanum or turpentine as the case may demand.
4. THE MUSTARD FOOT-BATH is useful in cases of incipient colds,
headaches, or languor and listlessness with restless nights. A
bucketful of hot water with a handful of mustard in it is all that is
wanted; in this the legs are to be bathed for twenty minutes before
going to bed.
5. THE OAK BATH is made by adding a pound of bruised oak bark to a
quart of cold water and boiling for half an hour; the half of this maybe
put in the morning tub as a tonic bath.
6. THE PINE BALSAM BATH is good in cases of rheumatism and great
nervousness. The balsam is a distillation front the leaves of pines,
and is simply added to the bath.
7. THE ALKALINE BATH may be used twice or three times a week by gouty
or rheumatic subjects. Two ounces of the bicarbonate of soda are added
to three gallons of warm water, and the bath is ready.
8. THE PEAT WATER Bath is a German invention, and seems to be of great
value to sufferers from gout and rheumatism, swelling of the joints,
congestion of the liver, etc. Why the peat of this country should not
be as efficacious as that from German bogs we fail to understand.
9. THE ELECTRIC BATH is a good deal used at seaside places, and often
with advantage, especially in cases where the tone of the system has
been much lowered.
10. THE VINEGAR SPONGE BATH consists of one part of vinegar to three of
cold water, the body or hands and arms, feet and legs, are then sponged
with it.
11. THE IRON BATH is sometimes used as a tonic, and is of considerable
efficacy, especially to delicate females and children. It is composed
of half an ounce of sulphate of iron, in four gallons of cold or tepid
water.
12. SULPHUR BATHS, CREASOTE BATHS, and NITRO-HYDROCHLORIC BATHS are all
good in their way, but must only be used under medical advice.