I think well of the cold bath, and yet I do not say that it is proper
for those who use no restriction as to diet, but only to those who live
correctly, and take exercise and food seasonably. It may answer with most
people very well, when they want to get much cooled, to swim in water
during the season of summer, provided they are young and brawny, and have
been previously heated by friction. They ought to attend, however, that
they be not in a state of lassitude from venery, or any other cause, nor
suffering from indigestion, nor after vomiting nor after evacuation of
the bowels, nor when in want of sleep. It may be attended with danger,
if used at random. But the warm bath is the safest and best, relieving
lassitude, dispelling plethora, warming, soothing, softening, removing
flatulence wherever it fixes, producing sleep and inducing plumpness. It
is expedient for all, man and woman, young and old, rich and poor.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. We think ourselves called upon in the first place to give
some account of the Thermæ, or Public Baths, of the ancients, as an
acquaintance with their construction and many matters relating to them
is indispensably necessary in order to understand the subject now in
hand. We need scarcely mention that the Romans surpassed any nation that
has ever existed in the magnificence of their public baths. An ancient
Therma consisted of four distinct apartments for as many different
purposes: 1, Tepidaria; 2, Laconicum; 3, Calidaria; 4, Frigidaria. The
1st, or Tepidaria, called also Apodyterium, derived its former name
from its being filled with tepid air, and the latter from its being the
place in which the bathers undressed. The 2d, or Laconicum, called also
Sudatorium, was an apartment filled either with heated air or steam,
that is to say, it was, according to different usages, an air-bath or
a vapour-bath. The 3d, or Calidaria, was a cistern for containing warm
water. The 4th, or Frigidaria, was a cistern for cold water. The mode in
which the ancients went through the process of bathing was as follows.
First they went into the Tepidaria, where they left their clothes, and
proceeded to the Laconicum, and there they were carefully scrubbed with
the flour of beans, soda, &c., and then went into the hot bath, where
they remained for some time, and coming out of it, they took a plunge
into the cold-water bath, and then returned to the Tepidaria, where they
underwent the Restorative friction, that is to say, were rubbed with
oils or ointments, and sprinkled with fragrant powders, and then they
resumed their clothes. That the order in which the ancients took the
different baths was that which we have described may be inferred from the
construction of those now remaining, from a passage in Galen’s works (t.
iv, p. 146, ed. Basil), and from Stephanus (Comment. p. 259, t. i, ed.
Dietz.) See also Auctores de Balniis pluries, Baccius de Thermis pluries,
and Robertellus Lacon. explic. Pisanæ urbis. In the public baths the
ancients always made use of common water. The ordinary hour for the bath
was about two o’clock in the afternoon, but no one was restricted to any
hour from the dawn to sunset. Galen approves of taking the bath in the
morning, provided one had supped sparingly. (De Sanit. tuendâ, vi.) All
agreed in condemning the use of the bath after a full meal. (Persius,
Sat. iii; Juvenal, Sat. i, 143; Horat. Epist. vi, 61; Avicenna, Libel,
&c). The ancients had also various other modes of practising the bath in
private, some of which we shall briefly notice. The Clibanus, mentioned
by Celsus (ii, 17), was probably a portable stove. The Pensiles Balneæ
were small baths suspended by ropes from the ceiling of the house, in
which luxurious persons were rocked. (Pliny, xxvi, 3.) Hip-baths, either
of plain water, or water medicated with herbs, or of oil and water, are
repeatedly mentioned by all the medical authors, and are particularly
described by Aëtius and Avicenna. The _douche_ or dashing with water is
recommended by Aëtius, in ardent fever, ophthalmy, &c.; but he directs
that it should not be carried far. Sprinkling with plain water, or the
decoctions of emollient herbs, is recommended when the patients are so
weak that they cannot bear the bath.
Hippocrates thus explains his views as to the effects produced by baths:
The bath of sweet waters humectates and cools, for it imparts moisture
to the body. The salt bath is calefacient and desiccative; for, being
naturally hot, it attracts moisture from the body. When the body is
fasting the hot bath is attenuant and refrigerant; for by its heat it
attracts the moisture from the body, and when the flesh is deprived of
moisture the body is cooled. Put after a meal it heats and humectates,
by expanding to a greater bulk whatever predominates in the body. The
cold baths produce the contrary effects; for when the body is fasting
they impart heat and moisture to it, and after a meal they abstract
moisture, and being cold they fill it with dryness. Unction with oil is
calefacient, moistening and emollient. (De Diæta, ii, 36.) In another
place he states that the warm bath, in moderation, softens and enlarges
the body; but when taken immoderately it humectates dry bodies, and dries
humid bodies. (De Affectionibus, c. 47.)
Celsus gives some ingenious reflections on the effects of the bath,
especially in fever. He thus states the purposes for which it is applied:
“Fere adhibetur, ubi summam cutem relaxari, evocarique corruptum humorem,
et habitum corporis mutari expedit.” He recommends friction with oil
before going into the bath. (ii, 17.)
Our author copies from Oribasius (Euporist. i, 16.) See a fuller account
in Med. Collect. (x, 6); Galen (de Sanitate tuendâ); Aëtius (iii, 169);
and Avicenna (i, 3, 2.) Galen particularly recommends the cold bath to
persons in the prime of life, and during the summer season. Before going
into the bath they are to get well rubbed first with rough towels and
then with oil. He recommends them to plunge into the water at once, and
not descend gradually. After coming out of the water he directs them to
get rubbed with oil, until the skin is warmed. Agathinus forbids infants
to be bathed in cold water, but recommends the warm bath for them.
(Oribasius, Med. Collect. x, 7.)
Galen and Aëtius direct the bath of oil to be formed by adding the fifth
part of heated oil to a bath of water. They recommend it in protracted
fevers attended with chills, convulsions, retention of urine, and to
relieve lassitude, and nervous pains. The learned Bernard remarks that
it must have been the expense with which it is attended that has led
to the disuse of the bath of oil. (Ad Nonni Epitom.) Avicenna and his
expositor, Gentilis Fulginas, particularly recommend it for retention of
urine. Mengus Faventinas pronounces it to be highly anodyne. (Auctores de
Balneis.)
Psellus says that the warm bath relaxes, softens, and induces sleep,
occasioning plumpness of the body. (Opus Medicum.)
Actuarius forbids the use of the bath to those whose systems are loaded
with superfluities and bad humours. (De Diæta, xi.) Averrhoes lays down
the same prohibition. (Coll. ii, 4.)
The proper time for the bath, according to Haly Abbas, is after exercise,
and before eating. If used before exercise, it proves injurious, by
occasioning the distribution of any superfluities which may be remaining
indigested in the body, and determining them to improper parts. If used
immediately after a meal, he says, it proves hurtful, by promoting
the absorption of unconcocted chyle, and sending humours to the head.
But if used after exercise, and before a meal, it moistens the body,
strengthens the vital heat, promotes digestion, opens the pores,
mitigates pain, and dispels flatulence. He adds, a short continuance in
the bath, warms and moistens the body, but a long warms and dries it.
(Theor. v, 13.) In another place he says that the proper time for the
bath is after exercise, yet not immediately, nor until the powers of the
system are in some degree recruited; but the body is to be first rubbed
with oil, and then the bath is to be taken. (Pract. i, 5.)
The uses of the bath, according to Alsaharavius, are, to moisten the
body, open the pores, dispel flatulence, remove repletion, procure sleep,
relieve pains, fluxes of the bowels and lassitude, to restore lean bodies
to plumpness and obesity, if used after a full diet, to soften contracted
limbs, moisten dry bodies, and dry humid. The evil effects of it when
misapplied, are prostration of the vital powers, syncope, and determining
the humours to weak parts. (Theor. xi, 1.)
Asclepiades, of Bithynia, was a distinguished advocate for the use of the
bath. See Pliny (H. N. xxxvi, 3); Celsus (ii, 6); Apuleius (Florid. 4.)