The philosophy of eating. By Albert J. Bellows, M.D.

326

BATHING AND FRICTION.

keep the skin free and clean by the use of the bill, and
where the bill cannot be applied, the toes can be, so
that every point in the skin, and every feather, is kept
clear and clean. The cow not only keeps her own skin
clean by the use of her moist, rough tongue, but she
assiduously applies her crash towel to every part of her
calf, and no "mother's darling" is made cleaner every
morning; and I am not prepared to say that soap and
Cochituate water, with a towel, have any superior advantages, either for cleanliness or for healthy friction.
From every part of the skin, as I have elsewhere
explained, sensible and insensible perspiration are constantly exuding, carrying off waste materials, which
must be thus disposed of, or some disease is the consequence. It is, therefore, very important that the skin
be kept clean and free from all obstructions; but it is
not of great consequence whether this be done by general bathing, by sponging, or by dry friction with a
rough towel, hair mitten, or flesh brush.
One quite important object, however, is gained by
the use of water to the whole surface: it is thus rendered less susceptible to cold and moisture, so that
those who are habituated to cold bathing, within proper
limits, are less liable to catch cold on exposure to
cold or damp air. But to derive benefit and not harm
from cold bathing, or cold sponging, certain conditions
must be observed. The cold bath must be followed by;
a reaction, which gives a pleasurable glow of heat, or
it does harm and not good; and to insure that reaction,
we must not bathe at night, or at any time after exhaustive exercise, or directly after a full meal, and,