Physical Education.—No. III [pp. 73-75]

PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
blood, render the skin pale and contracted, and arrest the healthy process of cutaneous exhalation.
On the other hand, anger, rage, and other violent
emotions, increase the action of the heart and arterial system, and throw such large quantities of
the circulating fluitls into the capillaries, especially
of the brain, that they are distended in such manner that the most disastrous consequences sometimes follow. In either of the cases above mentioned the general health must suffer. A confirmed
coward-one who is afraid of every thing-or the
sentimental enthusiast, who constantly grieves over
the ills of life, or the dispensations of Providence,
is never healthy. But again: Love, faith, hope,
and the milder passions, are of eminent service,
not only in maintaining the health of the body, but
in the cure of disease. It is to these that Perkins'
metallic tractors, the royal hand, electro-magnetism, hom(epathic medicine, and the seventh son,
have, at different periods, owed their celebrity.
15. The next important subject to which I invite the attention of the reader, is ablution and
the bath. After perspiration has continued for a
time, the skin becomes covered by saline and animal matter, which, unless removed, block up the
pores of the skin, and prevent the regular discharge
of its functions, or, by being absorbed, they again enter the circulation, and poison the vital fluids. This
should always be removed by washing, or bathing,
and that once, at least, in every twenty-four hours,
especially when the weather is warim, or the skin
much excited. For the same reason under-clothes
should frequently be changed or well aired: if not,
they become loaded with perspiration, which dries
in their texture, and thus prevents the escape of
the foreign gasses so frequently passing off from
this extensive integument.
The proper temperature of the bath has elicited
some discussion among writers on hygiene. Some
contend that it should be cold, others tepid, and
others again warmn. It seems to me, however, that
there should be no difficulty on the subject. Different constitutions, different conditions of the system, and different periods of life require water of
different temperature. It is the practice of some
parents and nurses to plunge infants into cold water every day, both in the,ummer and winter seasons, in d-der to render them hardy by inuring them
thus early to all the sudden changes of temperature.
This practice is so injurious that it should not, in a
single instance, be encouraged. It is true that a child
occasionally survives it: an evidence that some constitutions are sufficiently strong to resist so destructive an influence. While, from the active circulation of children, and the great amount of foreign
matter eliminated from the skin, the use of the
bath should be frequent, yet it should always be
tepid, the temperature seldom falling under ninety
five degrees. It is true that the shower bath is
sometimes useful in the treatment of the diseases
of children; but it should never be used unless prescribed by a competent physician.
In well-formed adult constitutions the cold bath
is occasionally useful; but the shower bath, or cold
sponging, previously to friction with a flesh-brush,
or a coarse towel, will be more beneficial, as well
as more agreeable. They are indeed the most effectual means of preserving the health of the skin,
at all seasons, but more especially when the weather is hot, or in countries where it is changeable, or
where the atmosphere is continually saturated with
moisture.
As a general rule, the best temperature for the
bath is that which feels most agreeable, and the
best time for taking it two or three hours after a
daily meal. Robust constitutions may be benefited by the cold bath in summer, but invalids and
those in ordinary health should seldom immerse
themselves in water under a temperature of from
eighty-six to ninety degrees. They may remain in
the bath for fifteen minutes or half an hour, always
using friction, soap, and coarse towels, until the
skin is relieved from all its impurities.
The warm bath is a powerful agent, both in the
preservation of health and in the cure of disease;
but it should not be either long continued or frequently resorted to when the health is impaired,
without the advice of a physician.
It is generally thought that the tepid bath renders persons more liable to take cold; but if the
clothing is sufficient the reverse of this is the case.
As a general rule, exercise should be omitted for
an hour or two after the use of the warm or tepid
bath. The former especially should never be taken
just before or just after a full meal, or before retiring for the night, unless the object be to promote
perspiration.
In many places the vapor bath is extensively
used; but like the warm it should seldom be employed by invalids, unless prescribed by the medical
attendant. In all bathing, however, one of the
principal objects should be the cleanliness of the
skin; and in hotels, or private dwellings, not furnished with a bath-room-a criminal omission-the
objects of the bath may be obtained by the use of
a bowl of water, a supply of soap, and a coarse
towel, or flesh-brush. Almost every groom understands the effect which a clean skin has upon the
health of the horse; and it is unquestionably true
that if but a moiety of the time spent in currying,
washing, and rubbing this noble animal, were appropriated in a similar way upon the skin of his
master, he would seldom be affected with gout,
rheumatism, headache, or dyspepsy. We study
the structure and constitution of the lower animals, and adapt our knowledge to the perfection
74