Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume I Part 77

For old people, or those of middle age, the cold bath is not to be recommended, or if taken, considerable caution is required in using it. By such persons, also, bathing in very hot weather, or in the sea, should likewise be prudently practised. For these, the warm or tepid sponge-bath will be found the much safer method.

It sometimes happens that, both with the old and young, the cold bath gives rise to headache, palpitation, shortness of breath, loss of appet.i.te, or great languor. Whenever any of these effects are produced, the bath should be at once given up.

The best time for taking a cold hath or for swimming is in the morning, not too early, but when the sun is well up. Immersion is best practised after a light meal, but not immediately following one. After breakfast, from 10 a.m. to noon, are the preferable hours. Should the bather be unable to swim, when going into the sea or into a river, he should keep briskly moving all the time his body is immersed in the water. If in a room bodily friction must be subst.i.tuted for exercise. A desirable glow may often be produced by rubbing the body with either a rough towel, a flesh-brush, or a pair of horsehair gloves.

The above remarks are meant to apply only to persons in average health.

Weakly and delicate persons, even without any disease about them, would always do well to consult their medical adviser before taking to cold bathing.

We may add, that for bathing to produce its best effects the water should be soft and pure, and good soap sparingly, but regularly, employed whenever the skin requires it. See ABLUTION and WASH-HOUSES.

The medical and hygienic properties of baths are noticed below, under their respective names:--

=Bath.= In _chemistry_, &c., a vessel or apparatus containing some medium in which the vessel holding the substance to be heated is immersed, instead of being exposed to the direct action of the fire; by which means a limited and uniform temperature may be ensured.

The highest temperature that can be given to any substance contained in a vessel placed in another of boiling water, is about 205 or 206 Fahr.; but by adding 1/5th part of common salt to the bath, a heat of fully 212 may be obtained. Baths of fusible metal, saturated solutions of salt, sand, and (on the large scale) steam, are also used for the same purpose.

A bath of oil may be safely heated to about 500 Fahr. without suffering decomposition, and will be found an exceedingly appropriate and convenient source of heat in many processes. The simplest and most convenient form of water bath is that afforded by raising water to the boiling point in a copper basin placed over a gas lamp, and supporting the vessel to be heated over the basin, by means of a circular hoop of copper resting on the top of the basin. By this means the lower surface of the dish or vessel to be heated is brought in contact with the steam. Copper basins, fitted with a series of concentric copper rings, so as to render the basin capable of supporting dishes of different sizes, are made for this purpose.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

For drying many substances an air bath is required. The accompanying cut represents a convenient form of air bath. It consists of a cylindrical copper vessel (_A_), the cover of which is moveable, and has two apertures, the middle one (_E_) serving for the escape of vapour, and the lateral one (_C_) for the insertion of a thermometer. The vessel holding the substance to be heated rests on a ring within the box, supported on a tripod.

A larger air bath, by means of which several small vessels can be heated at once, is seen below.

Air-baths are sometimes surrounded with a jacket, and may be converted into water or oil baths, according as the jacket is filled with either of the fluids. For a Table of Boiling-points, see EBULLITION.

An air-bath of constant temperature between 100 and 200 C. has been contrived by Sprengel. It consists of an ordinary hot-water oven made of sheet-lead autogenously soldered, and filled with dilute sulphuric acid boiling at the required temperature.

In order that the temperature may remain constant, the water which distils from the dilute sulphuric acid is condensed and allowed to flow back again into the bath by means of a worm of lead cooled by the atmosphere, or a long vertical metal or gla.s.s tube.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

=Bath.= In _medicine_, the medium in which the body, or a part of it, is bathed or immersed, for some object beyond that of mere personal cleanliness or enjoyment; the composition, use, or temperature of the medium being generally indicated by some epithet, as in the instances below. When only the last is pointed out, pure water is, of course, intended to be used.

Baths are divided by medical writers into cla.s.ses, and even minor subdivisions, in a manner which is more ingenious than useful. They are said to be SIMPLE when water or its vapour forms the bath; and COMPOUND when the water or vapour is medicated by the addition of other substances (COM'POUND BATHS; BAL'NEA COMPOS'ITA, L.). The latter cla.s.s is also subdivided into THERAPEU'TIC BATHS (MED'ICATED BATHS; BAL'NEA MEDICA'TA, B. THERAPEU'TICA, L.); and NUTRIT'IVE BATHS (B. NUTRIEN'TIA, B.

NUTRI"TIA*, B. NUTRITO"RIA*, L.). Thus, besides the ordinary water and vapour baths, the medical uses of which are hereafter noticed, we have WINE'-BATHS, MILK'-BATHS, SOUP'-BATHS, &c. (used to convey nourishment, or to sustain the body, as in occlusion of the sophagus, certain diseases of the stomach, &c.); CHLO"RINE BATHS, SUL'PHUROUS B., MERCU"RIAL B., &c.

(used in skin diseases, syphilis, &c.); AROMAT'IC and CHALYB'EATE BATHS (employed as tonics); and ACID BATHS (sometimes used to remove the effects of mercury).

On the Continent a variety of substances are employed to medicate baths, which are seldom or never so used in this country.

The quant.i.ty of any medicinal substance used to medicate a bath, for an adult, may be, in general, for each gallon of water employed, about the same as that which is used to form a half-pint lotion of medium or rather weak strength. Thus; taking the quant.i.ty of b.i.+.c.hloride of mercury to form the lotion at 5 _gr._, and that of sulphurated potash at 1/2 _dr._, the quant.i.ty required for a bath of 30 to 40 _galls._ will be about 2-1/2 _dr._ of the first, and about 1-3/4 _oz._ of the second of these substances. Much, however, depends on the nature of the case, the length of the immersion, the periods of recurrence, and the intended number of repet.i.tions. In the case of very active remedies it will be safest and best to begin with less than (say 1/4 to 1/3) the quant.i.ty thus indicated.

Medicated baths are, in nearly all cases, taken warm or fully tepid.

? In the following baths the quant.i.ty of the ingredients ordered, when not otherwise indicated, is that proper for an ordinary full-sized bath for an adult; viz., from 40 to 60 _galls._ Those which do not contain volatile substances may be used more than once; and many of them several times by adding a small quant.i.ty of fresh ingredients to keep up their strength.

=Bath, Acid= (as'-). _Syn._ BAL'NEUM AC'IDUM (as'-), L. See HYDROCHLORIC, NITRIC, NITRO-HYDROCHLORIC, and SULPHURIC ACID BATHS (_below_). Enamelled, hard-glazed, or wooden vessels must be used with all of them.

=Bath, Air.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM PNEUMAT'Ic.u.m, L.:--_a._ (Cold.) Simple exposure of the body, in a state of nudity, for a short time to the atmosphere. Tonic, anodyne, and sedative; in febrile excitement, nervous irritability, and restlessness accompanied by a quick or full pulse, &c.

Safe and often very effective. It will frequently induce sleep when all other means fail.

_b._ (Hot:--a.s.sA, A. SUDA'TIO, L.) An apartment to which dry heated air is admitted. Sometimes the arrangement is such that the air is _not_ inhaled.

Stimulant; sudorific; more so than even the vapour bath; produces copious perspiration, being, indeed, the most powerful and certain diaph.o.r.etic known. It has been advantageously employed in cholera (for which its advocates state that it is almost a specific), congestive fevers, chronic rheumatism, contractions, stiff joints, paralysis, scaly skin-diseases, dropsical swellings, and most of the cases in which the vapour bath is usually employed. The temperatures are--as a sudorific, 85 to 105 Fahr.; as a stimulant, 100 to 130. When not inhaled it may be often raised, with advantage, 15 to 25 higher. See BATH, TURKISH.

_c._ (Compressed.) Recommended, by M. Tarberie, in aphonia, &c. It has recently been employed in asthma, phthisis, and some other like diseases, with extraordinary success, at Ben Rhydding.

_d._ (Rarefied.) Applied locally. Revulsive; resembles CUPPING, DRY (which _see_).

=Bath, Al'kaline.= _Syn._ AL'KALISED BATH; BAL'NEUM ALKALI'NUM, B.

ALKALIZA'TUM, L. Carbonate of potash (salt of tartar), 3/4 _lb._ In itch, prurigo and chronic skin diseases accompanied with dryness and irritation, acute gout, lithic gravel, scurvy, diarrha, &c. Scotch soda, 1 _lb._, is sometimes subst.i.tuted for the 'potash'; but is less effective, and is theoretically objectionable.

=Bath, Al'um.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM ALU'MINIS, L. Alum (in powder, or previously dissolved in hot water), 3/4 _lb._ to 1-1/2 _lb._, or even 2 _lbs._ In troublesome excoriations, extensive burns, obstinate vesicular eruptions, diarrha, &c.; also in obstinate piles and prolapsus ani. See BATH, ASTRINGENT.

=Bath, Ammoni'acal.= See HYDROCHLORATE OF AMMONIA BATH (_below_).

=Bath, Animal.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM ANIMA'LE, L. The skin or any part of an animal just killed, wrapped round the body or a limb. Once much esteemed; now, happily, disused in this country.

=Bath, Antimo"nial.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM ANTIMONIA'LE, L. Tartar-emetic, 1 to 2 _oz._ (Soubeiran.) In lumbago and certain skin diseases; also as a counter-irritant.

=Bath, Antipso"ric.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM ANTIPSO"RIc.u.m, L. See BATH, SULPHURETTED (also others).

=Bath, Aromat'ic.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM AROMAT'Ic.u.m, L. Balm, chamomile, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme, with any other like aromatic herbs (at will), of each a handful, mixed together and steeped in a (covered) pail of boiling or very hot water, for an hour, and then strained, with pressure, into the bath. Sometimes 2 or 3 _oz._ of sal-ammonia, a 1/4 _lb._ of alum, or 1 _lb._ of common salt, is also added. Occasionally used in cutaneous affections, chronic rheumatism, diarrha, dyspepsia, stiff-joints, &c.; also in debility arising from loss of blood, spermatorrha, suppressions, hysteria, hypochondriasis, &c.

The AROMATIC VAPOUR BATH is made by causing the vapour to pa.s.s through the herbs.

=Baths, Aromatic Malt= (J. Hoff, Berlin). Wittstein says these consist of coa.r.s.ely crushed barley malt at six times its selling value.

=Bath, Astrin'gent.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM ASTRIN'GENS, L. _Prep._ (Most.) Alum (2 to) 4 _lbs._; dissolve in boiling water; and add, whey, 6 or 8 pailfuls, or q. s. In extensive burns, piles, prolapsus ani, &c. See BATH, ALUM, BATH, OAKBARK, &c.

=Bath, Balsamic.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM BALSAM'INUM, L. Bordeaux turpentine and tar, of each 2 _lbs._ (or of tar alone, 3 to 4 _lbs._); hot water, 6 or 7 _galls._; stir continuously until nearly cold, then add the clear portion to water q. s. to form a bath. In mumps, pruriginous diseases of the skin, eczema, impetigo, &c.

=Bath, Bareges= (Fact.i.tious). _Syn._ BAL'NEUM BARETGINEN'SE (Fact.i.tium), L. _Prep._ 1. Crystallised sulphide of sodium, 3-1/2 _oz._; chloride of sodium, 1-1/2 _oz._; gelatine (dissolved), 4 _oz._

2. (Trousseau & Reveil.) Dry sulphide of pota.s.sium, 4 _oz._; water, 16 _oz._; dissolve, and add the solution to the bath; then further add, of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, 1/2 _oz._, previously diluted with water, 8 _oz._ In itch, moist skin diseases, chronic diarrha, chronic rheumatism, lead colic, &c. See b.a.l.l.s, WATERS, &c.

=Bath, Benzo'ic.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM BENZO'Ic.u.m, L. 1. Benzoin (in powder), 1/2 _lb._; water (at 90) q. s. In irritations, hysteria, hypochondriasis, &c. It is also reputed to be feebly aphrodisiac. 2. A common warm bath, with a little powdered benzoin laid on a heated plate near the bather, so that the fumes may be inhaled. Slightly soothing or anodyne; in chronic laryngitis, relaxed uvula, &c.

=Bath, b.i.+.c.hlo"ride of Mer'cury.= See BATH, MERCURIAL.

=Bath, Bran.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM FUR'FURIS, L. Bran, 5 to 7 _lbs._; boiling waters, 2 or 3 galls.; digested together for an hour, or boiled for 15 minutes; the strained liquid being added to the bath. Emollient; in dry and scaly skin disease, and to allay itching and surfacial irritation; also to promote suppuration, &c.

=Bath, Bromine.= The saline waters of Kreuznach contain bromides. The salts derived from the evaporation of these waters are imported into this country, and are employed in baths. Or the following subst.i.tute may be used:--Artificial sea-salt, 11 _lbs._; bromide of pota.s.sium, 4 _oz._; mix, and let the above be added to a bath containing sufficient water for immersion. The bromine bath is more especially used for tumours of every kind. It requires to be continued in for a long time. When the patient does not possess the conveniences for taking the bath, flannels dipped in a strong solution of the salt and wrung out may be applied wet to the abdomen for some hours daily.

=Bath, Cam'phor.= _Syn._ BAL'NEUM CAM'PHORae, B. CAMPHORATUM, L. Camphor, 3 or 4 dr., coa.r.s.ely powdered, and placed on a plate heated by boiling water, in the bathroom. Anodyne, anaphrodisiac, and diaph.o.r.etic; in spasmodic asthma, chronic cough, relaxation of the uvula, ardor urinae, nervous irritability, &c.

=Bath, Carbon'ic.= _Syn._ CARBON'IC ACID BATH; BAL'NEUM CARBON'Ic.u.m, B.

AC'IDUM CARBONIc.u.m, L.

1. Carbonic acid gas applied, by means of a suitable apparatus, to prevent its being respired. Antiseptic, diaph.o.r.etic, and excitant to the vascular system; in amenorrha, chlorosis, hysteria, scrofula, cancerous and other ulcers (particularly foul ones), &c.