THE CULT OF THE SUN BATH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 448, 5 March 1909, Page 10

THE CULT OF THE SUN BATH.

BACK TO NATURE,

A tendency on the part of mere man.to hark back to nature in (lie mutter of his summer pleasure has been marked during the past few months. The cult of the sun bath is the latest craze, and bronzed monuments of what a few hot suns can do to a white skin obtrude themselves at all tko scasido resorts and the city, baths. The open-air life, free from the restraint of conventional attire, is tho popular and primitive' form of recreation, and a suntanned skin is tho goal of many. At the city baths tho sun-bather, is almost as numerous as tho swimmer, whilst a scclion combine the two pleasures. The former is only in attendance on sunny days, -when'he'is to be seen spread out to the burning rays all round the enclosure. To such an extent has tho new pastime gained ground that it is no .uncommon occttrrenco to see as many as 50 men' and youths at tho baths, and iiot : moro than four or fivo of them in tho water at the one timo. lollowing the example of their ciders, tho juvenile portion of the baths also court -brown Bkins, and do not 'consider a swim completa unless it is followed by a bake in tho sun. Swimmers.are not .alone in the pursuit of sunburn. Secluded spots 011 tho far-out-.,hills around the city provide the baking spots for many, but the week-enders at tho- various beaches have developed the best, "browns" br a combination of sun, salt water; and sand Path. Other devotees of the cra v /.e do not leave home to indulge their Whim.' Qno enthusiast has erected a bower ill' his backyard. Hero, shut off from the gaze of passers-by and neighhours, 11© lolls 111 the full force of the sun from sunrise to sunset each Sunday, with a book to pass tho hours, and tobacco.to soothe the miud. Another home-slayer has a nook on tho top of his hou£e, and follows the sun in its course at least, onco a,,week, and. more frequently when opportunity offers, i. Parties of sun-bathers also walk miles every week-end. ia search of solitude and sun. There is an art in tho browning process, or at least it has to bo'started with discretion, and many a budding devotee' has overdone his first grilling, and has paid tho penalty for days afterwards. In a number of instances the lirst outing has resulted in such a burning as to give the appearanco of n scald,' and in other cases the burn has been so severe that medical attention has had to be requisitioned, but still tho craze progresses, and the host of tho sun-tanned multiplies.