PEEPS AT ROTORUA. _ * _

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 6

PEEPS AT ROTORUA. _ * _

BATHERS & BATHS. AT "GRIPS" WITH THE "CURE." [By "Mere Mere."] NO. V. "Have you !iad a bath to-day?" The question would doubtless bo deemed nn impertinence at places other than Eotorua, but here it is ono of the leading lines in cross-examination when visitors are dealing with the'day's doings. There are baths and baths—Blue Baths, Priest Baths, Postmaster Paths; baths which are housed in tea-cottage buildings, baths with the sky for ceiling, and baths which have dwellings of the up-to-date racing stablo pattern; Lobster baths and Spout baths; .baths with 6trenuous sulphurous fumes; of beautiful oily silky 'waters; mud baths .and vapour baths—not to mention the innumerable other varieties of private baths in the Sanitarium bath pavilion. Have a Care, Sir I Ono has to bo canny in making the acquaintance of some of theso baths'on account of their peculiar chemical properties, such, for instance, as the old Priest and Postmaster, the amount of sulphuretted hydrogen that bubbles up through the water being very considerable and largely responsible for the not infrequent cases of fainting in those baths. '.The visitor who has come to the spa for treatment naturally consults the medical officer, and even in the following of tho expert advice many aches are discovered to him that he knew not of before—"as a general rule this is'merely, due to the rapid increase of tissue change going on" says the Balneologist, "a necessary factor in the process of cure." The holiday-jaunter, though, does not as a rule discriminate—any bath and every bath for him, and then he wonders on his return home why ho has sciatica or other muscular pains, and as a consequence it is necessary for him to take a proper rest before he can again engage in life's toilsome rouud. Needless to say, the geniis small boy does not take such saves on bath fees, and dips in the lake—plenty good'enough for him. If he is pursued by a ranger or inspector all ,the better. ' \ * . The "Cure." The "curing" baths are mostly located in the magnincently-constructed pavilion. Of old English style tho building, running north and south, will, when completed, have a frontage of 300 ft. f but the southern portion is still adoimed with scaffolding, that, wing being incomplete. As one enters the mam doorway, the doctor's consulting room, secretary's office, ticket'office, 'etc., ore immediately at hand. In the centre is the.pump-room, a lofty hall which is used as a lounge for concert purposes, and greatly adorned by some splendid statuary The south wing. of. the building is reserved for the ladies', and tho north wing for the gentlemen's, baths. With his prescription in hand, tho man seeking the euro clatters along the-tiled corridor, tha warm sulphur smell denoting that he is in the proper region,' and is soon espied by an attendant. . "Well, sir, whafs'your. trouble," is the ready query. Prescription handed over. "Oh, yes. Priest—douchcr-103d0g.-105— tepid'shower-pack. All right, comb along, sir. Private Priest, sir?" "Think I'll try a publio Prkst first." murmurs tho awed bather. (The private baths are in small apartments,.with rest room; Tho bath itself is of ordinary household size, set in the floor.) He follows his guardian and finds himself in a lofty room, in the centre of which is a very green expanse, of-Water, about six yards square—no_ bottom visible. "What's tho.depth," he inquires, as he disrobes, and is reassured When he hearts only three to four feet. Ami then he gingerly descends the steps into the grei-n. '['Getting into Hot Water." "By Jove, it's hot!" 19 tho quick exclamation. ' ' "Oh, no!" replies the man in chargo; 'it's quite cold just now—only 101; this morning it was 104. What's your prescription'.say? lOMeg. Why you got two more degrees to go on. Why," he rattlc3 .along cheerfully, "somo of the baths go up to 100, 110, and 111." "How long'do'l have to stop in?" The batlwr lias seated himself, on a step at tqe bath baseband the question floats across tho water from a face that is-be-coming more poignantly aware of the sulphur fumes—a face that is trying to appear happy, and really wants to be so. "Tou know," the plaintive voice adds, "I'm not yery strong." "A quarter of an hour, tho doctor Mys." , ' "Well, I'm nearly boiled now. Suppose though .I'll gcUused to it."' Spying tt small,rubber hose under the water, he ssizss it, and lifts it to the surface. A forceful jet of hot water narrowly misses the attendant's head. 1 "Keep that under water," he cries us he dodges. ' "That's to play on the body where's there's pain." . "But I'm in pain all over," wails the other. .i "Then no matter where yon play tho current it'll be striking the right place," is the retort. ■ * ' , . "Do you see that rope there ?" And the attendant, pointing to a rope at the side of the bath, tries to intono some comforting touch into his words. "Well, pull that." ' .' . . ■ . "Whafs that do—hang me?" pants the slowly-cooking person. ' "No, it-rings a bell, and I'll como to you. And he disappears to the next cure-seeker. • A Modern Martyr. ' • ' A perspiring pilgrim in Cure-land watches the sands tncklo down the hour.glass, as they tell out his quarter of an hour to the, patter of beads, from his brow falling on tho water. He was certainly starting his cure, but its early stages made it appear to him that Fox's Book of Martyrs was—• i "Hah! You've still got your,head above water!"—lt's the attendant who thus breaks in on the revterie. "Did you think I'd out it off?" is tho playful, yet slightly irritable, response.' "My time's up. "Yes," says tho master of ceremonies. "Now for the douche." "What's that?" "Just a solid downpour—you can have it tepid, hot, cold—wo can,.give you anything you want." "Can you give mo, a cure?" came a poser. "No, we don't guarantee that." And so on through the prescribed treatment. It is no sinecuro taking the waters, and tho consistent follower of the course generally mapped out by the medical officer has genuine reason to think himself about the hardest-worked person in Eotorua. Perhaps tho patient diversifies the treatment time with details of his symptoms—if bo does hot do so to the attendant, he doubtless finds a readylistener in someone else undergoing tho baths, and symptoms aTe exchanged. Hero is to be found the farmer who has worked hard all his life, mado a 'competency, and Tetired to the otium-cum-dignitate side-path, idleness does not, agree with him, and he is feeling out of sorts and run down. ''There's nothing like hard work," says he. Tho attendant undertakes to hazard the risk going with the competency. Again,' it may be the shipping engineer, one who has toiled at the shaft waist-deep in salt-water, the upper parts of the body, pelted by tho storm, and on whom muscular rheumatism is now levying toil. "I ache, ache, ache, ache, all over," he moans, "You should see somo of 'em what comes here," says tho oheerily-disposcd. attendant. "You're quite active to em.. Lots of 'em never been on their feet for months and months." And then perhaps he'll reminisce as to some of his past patrons. "Ono man as used to como here alius brought his book with 'im, and read it while having his bath. Did look funny—a head poking up out of the water readin' a book. Now, I'd call him a reg'lnr bookworm." Tho symptoms, and eymfltoni-disconrs-crs, are much about, but the steady stream of tourists' and holiday-makers now setting in is giving a leavening to the conversation in the pump-room. (To bo continued.)

For Children'« Hacking Oough at Night, Woods' Great Peaoermlnt Cure. U. Cd.'