IS THE COLD BATH BENEFICIAL?

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 29, 9 April 1907, Page 7

IS THE COLD BATH BENEFICIAL?

It ifj just a question whether at the present day there is not a tendency to over-indulgence in cold baths, A cold bath is, of course, a very excellent thing, but it must be used with discrimination; many can take it with impunity—and, indeed, benefit by it—while, on the other hand, to some it is positively injurious. It may be considered, possibly, a rather sweeping assertion, but -we are inclined to the belief that half the people who bathe, aside from the negative benefit of removing dirt, get more harm than good from the process as conducted by them. A good many persons have destroyed their little remaining health by injurious bathing. The use of cold water in bathing is not essential to cleanliness. If tepid water could be substituted for that which is cold —the idea becoming so popular of the benefits of bathing—the public health .would be promoted as a consequence.

Whomi>r finds himself or herself exhilarated, refreshed, toned up, strengthened, by the cold bath, ami yet some hours later feels unstrung, debilitated, or depressed, may conclude with certainty that to him or her tb.e cold bath is injurious. It disturbs Ithe circulation, exhausts the vital powers, and tends to fix and render permanent any disease or bodily derangement from which the person may be suffering. Though one feels feeble in the morning, and scarcely aide to go about till stimulated by a'cold bath, better bear the sense of weakness, and so reserve some degree of force for the latter part of the day, than to be made to “feel fine’’ in the morning by drawing on the reserve force, and then ‘‘feel gone’’ when the reaction comes. In the one case life is shortened, in the other preserved. Feeble women, particularly, ought to think of this, and particularly feeble teachers. Let them seek to understand the laws by which vital power exhibits itself, and learn to be economical in its expenditure, for they are apt to have but a low stock of it at their disposal.—-“ Health.”