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diff --git a/30444-0.txt b/30444-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a3a6c7 --- /dev/null +++ b/30444-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3794 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30444 *** + + THE + + TURKISH BATH: + + ITS + + DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION; + + WITH + + CHAPTERS ON THE ADAPTATION OF THE BATH TO + THE PRIVATE HOUSE, THE INSTITUTION, + AND THE TRAINING STABLE. + + BY + + ROBERT OWEN ALLSOP, + + ARCHITECT. + + ILLUSTRATED WITH PLANS AND SECTIONS + + _From Scale Drawings by the Author._ + + [Illustration] + + E. & F. N. SPON, 125, STRAND, LONDON. + NEW YORK: 12, CORTLANDT STREET. + 1890 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The present work originally appeared in the form of a series of +illustrated articles in the columns of the _Building News_. It has been +carefully revised and enlarged with the addition of much new matter. The +object of the author in publishing the work in its present form is to +provide, in addition to a text-book for the architect, a treatise which +shall enable the public to form their own judgment as to the relative +merits of the baths that compete for their patronage. The principles, +herein enunciated, upon which good baths should be built, will be easily +grasped by the ordinary reader; and the detailed plans and instructions +will, it is hoped, supply such information as will enable the designer +of baths to cope with the exigencies of any and every case with which he +may be confronted. + + 37, NORFOLK STREET, + STRAND, LONDON. + _March 1890._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. + PAGE + INTRODUCTION 1 + + CHAPTER II. + + THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF A PUBLIC BATH 9 + + CHAPTER III. + + THE GENERAL DISPOSITION OF PLAN OF PUBLIC BATHS 17 + + CHAPTER IV. + + A DETAILED CONSIDERATION OF FEATURES PECULIAR TO THE BATH 32 + + CHAPTER V. + + HEATING AND VENTILATION 59 + + CHAPTER VI. + + WATER-FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES 87 + + CHAPTER VII. + + LIGHTING, DECORATING, AND FURNISHING 102 + + CHAPTER VIII. + + THE TURKISH BATH IN THE HOUSE 118 + + CHAPTER IX. + + THE BATH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, ETC. 134 + + CHAPTER X. + + THE TURKISH BATH FOR HORSES 141 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + FIG. PAGE + + 1. Turkish Baths, Savoy Hill, London 21 + + 2. Turkish Baths, Charing Cross, London 24 + + 3. Turkish Baths, Euston Road, London 28 + + 4. A Plunge Bath 50, 51 + + 5. Methods of arranging Couches in Cooling Room 56 + + 6. View of a small Furnace Chamber, with portion of wall broken + away to show the "Convoluted" Stove 65 + + 7. An Air Filter 67 + + 8. Plans and Section of a Furnace Chamber, &c., for a Bath on the + ordinary Hot-air Principle 68 + + 9. Section of Hot Room, showing Foul-air Conduit 72 + + 10. A Fireclay Heating Apparatus 74 + + 11. Longitudinal Section of Sudatory Chambers 84 + + 12. A Shampooing Basin 90 + + 13. Valve for Regulating Temperature of Water 91 + + 14. A Needle Bath 94 + + 15. Spray, Wave, and Douche Baths 95 + + 16. Regulating Valves for Needle, Douche, &c. 96 + + 17. Bather's Shower Bath 99 + + 18. Section and Plan of an Enamelled Iron Ceiling 107 + + 19. Plans of Plunge Baths 112 + + 20. Section of Benches in Hot Rooms, and in Cooling Room Divans 115 + + 21. Furniture of a Turkish Bath 117 + + 22. Plan of Mr. Urquhart's Small Private Bath and of the Hot + Room at Sir Erasmus Wilson's Bath at Richmond Hill 119 + + 23. Methods of constructing Turkish Baths in existing Houses 124 + + 24. A complete Private Turkish Bath 126 + + 25. Design for a Private Turkish Bath 130, 131 + + 26. Plan of the Baths at the Hotel Mont Dore, Bournemouth 135 + + 27. Plan of the Great Northern Railway Company's Turkish Bath + for Horses 142 + + + + +THE + +TURKISH BATH. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +Since the revival of the bath of antiquity, and its introduction into +this country under the name of the Turkish bath, this method of bathing +has become very generally adopted; and although onward progress is +rendered less rapid than it might be, by the wide-spread popular +ignorance that ascribes an element of danger to the bath, erroneous +impressions are being gradually removed, and the continual building of +new baths testifies to the manner in which the institution flourishes on +British soil. + +To what extent the delusion concerning the supposed danger connected +with this form of bathing is to be ascribed to popular ignorance and +prejudice, or to the fact that baths of unsuitable design and +construction, and of faulty heating and ventilation, are put before the +public, it would be hard to say. Certain it is that the latter cause has +done much--very much--injury. + +I cannot but think that one of the chief obstacles to the progress of +the bath in this country, is that little or nothing has been written or +said about its proper design, construction, and working, and that no +full inquiry has been made into the best possible method of supplying +heat to the bathers. As a consequence, we have had, and still have, +placed before the public, and meeting with undeserved success, "Turkish +baths" which are such only in name--unhealthy, ill-ventilated cellars, +where the air, deteriorated at the outset by the heating apparatus, +stagnates in the sudatory chambers, and becomes loaded with the +exhalations and emanations of the bathers, and not unfrequently charged +with a nauseating and disgusting odour. What wonder that we so often +hear persons remark that they have tried the bath, but neither enjoyed +it nor did it agree with them! The damaging effect of "baths" of this +type on the prospects of the true bath is incalculable. + +In the absence of enlightenment, however, thousands, convinced of the +value and benefit of the bathing, periodically attend these miserable +substitutes for properly-planned, hygienically-heated, and +effectively-ventilated Turkish baths. Viewing any self-evident +shortcomings as irremediable evils, ignorant of the true principles of +bath construction, and knowing little or nothing of the physiological +action of the bath, they have neither the means of ascertaining, nor the +power to detect, the genuine article from the harmful substitute. With +the public the best bath will be the most elaborate and most flashily +decorated, and the moth-and-candle principle comes into play with +striking semblance to the original type. + +So much has been written and said about the arrangement, design, and +working of the baths of the ancient Romans, and of the Oriental nations +of to-day, that it will be superfluous and unnecessary here to enter +upon the subject, fascinating though it be to any one interested in the +building of modern baths. An intelligent study of old plans, and of the +writings of those who have given their attention to the elucidation of +the special purposes to which the various apartments of the Roman +_Thermæ_ were devoted, serves in no small degree to a complete +understanding of the problems involved in the perfecting of the bath in +modern times. So also with regard to the Hammam of the East, an +acquaintance with its plan and working is equally instructive. But to +fully elucidate the history of thermo-therapeutic architecture would +require a volume of itself, since the many questions that present +themselves to the student of ancient baths cannot be properly understood +without considerable and lengthy description. Those desirous of studying +the subject of the design of ancient and Oriental baths will find many +works within easy reach. In his 'Manual of the Turkish Bath,' the late +David Urquhart has given a most complete account of Eastern baths; and +in Sir Erasmus Wilson's 'Eastern or Turkish Bath,' will be found a +popular account of the sumptuous baths of antiquity, which will serve as +an introduction to further researches with the aid of more abstruse +works, such as Wollaston's 'Thermæ Romano-Britannicæ,' Cameron's 'Baths +of the Romans,' and particularly the careful description of the Pompeian +_Balneæ_ in Sir William Gell's 'Pompeiana.' In the admirable works of +Samuel Lysons, the Gloucestershire antiquary, will be found interesting +accounts of the remains of old Roman baths in this country; and in +Daremberg and Saglio's 'Dictionnaire des Antiquités Grecques et +Romaines,' is a most capable essay on ancient _Balneæ_. In Eastern +travellers' books, desultory descriptions of the Oriental bath will be +found; and in Owen Jones's work on the Palace of the Alhambra, at +Granada, plans and sections are given of the elegant little bath that +the Moorish builders erected therein. + +For the purposes of this work, and for the sake of brevity and +convenience, I have thought fit to adopt the following terms from the +old Roman vocabulary, to designate the apartments of the modern bath. I +respectively term the first, second, and third hot rooms, the +_Tepidarium_, _Calidarium_, and _Laconicum_. Although the exact nature +of the ancient Roman _laconicum_ is still a question in debate, I have +chosen to employ the term to designate herein the hottest of the hot. +The washing room I call the _Lavatorium_; the cooling room, the +_Frigidarium_; and the separate dressing room, the _Apodyterium_. + +The modern "Turkish bath" is rather a revival of the Roman bath, than +that of the East. Among the Orientals, the air of the sudorific chambers +is charged more or less heavily with vapour. In the ancient Roman bath, +the atmosphere must have been more or less dry. And it has been decided +by physiologists and physicians of the hydropathic school, that the air +of the bath cannot be too free of all moisture. With a perfectly dry +atmosphere a high degree of heat can be borne, and the dryness moreover +is conducive to perspiration. This absolute need for a dry atmosphere +in the bath will be found fully explained in an admirable work by Dr. +W.B. Hunter, M.D., entitled 'The Turkish Bath: its Uses and Abuses.' But +notwithstanding the fact that the type of bath employed at the present +day resembles, in point of dryness of atmosphere, that of ancient Rome, +the name of Turkish bath, originally given to it by Mr. Urquhart, has +held good, and must now be accepted as the correct modern designation. + +Neither the term "Turkish," however, nor the designation "hot-air" bath, +convey to the uninitiated any idea of the true principle of "the bath," +as I shall hereinafter call it for brevity's sake. More properly it is a +"_heat_ bath"--a _thermal cure_. In the ordinary hot-air bath, the +heated air is simply a medium; and, as I have endeavoured to explain in +the body of this little work, the heat is best supplied to the body of +the bather by direct radiation. By the "Turkish bath," therefore, I +would be understood to mean a method of supplying pure heat--not +necessarily hot air--to the surface of the human body for hygienic, +remedial, and curative purposes.[1] + +In the following pages, however, I have, in this respect, treated of the +subject from the broadest point of view, and have explained the method +of designing the _hot-air bath_ pure and simple, looking upon the +convected and radiating heat principles as both good of their kind, and +perfectly admissible modes of applying heat to the human frame. I have +adhered to this plan throughout, because, even supposing that it were +shown conclusively to-morrow, that the principle of heating by +convection is absolutely wrong, baths of this type would, owing to the +slow march of improvement in this country, still be built and require to +be planned. Moreover, it has been in the past, and still is, the +generally accepted idea that the Turkish bath is a hot-air bath pure and +simple. + +Medical men of eminence who have studied the question have thought fit +to retain the term "hot air" in descriptions of the Turkish bath. In +deference to their opinion I may hereinafter, in places, speak of the +_hot-air bath_. The arguments put forward in favour of radiant heat, +with a comparatively cool atmosphere, in the sudorific chambers, are, +for the most part, the result of my own experience and study. + +I treat of my subject in two sections, dealing with public and private +baths respectively. Chapters II. to VII. are devoted to the elucidation +of the principles to be observed in the building of public baths, either +for true public purposes or as commercial speculations. It is +unnecessary to speak of these two classes of baths under separate heads: +what is required of the one is required of the other. The only +difference is that one is the property of the people, and may be +required to be designed in a block of buildings containing other kinds +of baths; and the other is owned by a company of persons or by a single +individual as the case may be, and is generally an establishment +complete in itself. + +It is not to the credit of the English nation that so little has been +done in connection with Turkish bath building for the people. The +attention given to the question of supplying bath-houses of any kind is +of the most meagre character. The provisions of the Public Baths and +Wash-houses Act are entirely inadequate. In these matters the German +nation is far ahead of us. Fortunately for the general health, the +Englishman is renowned for his morning "tub." But the cold tub is merely +a tonic bath, and the Turkish bath cleanses both the inward and outward +man, besides constituting a most perfect tonic. The cleanliness of the +vast body of the English depends on the warm shallow bath, an +ineffective means at the best, and, often, when taken at a high +temperature, fraught with a real danger to certain constitutions. Used, +as customary, without a tonic application of cold water, it is eminently +conducive to cold-catching. But one cannot blame the average Englishman +for his neglect of the health-giving habit of scientific bathing, unless +he sees the advantage of, and has means to afford, a Turkish bath in his +own house. He looks in vain for an appropriate, comfortable, and +attractive bath-house provided for him by the Legislature, and he +dislikes the thought of the impure atmosphere and odours of the +so-called "Turkish baths" provided by enterprising business men. He can +do nothing but fall back on his warm water bath and cold morning tub. + +In the second section, comprised in Chapters VIII. to X., I have dealt +with private baths, including the bath in the house and mansion, in +institutions of one kind and another, and in connection with training +stables. In the chapter on the bath in the private house, will be found +plans of baths of several types, from the smallest and least expensive +to the most elaborate and costly. + +It is my hope that this little work may lead to some attention being +bestowed on the question of providing public Turkish baths worthy of the +country; that it may add a stimulus to the building of high-class baths +as commercial speculations; and that, from its pages, those desirous of +experiencing the luxury of a model Turkish bath in their own homes, may +learn the best methods of its design and construction. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 1: The Germans, with more perception and accuracy than +ourselves, term the therapeutic agent that we called the Turkish bath, +the "Roman-Irish bath"--the _Römisch-irische Bäder_. Both the ancient +Roman bath and the old Irish "sweating-house," gave out radiant heat +from the walls to the bather, and did not depend on the supplying of hot +air.] + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF A PUBLIC BATH. + + +In order to avoid unnecessary expense in working and management, a +public Turkish bath should be convenient and _compact_ in plan. It +should be as perfect as possible in regard to heating and ventilation, +in order to insure patronage; and, for the same reason, it should be +made a thing of beauty. A badly-ventilated, inconvenient, and +ill-adorned bath does harm, both to the bather and the cause. It is its +own enemy, and harmful also to all other baths; whereas every +ably-designed bath has in itself the elements of success, and assists +existing institutions by increasing the number of converts to the +process. + +A good bath does not necessarily mean an elaborate and expensive one, +but primarily one where the heating and ventilation are on the latest +and most approved principles, and where the shampooing and washing rooms +are kept sweet and clean, the bathing appliances effective, and the +cooling rooms ample, and supplied with an abundance of fresh air. This +is not the result of sumptuousness and elaboration, but of pure applied +science. Amplitude of space, however, facilitates its attainment, as it +is difficult to render a cramped bath beneficial and attractive. + +By an attractive bath, I would be understood to mean one in which the +visitor will feel interest in the design; where pleasant objects are +presented to his eye, both in the sudorific chambers and in the cooling +rooms. Artistic decorations have here a commercial value. The bath +requiring time, the bather is compelled to pass some hours in the +various apartments, and it is therefore highly desirable that his +surroundings be rendered pleasant and entertaining. In a Turkish bath, +as in other architectural matters, this is not the result of a prodigal +expenditure on costly decorations and fittings, but rather of a careful +arrangement of necessary and desirable features, and a knowledge of the +methods of obtaining piquancy of effect by their distribution on the +plan. + +The arrangement of the modern bath is modified from that of the Ancients +and Orientals to suit the accepted form of practice in this country, so +that the order of the different processes through which the bather +passes governs the disposition of the various apartments. The chief +object to be attained is to induce a more or less vigorous perspiration +by the application of heat. This heat is now generally applied through +the medium of the air, which is raised to a high temperature by being +passed over and in contact with the heated surfaces of stoves of various +designs, or by direct radiation from hot metal or firebrick. +Theoretically, the generally-adopted method of applying the heat to the +bather might be greatly improved, but practically it has been found the +best. Into these questions, however, I shall enter when treating of the +heating and ventilating of the bath. For the present, it will suffice to +say that the chief object to be attained in the bath is the supplying of +an abundance of _pure hot air_ to the various sudorific chambers, and +the rapid withdrawal of the foul air and exhalations. + +Since the disposition of the various apartments is governed by the +methods of bathing in vogue, it will be necessary to first give the +reader a brief account of the various processes undergone by the bather. +The object of the profuse perspiration to be attained is twofold--(1) To +cleanse the blood of impurities; and (2) to loosen the dead scales of +the epidermis, or scarf-skin, that spreads itself everywhere over the +true skin or cuticle. Besides this, however, physiologists tell us that +the heat itself has a beneficial effect on the body in other ways, and +is, in cases of disease, a most powerful curative and remedial agent. +This latter fact explains the necessity for the high temperatures +employed, as mere perspiration could be attained with a comparatively +low degree of heat. + +The course of treatment to be undergone by the bather, as given by Sir +Erasmus Wilson, is--(1) Exposure of the naked body to hot dry air. (2) +Ablution with warm and cold water. (3) Cooling and drying the skin. In +addition to these, however, there should be added the process of +"massage" or shampooing before washing. + +The perspiration is attained in the various hot rooms--the _Tepidarium_, +_Calidarium_, and _Laconicum_. The nature of these apartments--which I +shall hereinafter consider in detail--must be determined by the +pretensions of the establishment. + +Perspiration having been induced, the bather submits to the kneading of +the muscles of the trunk and limbs by the shampooer. For this operation, +which restores tone and vigour to the muscular and nervous system, a +separate and distinct apartment should, in high class baths, be +provided. Vigorous friction with a coarse glove succeeds the shampooing. +This detaches the dead portions of the epidermis, and is an operation +generally practised in the _Lavatorium_--a washing room adjoining the +shampooing room. In the same place the bather receives copious ablutions +with warm water. The less robust conclude the cleansing process with a +douche, needle, spray, or shower bath, graduated from warm to cold; and +the strong bather, by plunging into a bath of cold water, the object of +which is to contract and close the sweat-glands and pores of the skin +that have been swelled and opened by the high temperatures of the +calorific apartments. For these purposes a small room, with the various +appliances named, and a large chamber containing a more or less ample +plunge bath, must be provided. In small baths, provision for both these +operations is made in one general shampooing and washing room, where the +bather is "massed," rubbed down, washed, and takes the plunge or shower +bath. The plunge may, if thought advantageous, be placed partly in the +cool apartment and partly in the hot rooms, in which case, the bather +dives under a glazed partition of some sort, which, furnished with an +india-rubber flap dangling in the water, prevents the hot air of the +sudatorium from entering the cooling rooms. + +The above description gives an outline of the cleansing and hygienic +processes, and of the nature of the requirements of those portions of +the bath devoted to their attainment. I have named them first as being +the most indispensable portion of the necessary suite of rooms, since +the bath may exist if it be merely in the form of an old Irish +"sweating-house," or a somewhat similar construction of the North +American Indian; but without the heated chamber and its appurtenances +there can be no bath. + +The next important features to be considered are the dressing and +cooling rooms. Before entering the bath rooms proper, the bather must +divest himself of his clothing, and assume the bathing garment. The +dressing room or _Apodyterium_, and the cooling room or _Frigidarium_, +are generally made one and the same; but they may, with advantage, be +designed as separate and distinct apartments, the provision for dressing +and undressing consisting of a room or rooms with small dressing-boxes +around it. The frigidarium will then be a simple apartment designed for +the economical reception of the reposing couches, it being absolutely +essential that the bather rest awhile, after the bath, to allow the body +to gradually assume its normal temperature. Neglect of this precaution +may cause a renewal of perspiration, and possibly a "cold." + +If a combined apodyterium and frigidarium be adopted, it must be fitted +with a number of divans to accommodate a given number of persons, or be +divided into smaller spaces with dwarf screens, each space receiving a +pair of couches. The divisions may be effected by more or less elaborate +and ornamental wooden partitions. In ladies' baths more privacy must be +observed. Each lady bather should have a private dressing and reposing +room, even if only formed by dwarf wooden partitions. + +An arrangement may be designed whereby the bather enters first a room +fitted with a number of dressing-boxes, and then passes through the +frigidarium on his way to the hot rooms, whence he returns after his +bath. Where the establishment is on a large scale, the arrangement may +lead the bather first to a room fitted with dressing-boxes, then to the +hot rooms, and finally, by way of the plunge bath, into a commodious and +separate cooling room. + +Subsidiary to the cooling and dressing rooms should be others for the +attendants, manager, and also for the hairdresser and chiropodist, or, +at any rate, some sort of provision made for them. A pay office, with +counter and a set of lockers for the receipt of the bather's watch, +money, and other valuables, should be the first object that one meets on +entering from the vestibule connecting the establishment with the +street. In connection with this office may be the manager's room, and +provision for the supply of refreshments. If the bath be the property of +a company, a board room may be required. As on entering a bath the +visitor must immediately divest himself of his boots and shoes, in order +that he may not pollute apartments that are devoted to the attainment of +that cleanliness which is next to godliness, a raised step must be +provided at the entrance to the apodyterium to warn him to enter unshod, +or a portion of the combined cooling and dressing room may be divided +off by similar means. Provision for the boots and shoes must be in the +form of a set of pigeon-holes near the entrance, where, also, racks for +coats and hats must be placed. + +The hair-dressing room and accommodation for the chiropodist--if he does +not practise his art at the couch of the bather--must adjoin the +frigidarium, as also should the attendants' room. A lavatory must be +placed in the frigidarium when used as the dressing room. Closet +accommodation should be accessible from the same apartment, but should +be perfectly cut off from it by means of a passage or lobby. The +greatest care should be taken to prevent these conveniences from +becoming offensive. Returning from the bath, the sense of smell is +peculiarly sensitive, and the slightest odour is detected. The worst +position for the closets is near the door by which the bather leaves the +lavatorium. Defects in this point may ruin an otherwise excellent bath. +If the cooling rooms and hot rooms be on separate floors, the closets +may be designed off a landing on the staircase. In the separate +accommodation for attendants and shampooers the same caution must be +observed. + +Adjoining, under, or partly under, the laconicum must be placed the +heating apparatus in its chamber, with stokery and provision for fuel, +&c. The stokery should be large, light, and properly ventilated, and the +attendants should be able easily to communicate with the stoker. Of the +arrangements for heating and supplying the water to the lavatorium I +shall speak in another chapter. Laundry, linen and towel rooms, and a +drying room must be provided. They are important necessities, and should +not be cramped in dimensions. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE GENERAL DISPOSITION OF PLAN OF PUBLIC BATHS. + + +Although the process of the bath determines the position of the various +apartments in relation to one another, the exact disposition of the plan +must be governed by the shape of the ground to be covered, the nature of +the site and surroundings, and--if the bath be constructed in an +existing building--the amount of space allotted to it. The _relative_ +position of chamber to chamber of the sudatorium, and of the latter to +the cooling rooms, must remain more or less constant; but the angle of +connection with each other, their shape, proportions, and floor levels, +must, together with the positions of the subsidiary apartments, be +determined by the exigencies of the site, and considerations of +convenience and economy. Frequently, the architect will be called upon +to design a bath in a given space in the lower floors of some existing +building. He may be given the ground or basement floor to make the most +of as best he can. His plan is thus considerably hampered. If the site +includes the basement and ground floor of an ordinary house, he may +arrange the offices and cooling and dressing rooms on the ground floor; +and the hot rooms, shampooing room, and bath rooms, in the basement. +Where possible, the hot rooms should be pushed out beyond the back wall +of the houses, and lighted from the top. In cities, the hot rooms will +often have to be in the actual basement. Where space is valuable a whole +house may be given up to baths if the floors be made fire and heat +proof. The basement may be devoted to hot rooms and shampooing rooms, +the ground floor to offices and dressing rooms, and the first floor to +cooling rooms. Ladies' baths, again, can be arranged on the floors +above, and both baths can be heated from one apparatus. In a bath where +three floors are available, the first floor may be devoted to extra +cooling and dressing rooms. In inexpensive sites the bath may be all on +one level. This is the most convenient arrangement, but in large cities +is generally too costly. The Hammam and Savoy baths, in London, are, +however, all on one level, the former being practically all above +ground, and the latter constructed in the basement of an existing +building. + +The London Hammam was the first public Turkish bath erected in this +country, and owes its existence to the fervid zeal of the late David +Urquhart. It was erected in 1862, from the designs of the late Somers +Clarke. The bath rooms proper are modelled on the Eastern plan, and have +quite an Oriental effect, with the stars of stained glass sparkling in +the sombre domed tepidarium. In this bath the office is arranged in the +old building in Jermyn Street, adjoining which is the combined +frigidarium and apodyterium, a structure of wood, originally intended as +a temporary building only. This is covered with an open-timbered roof, +and divided into nave and aisles by cut-wood posts, and lighted by a +clerestory. These posts form the divisions of the divans, which are +separated from one another by ornamented wood partitions worked in an +Eastern manner. Connected by double doors with this apartment are the +hot rooms. The main room--a very moderately-heated tepidarium--is a +square on plan, with splayed angles, over which rises a dome of +brickwork. On either side of this square, and connected with it by the +horseshoe arches supporting the dome, are transept-like apartments, used +as portions of the tepidarium, similar adjuncts existing at the ends and +joining on the one hand the frigidarium, and on the other a heated +smoking saloon, which occupies a position corresponding to that of a +Lady-chapel in this very ecclesiastical-looking plan. On either side of +this saloon are two calidaria. A drying room and laundry are arranged +over the smoking saloon, and w.c.'s, &c., are placed at the end of the +latter apartment. In the splayed angles supporting the dome are doors +leading to four apartments--two used as hot rooms of different +temperatures, and the others as a washing-room and a shampooer's +waiting room. Under the dome there is an extensive platform of marble +slabs, beneath which is the douche room, reached by a short flight of +steps. The plunge bath is placed, partly in the tepidarium, and partly +in the frigidarium, with an arrangement to prevent the transmission of +the hot air, such as I have herein before explained. In the centre of +the frigidarium is a little marble fountain. One of the divans is +partitioned off for the accommodation of the chiropodist. A gallery is +provided for the hairdresser, and connected with a shop in Jermyn +Street. The ground sloping considerably, a descent of a few steps has to +be made to reach the frigidarium from the street. A refreshment bar is +placed in the frigidarium. The manager's room is on the second floor, +adjoining the old building, and has a window overlooking the +frigidarium. + +The Hammam was the first public Turkish bath erected in this country, +and the Savoy (Fig. 1) is one of the latest and largest, and also on one +level. It was designed by Mr. C. J. Phipps, F.S.A., to suit the basement +of an existing building. Entering from Savoy Hill, a short passage +conducts to a staircase leading to the vestibule, where are provided +rails for hats and coats. The counter of the ticket-office is placed at +the entrance to the frigidarium, and near this office is the committee +room--the bath being the property of a private company. In vaults +projecting under the street, provision is made for an engine and dynamo. +The frigidarium serves also as the apodyterium, and is cut up into +divans by ornamental wood partitions. Connected with it is a saloon for +the hairdresser and chiropodist, and an attendants' room. A lavatory is +provided in a recess. Access is gained to the hot rooms through double +doors. The plunge bath is placed partly in the hot rooms and partly in +the frigidarium. The tepidarium is divided by arcades into miniature +nave and aisles. Two subdivisions at the end of the tepidarium lead to +the calidarium, adjoining which is the heating apparatus, fitted with +two of Messrs. Constantine's "Convoluted" stoves. Access to the stokery +is gained by a passage at the end of the tepidarium. The shampooing +room is placed off the cooler end of the tepidarium, dwarf walls +separating it from the latter apartment, as also from the lavatorium. +Here, there are six marble basins, corresponding with the six marble +slabs in the shampooing room. A small chamber is screened off the +lavatorium to accommodate the douche and spray. A passage leads from the +douche room to the attendants' room, by way of the laundry. Off this +passage, and approached by doors from two of the divans, are the w.c.'s, +&c., for the bathers' use. Provision for the supply of refreshments is +made at the back of the office. This bath is designed in an Eastern +style. + +[Illustration: FIG. 1. + +--PLAN-OF THE-SAVOY-TURKISH-BATHS-- + +Turkish Baths, Savoy Hill, London.] + +In the generality of modern baths, the frigidarium forms also the +apodyterium. This arrangement is economical of space, and has been +found, in practice, the most convenient for bathers; but there is much +to be said in favour of a separate and distinct cooling room, such as +that at the Camden Town Turkish Baths. Erected from the designs of Mr. +H. H. Bridgman, F.R.I.B.A., these baths are specially noteworthy for +their spacious frigidarium and ample plunge bath. Entering from the +street, a corridor conducts to a short flight of stairs leading to the +office. Adjoining this is an apodyterium, fitted with two ranges of +dressing-boxes, one above the other, a gallery forming the floor of the +upper tier. From hence a short staircase leads to the door of the +tepidarium, at right angles to which is the calidarium. Adjoining the +tepidarium is a combined shampooing and washing room, a door in which +opens into a chamber containing a plunge bath of quite exceptional +dimensions. A staircase leads to the door of the lofty and spacious +cooling room. This is lighted from the top, and contains a fireplace, a +feature usually omitted in cooling rooms, and really superfluous, though +adding greatly to cheerfulness of aspect in the winter. From this +frigidarium the bather can return to his dressing-box by way of a lobby. +Thus he makes a complete round, and does not meet the incoming bathers +on the staircase to the tepidarium. + +The latest built elaborate commercial baths in London are those of +Messrs. Nevill in Northumberland Avenue (Fig. 2). They were designed by +Mr. Robert Walker, F.R.I.B.A., and comprise both ladies' and gentlemen's +baths, though, as at the old Pompeian _Balneæ_, the former set are +ungallantly cramped into a very small space. They occupy a corner site, +and the entrance to the gentlemen's bath is formed at the rounded angle. +In the vestibule is the usual cashier's office, and provision for hats +and coats. From the vestibule the combined cooling and dressing room is +entered, after passing the boot room on the left and the refreshment bar +on the right. Between the boot room and the staircase is the +hairdresser's room. Dwarf wooden partitions divide the cooling room. Off +a landing on the staircase are a lavatory and w.c.'s and toilet-table. +The staircase leads to the first floor--where are provided extra +couches--and to the bath rooms in the basement. The first floor is +practically a gallery. In the basement are three hot rooms, the +tepidarium being an elegant apartment elaborately adorned with marbles +and rich faïence. A heated smoking room adjoins the second hot room. +There are in this bath three shampooing rooms--an arrangement conducing +greatly to privacy. A douche room and plunge bath are provided in the +angle of the building. Vaults under the street are utilised as a +laundry, attendants' room, meter room, and engineer's shop, and as +store-rooms. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2. + +Turkish Baths, Northumberland Avenue, Charing Cross.] + +The ladies' baths partly adjoin the gentlemen's, and are partly +separated by an area. They are entered from the side street. On the +ground floor is the pay-office and cooling room. Additional couches are +provided on the first floor, where is also an attendants' room. In the +basement are three hot rooms and two shampooing rooms. A washing room, +shower bath, and plunge bath adjoin the shampooing rooms. The hottest +rooms of both sets of these baths are within a few feet of each other. +Each, however, has its separate and distinct furnace. A passage formed +by the area allows access to the stokery and furnace chambers. + +In Messrs. Nevill's baths at London Bridge the cooling rooms, &c., are +in the basement, and the bath rooms proper in a sub-basement. + +Bartholomew's baths at Leicester Square are an excellent example of a +compactly-arranged double set of baths. The various apartments are +designed one above the other on different floors, the area of the +building being limited. On the ground floor, as usual, are the pay +office and a combined cooling and dressing room, and an attendant's +room. In the basement are the bath rooms, arranged _en suite_--first a +shampooing and washing room, containing, also, in a very compact manner, +the plunge and shower baths; next is the tepidarium; then the smaller +second hot room; and, lastly, the smallest hot room of a very high +temperature. The heating chamber is placed adjoining this. The principle +of its construction is that generally adopted in the baths erected under +the late Mr. Bartholomew's direction, viz. a furnace with a coil of thin +iron flue-pipes, radiating, in a measure, a certain amount of heat +directly into the hot rooms. The bath rooms are divided from one another +by glazed wood partitions, as distinct from the solid walls dividing +baths like the Hammam and Savoy. A consideration of these two methods of +dividing the hot rooms, does not, however, concern us here. A staircase +from the entrance vestibule leads to the ladies' baths on the second and +third floors, where also are manager's and other private rooms. + +Broadly speaking, baths may be divided into two classes, viz. those in +which the various apartments are arranged _en suite_, and those +irregularly planned. Where possible the former arrangement is +preferable, as, with the hot rooms in a line, the circulation of air is +facilitated. Fig. 11 is a section of a set of hot rooms arranged _en +suite_; and the baths at Figs. 24 and 25, in Chapter VIII., are planned +on this principle. + +As I have said above, where a basement and ground floor are available, +and a little space can be gained at the back of the existing building, +the office, cooling and dressing rooms can be arranged on the ground +floor, and the bath rooms proper on the basement level, but with light +and air above. If the site be an ordinary narrow-fronted town house, +and the bath an unassuming one, the plan may be arranged after the +manner of Mr. Joseph Burton's baths (Fig. 3), in the Euston Road, +London. Here a pair of ordinary town dwelling-houses are pressed into +the service of the bath. The basement and ground floors are devoted to +the baths, the upper floors forming a private hotel. On one side are the +gentlemen's, and on the other, the ladies' baths. Entering the former, +we find a space on the ground floor, fronting the street, serving as an +office. Adjoining this is a range of dressing-boxes, and further on a +cooling room, excellently lighted by a large window forming the whole +end of the apartment. From this little frigidarium a marble staircase +leads to the door of the tepidarium, formed at basement level at the +back of the houses. This chamber is lighted by means of a ceiling-light +constructed in the form of a small, flat dome, with stained-glass stars +set therein. A marble seat runs round the whole of this chamber. On one +side of the staircase is placed the calidarium, and, on the other, the +combined shampooing room and lavatorium, a door from the latter forming +an exit for the visitor who has completed his bath. At one end of the +shampooing room is a chamber containing the cold plunge bath and needle +bath. A door from hence leads to a staircase conducting to the +furnace-chamber. A laundry is provided at the head of these stairs. The +furnace-chamber is placed under the further end of the calidarium. The +baths for ladies are arranged on a very similar plan. The gentlemen's +baths are among the earliest erected in this country, and still form a +most compact and convenient institution. They were designed by Mr. +James Schofield. The illustration shows the ladies' baths. The ceilings +of the hot rooms are not indicated on the section. + +[Illustration: FIG. 3. + +Turkish Baths, Euston Road, London.] + +The whole of the baths mentioned in this chapter are the property of +private individuals or companies. The number of baths provided in this +country under Act of Parliament or by civic corporations is so small, +and their size and design so insignificant, that it would be waste of +space to describe them here. They are unworthy of the nation. One of the +best is the pretty little bath provided on the first floor of the public +bath-house recently erected by the Corporation of Stockport. The fine +new baths at Bath erected from designs by Major Davis, the city +architect, do not include a Turkish bath. It must be admitted that some +slight increase in the amount of attention paid by corporate bodies to +bath-building is latterly to be noticed, and a few years may possibly +see a great advance in this direction. That this may indeed be so should +be our sincere hope, since the lack of fine public baths is a standing +disgrace to a nation that prides itself upon its cleanliness. + +In Germany, considerable attention has been bestowed upon the design of +the Turkish bath, many excellent baths having been built in the more +complete bath-houses of the Empire. Well-arranged Turkish baths are to +be found in the baths at Nuremberg, Hanover, and Bremen, the latter +planned with both a first and second class frigidarium to the one set of +bath rooms. The plan, however, has nothing to recommend it, and in this +country would be useless. The Nuremberg bath is handsomely planned, and +has a spacious frigidarium. It is placed in a building comprising +ladies' and gentlemen's swimming baths, shallow baths, and a Russian +bath. In many of the hydropathic establishments (_Kurbäder_) of Germany, +will be found excellent Turkish baths. A sumptuous double set of bath +rooms is provided in the _Friedrichsbad_ in Baden-Baden, which was +erected at a cost of about 100,000_l._ The Turkish baths are placed on +the ground floor, and in other floors are provided baths of every kind. +Each set of rooms for the ladies' and gentlemen's Turkish baths +comprises undressing room and cooling room, two sudorific chambers, +shampooing room, douche room with cold plunge bath, and a separate +chamber with warm plunge. Adjoining the shampooing room are the warm and +hot rooms of the Russian bath. Between the two sets of bath rooms is +placed a handsome circular swimming-bath, and adjoining, the +_Wildbad_--a deep, full bath of warm mineral water. + +One of the most elaborate Turkish baths erected, in modern times, is +that on the Praterstern, at Vienna, which cost, in round numbers, +125,000_l._ The building comprises ladies' and gentlemen's Turkish and +Russian baths, and includes a residential block for those taking a +course of baths. The whole of the arrangements are on a most sumptuous +scale. The cooling room of the gentlemen's baths measures no less than +35.3 metres long, and 10.5 broad. There are both warm and cold plunge +baths, besides a fine circular _piscina_, in a circular domed chamber. +Similar provisions are made for the ladies on a smaller scale. Though +plain and somewhat heavy in external design, the building internally is +resplendent with tiles, marble, and ornamental woodwork. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A DETAILED CONSIDERATION OF FEATURES PECULIAR TO THE BATH. + + +It is scarcely necessary to say anything more as to the subsidiary +apartments of a Turkish bath. Such adjuncts as the entrance hall and +vestibule, the pay office, refreshment department, laundry and +drying-rooms, hairdressing and attendants' rooms, and other minor +provisions, are obviously simple matters, requiring little or no +detailed explanation. Sufficient has already been said about them to +enable the architect, assisted by the drawings given, to design them +with convenience and economy. The features peculiar to the bath are +those requiring careful consideration. It is upon the design of the hot +rooms, the cooling rooms, and the washing rooms that the success or +non-success of a new bathing establishment depends, and too much study +cannot be given to these apartments. + + +THE SUDORIFIC CHAMBERS. + +These are now generally required in a suite of three--"first, second, +and third hot." The first is the tepidarium, and must be by far the +largest of the three, since in it the greater number of bathers will +assemble at one time. The last must be the hottest room--the +laconicum--and need only be a very small one, as but few bathers use +it, and that, generally, for a very short time. The second hot room +should be about midway, in size and temperature, between the first and +the third. Of a given area allotted to the hot rooms, from one-half to +two-thirds may be devoted to the tepidarium, and from one-third to +one-half to the super-heated rooms, always remembering that it is well +to err on the side of providing a large and roomy tepidarium. Of the +space allowed for the smaller rooms, one-quarter to one-third may be +given to the hottest, and the remaining space to the second hot-room, +or calidarium. + +The hot rooms, it should be remembered, are strictly bath rooms, and +must be treated as such; that is to say, the whole of the floors, walls, +ceilings, partitions, and fittings, must be capable of being frequently +cleansed with water. The choice of materials to be employed for lining +the walls, &c., is therefore limited. And in two ways. For not only must +they be of this washable nature, but they must be of a character to +resist the influence of the heat. Happily, this is an age of +glazed-ware and vitrified goods of every description. Glazed and +fire-burnt bricks and tiles, terracottas, faïence, and pottery +generally, are now so extensively manufactured that there is little +excuse for not constructing a bath throughout of materials at once +washable and unaffected by high temperatures. Still, in baths where +rigid economy must be studied, and lowness of cost is the great object, +_plaster_ may be placed upon the walls of the hot rooms, and in its way +will answer admirably, and be fairly washable. It has even one +advantage--it does not become unbearably hot to the touch, should the +bather lean against the walls, whereas, with a highly glazed surface the +walls become burning hot, and need lining with a dado of felt or other +non-conducting substance. And since this latter method overcomes the +objection named, the best possible material for lining the walls is +glazed brickwork. In cases where elaboration is desired, they may be +lined with marbles and faïence. With a judicious selection of colours, +however, a very pleasing appearance can be given by the employment of +simple glazed brickwork, and at a very moderate cost. + +The flooring in cheap baths is admirably formed by simple unglazed tile +pavement over concrete. A slight roughness is very agreeable to the +feet. Glazed tiles are inadmissible, as they become too hot for the +naked feet; and if the slightest moisture come upon them they are +rendered dangerously slippery. In elaborate baths, marble, and marble +mosaics may be used, but the surface must not be too smooth. In +providing floorings, the greatest care should be taken to avoid anything +liable to become slippery to the tread. + +Floors of ordinary-sized baths, where the soil is reliable, may be of 6 +in. of concrete, with mosaics or tiles laid in cement. The benches for +reclining and shampooing must be built up from this with half-brick +risers and glazed fronts, having weathered marble slabs with rounded +nosings, as illustrated at Fig. 3. + +The ceilings of the fire and heat-proof floors, which, when there are +other apartments above, _must_ be provided over the hot rooms, may be of +plaster. But the heat at the ceiling level is very great, and the +plaster here rapidly darkens and blackens, and in this state looks +anything but attractive in a place where the mere suspicion of +uncleanliness is nauseating. If employed (and this remark also applies +to plaster on walls), it should be used in the simplest manner possible, +without the slightest attempt at modelling the surface. Enamelled iron +may be used, with effect, for ceilings. The little laconicum is best +covered with a flat vault, the soffit being of glazed bricks, and the +springing being brought down below the main ceiling level. + +Fire-proof floors over hot rooms may be of any design that is also +heat-proof. The main point is to have a sufficient thickness of +concrete, and the iron joists and cross girders well buried therein. +Ordinary floors may be rendered heat-proof by partially filling the +space between ceiling and floorboards with sawdust or sheets of +slag-wool laid on boarding nailed to fillets on the joists. The sawdust +should be filled up to the top of the joists; over this a layer of thick +felt, and the boarding above. This, however, is only a makeshift when +compared with a solid floor of concrete. + +When the hot rooms are in a basement in the open, they may be +top-lighted, and the ceiling above need not be a heavy fire-proof +construction. A sufficient air space, however, must be provided between +the ceiling and roof, to prevent irradiation of heat--a remark that +applies also to anything in the shape of a window in the sudatorium. It +must be double, or look into an area covered with pavement lights. In +the case of a top-lighted room there must be a ceiling-light and a +skylight. + +Where the hot rooms are constructed quite above ground, consideration +must be given to the prevention of loss of heat by radiation. This may +be effected by providing thick hollow walls, the cavity being often +usefully employed for the extraction of the vitiated air. + +Heat permeating other apartments and neighbouring premises is a frequent +source of trouble to the builder of a Turkish bath, but is always the +result of want of study of the subject on the part of the designer. The +evil may be successfully combated if it be resolved that no hot room, +shampooing room, or lavatorium shall be constructed without a thick +concrete floor above, and that the furnace chamber be perfectly and +completely insulated. Should the walls of the hot rooms adjoin +apartments to which it is urgently necessary that the heat should be +prevented from being transmitted, they may be rendered heat-proof by +building them hollow and filling the cavity with soot. + +Double doors and lobbies must be employed to prevent the transmission of +the heated air to rooms where its presence would be injurious. To keep +the hot air of the bath-rooms from the cooling-rooms, &c., should be the +great aim of the architect. Many baths are rendered quite repulsive by +what I may perhaps term the "sudorific smell" that assails the nostrils +of the visitor entering the vestibule. + +The space allotted to the sudatory chambers may be divided into the +various rooms, either by glazed brick walls or by framed and glazed +partitions; or again, they may be formed by a combination of solid +brickwork and glazed woodwork. Any piers in these rooms must be of +brickwork, iron columns being inadmissible. Masonry, too, must be +discarded throughout, or used with caution. Some stones--such as red +Mansfield--become black with exposure to the heat, and others fare still +worse. The employment of porous and absorbent materials must be guarded +against throughout this portion of the bath, as it should be remembered +that effete matters, particles of waste tissue, and possibly the germs +of disease, are continually being given off by the perspiring bathers, +and must be prevented from finding a lodgment. + +The best woods for use in the hot rooms are close-grained and free from +essential oils. Mahogany is excellently adapted for the purpose, and so, +also, is teak. Pitch pine must be discarded altogether. Deal, when +employed, should be perfectly seasoned, and may then give trouble from +the exudation of turpentine. + +The partitions, and the doorways in them, must be so placed as to govern +the flow of hot air. So long as the main divisions be planned with this +end in view, the separate rooms may be divided and broken up as the +architect may fancy. But the constant flow of the heated air from the +inlet in the hottest room towards the lavatorium must not be interfered +with by recesses, nooks, and corners, or anything that would cause the +current to stagnate. And here we may see the practical advantage +possessed by a bath where the hot rooms are _en suite_, and in a line +with one axis. For here the air sweeps uninterruptedly through the +different chambers without eddying around corners and stagnating in +recesses far out of the main stream. + +The doorways in the partitions should not be too lofty. They should not +be hung with doors, as anything necessary in this way will be amply +supplied by depending curtains. + +_Glazing_ in the hot rooms requires care. The glass will expand +considerably with the heat, and, what is more, if the furnace fire die +out rapidly at any time, will contract and fracture. This difficulty, +however, is the result of bad management, and does not concern the +architect, unless, indeed, it be the result of improper fixing. Even +moderate-sized sheets of glass should be carefully fixed in chamois +leather with screwed beading, _putty_ being wholly inadmissible. The +sheets of glass should not be of too large dimensions. Rolled glass will +be found the cheapest in the end, as inferior qualities, where +homogeneity of texture is wanting, will crack and split in all +directions. Lead glazing should be altogether discarded. + +No provision for draining the hot rooms is necessary, as they must, when +in use, be kept free from moisture. The floor may, however, if thought +desirable, be laid with an imperceptible fall the way the water would be +swept when cleansing--viz. towards the lavatorium. + +As the best position for a bather to assume in the sudatorium is one +approaching to the horizontal, a bath cannot be considered complete +unless a liberal number of marble-slabbed benches be provided. These +should run round the solid walls, the risers of the benches being formed +of brickwork--glazed, faced with tiles, or plastered--and white marble +slabs set thereon. These slabs cannot be less than 24 in. wide, and must +be of the ordinary seat height--not lower. In the risers must be +provided a liberal number of "hit-and-miss" ventilator gratings, the +vitiated air finding its way from the space beneath the slabs in the way +designed, which may be into surrounding areas, into hollow walls, or +into a flue or flues running the whole height of the building. + +The air at the floor line and that at the ceiling level being of vastly +different temperatures, it follows that an arrangement might be designed +whereby the benches might be stepped in three or four rows, and, by +ascending, the bather could select any temperature he might choose. Such +an arrangement was often employed in the baths of the ancient Romans, +and has been tried in modern institutions; but it should be avoided. The +expirations from the lungs and the exudations from the bodies of the +bathers _fall_, and it therefore follows that all below the first tier +would be breathing air polluted by those above them. The system, +therefore, stands condemned. + +As regards height, the sudorific chambers should not be too lofty, or +they cannot, on the ordinary hot-air plan, be heated with due economy. +The vastness of the old Roman tepidarium would have been impracticable +under this system; but with the heat radiating direct from the walls and +the floors, there was no difficulty. It is far better to have a +comparatively low chamber with a constant stream of freshly-heated air +passing through it, than a lofty one with a sluggish current. From 10 to +15 or 16 ft. may be taken as moderate extremes of height in a public +bath. The small third hot room will be less lofty if the heating-chamber +be placed under it; for by raising the floor of the laconicum a few +feet, so as to necessitate ascending to it by a few steps from the level +of the tepidarium, one can more economically construct the furnace +chamber. + +This latter, which I have more particularly described and illustrated in +the chapter on heating and ventilation, should, if the system adopted be +on the ordinary hot-air principle, be so placed that an abundant supply +of fresh pure cold air can be obtained for the furnace, which, when +heated, can be delivered into the hottest room above, not less than 5 +ft. from the level of the floor of that chamber, and, also, where a +smoke flue of ample section can be constructed. The heated air may be +delivered through the gratings in the walls of the laconicum, or a shaft +of glazed brickwork, of rectangular section, may be constructed against +the end wall and coped at the required level--5 ft. or more above the +floor line. Should the exigencies of the site separate the furnace +chamber from immediate connection with the hottest room, the heated air +must be conducted from the former to the latter by means of a large +shaft or shafts of glazed brickwork. Similar means may have to be +employed to bring the cold air to the heating-chamber, and at the mouth +of this shaft some provision must be made for filtering the air before +it is brought into contact with the heating surfaces of the furnace. + +Horizontal and inclined flues for conducting hot or cold air may be +carried from point to point on rolled iron joists having tooled York +slabs set thereon, the flues being constructed of 4-1/2 in. brickwork +with glazed face internally, and covered with tooled York slabs. +Provision must be made, in such flues, for effective cleansing, by means +of iron air-tight doors. + + +THE LAVATORIUM AND SHAMPOOING ROOM. + +The lavatorium and shampooing room now engage our attention. In +elaborate baths they may, for the sake of effect, be distinct +apartments, while, where strict economy must be studied, they may be +comprised in one room; and where, again, space is extremely valuable, +the plunge bath and douche may be also included. If the first +arrangement be adopted, the shampooing room must be connected with the +tepidarium, and the lavatorium placed next. Where the combination +apartment is used, it will take the position of the shampooing room. +Practically, the combination arrangement is the best. It is putting the +bather to needless and undesirable trouble to require him to move from +one apartment to another during the washing process. + +The suite of washing and shampooing rooms may be arranged in either one +of the following ways, according to the pretensions and requirements of +the establishment:--(1) A shampooing room, a lavatorium, a douche room, +and a plunge bath chamber; (2) a combined shampooing and washing room, +and a combined douche and plunge bath chamber; (3) several small +combined shampooing and washing rooms, a douche room, and a plunge bath +chamber; (4) an apartment comprising shampooing slabs, washing basins, +douche, &c., and a plunge bath. + +A single shampooing room does not present a very complicated problem to +the designer. The chief object to be borne in mind is that the +shampooers require "elbow-room," and their patient in a convenient +position to allow of their practising their art. As this is no light +task--if properly performed--it becomes of urgent moment that the +apartment should be no less perfectly ventilated than a sudorific +chamber. In a vitiated atmosphere, no shampooer can work well for a +prolonged period, and, moreover, pure air is as necessary for the +bathers when in these places, as when they are in the hot rooms. + +The shampooing benches may be similar in description and size to those +in the hot rooms. A width of 2 ft. is an ample provision, since the +shampooer can more conveniently work with the bather as near him as +possible. The benches may be constructed in a similar manner to those +before described. They must be arranged on plan so that the shampooer +has ample room, whilst at the same time space is not extravagantly +wasted. The benches must be topped with white marble slabs. They may run +round the wall, or be placed at right angles to them; or, again, if +found more convenient, they may be altogether isolated. Similar means of +ventilating the shampooing and washing rooms as the hot rooms must be +provided. The vitiated air must be extracted at the floor level, as the +temperature here must be maintained considerably above that of respired +air. + +Movable wooden-framed marble-topped benches may be substituted for +those of a permanent type; but the plan has nothing to recommend it +except lowness of cost. + +The separate lavatorium need not be so large as its adjoining shampooing +room, as here the bathers will not recline, but sit or stand before +washing-basins, to which must be conducted the flow pipes of hot water, +and branches from the cold water supply pipe. These basins--which may be +of glazed earthenware if solid marble cannot be afforded--should be +large and capacious. Of water-fittings I shall speak under the head of +"Appliances." + +In a combined shampooing and washing room the benches and basins will be +required together. The basins may be fixed under a hole in the marble +slabs, or affixed to the walls, as may be convenient. Whilst arranging +the position of the benches with regard to the room, and the basins with +regard to the benches, it will be as well to remember the postures that +the bather assumes whilst being shampooed--viz. 1st, sitting; 2nd, on +the back; 3rd, reverse. The basin must be so placed with respect to the +slab that the shampooer may, without altering his position, take water +from the basin with his handbowl, and pour it over the bather. A +shampooer cannot well work with less than 5 ft. 6 in. between his slab +and that of his adjoining fellow, when the slabs are at right angles to +the wall and the adjoining shampooer is also working in the same space +between the two benches. Where the room is long and a row of benches are +placed at right angles to the wall, the shampooers have each their +separate space to work in. Each one can then manage in 4 ft., and the +slabs can be set out 6 ft. from centre to centre. Where the long sides +of the slabs are against the walls and the basins are sunk into the +slabs, there must be at least 7 ft. 6 in. from basin to basin. In the +case of slabs at right angles to the walls, the basins are best placed +between the slabs. + +It is an excellent plan to provide a slight screen in one corner of the +washing room, behind which the entering bather may, if he chooses, have +a warm spray from a large rose before proceeding to the hot rooms. + +In ladies' baths it is well to provide private shampooing recesses by +means of partitions of sufficient height, which may be of wood and +obscure glass. In this way any shampooing room may be rendered more +private. Upright marble slabs will often be found useful in dividing the +benches. + +The walls and ceilings of the apartments now under consideration may, so +long as there be a dado of glazed ware, be lined in the same way as the +hot rooms. But as regards flooring, still more care is required to +prevent slipperiness. The soap and water that will be plentifully spilt +around, renders this precaution needful. Moreover, provision must be +made for drainage. + +The flooring may be of rough tile mosaic, or simple tiles. Marble is too +slippery, and glazed tiles are wholly inadmissible. Marble mosaics, +roughly set, may be employed. The fall to which the floor is laid must +be determined by the position of the gullies. + +The drainage system of a hot-air bath is a most important consideration. +In a place where the occupants are, literally, _breathing at every +pore_, it is obvious that too much care cannot be taken to prevent all +possible odours, and the slightest suspicion of an escape of deleterious +sewer gases. The traps employed in the washing rooms should be of the +best possible design and material, and proof against the evil known as +"siphoning." The gullies above them are best placed adjoining one of the +ventilators in the walls, at the floor level, as then a current of air +sweeps over them and up the extraction flues. It is not always that an +opportunity is afforded to cut off the waste water from the drainage; +where the bath rooms are above ground, however, this should be done if +practicable. Where possible, an excellent plan is to construct a culvert +under the basement floor. In this the whole of the pipes can be +placed--the soil-pipes, the lavatorium and plunge bath wastes, &c., and +access gained to them by a manhole. By this means a cut-off could be +effected between waste-pipes and the sewerage system. The culvert itself +could be ventilated by connecting it with an extraction flue. This is +all costly; but the builder of a Turkish bath will do well to be +prepared to lay out a liberal sum to perfect the system of drainage of +the establishment, and in the end, when the public have appreciated the +attention bestowed, he will thank his architect for having impressed +upon him the necessity for this extra expenditure. + + +THE DOUCHE ROOM. + +The douche room should be a small chamber adjoining the lavatorium, and +fitted with a circular needle bath with shower or douche above, and any +other kind of spray bath that may be required. It should not be a dark, +cold, uninviting hole. For this reason, and also because a corner is +admirably adapted to receive an appliance of the shape of a needle bath, +it is better, often, to fit it up in an angle of the lavatorium. But of +these additions I shall have much to say anon, as one of the most +important points about a bath is the arrangement of the water-fittings. +Needle baths will be found indicated, on the plans given in these pages, +by an incompleted circle. + + +THE PLUNGE BATH. + +Though, according to medical authorities, this does not form a +_necessary_ appendage to the hot-air bath, it is yet a feature that +_must_ be provided in the least pretentious of public establishments. +Ever since, and long before, Cicero observed, in a letter to his brother +Quintus, "Latiorem piscinam voluissem ubi jactata brachia non +offenderentur," men who have taken the hot-air bath have loved the ample +plunge. But although it should be sufficiently large for any bather to +take a dive, and for an expert to take a true "header," it is a vast +mistake to overdo it, and construct a small swimming bath, out of all +proportion with the other features of the establishment. One does not +look for such an adjunct: it is a great expense to keep up, requires a +lot of space, and tempts many to stay too long in the cold water. All +purposes will be served by a bath which will allow the bather to swim +without touching the sides with his hands, and to dive along under +water without danger of striking his head at the other end before he +rises to the surface. Wherever possible, the bath should be quite 25 ft. +in length and at least 7 ft. wide. In inferior institutions it may be as +narrow as 4 ft. and proportionately shorter; but in such a bath one can +only flounder about, and healthy bathers will go elsewhere. + +In deciding the position of the plunge bath there is one point to be +strongly guarded against, and that is, that it be not stowed away in a +damp, cold-looking, cellar-like place. Such a position may be all very +well when the proprietor wishes to conceal dirty water; but from every +other point of view it is highly objectionable. The wise man will bring +his bath forward into the lightest possible position, where its clear, +limpid waters will look enticing instead of repelling. For preference, +it should be placed where the bather will take it naturally, _en route_ +to the frigidarium, as at the Charing Cross baths, previously +illustrated. In baths all on one level, it is convenient to place the +bath partly in the lavatorium and partly in the frigidarium; but, to +most persons, the necessity for passing under the inevitable partition +and flap spoils the full enjoyment of the plunge. If placed within the +frigidarium, and approached by a door from the lavatorium, some sort of +a screen should be provided over the bath, as, at times, the apparition +appearing at the above door, in full view of the occupants of the +cooling-room, is somewhat ludicrous. + +The demands of decency must be borne constantly in mind by the architect +of a Turkish bath. If the bather, on leaving the plunge bath, finds +himself in the frigidarium, he must ascend the steps under hanging +towels. The arrangement that will be found the most convenient--a direct +importation from the East--is to suspend a hoop from the ceiling, and +from this hang cords attached to towels. The hoop can be swung by an +attendant over the end of the bath, and in it the bather can dry himself +and be wrapped in towels before proceeding to his couch. + +Whether the plunge bath be placed in a separate chamber, in the +lavatorium, or partly in the frigidarium, its construction will remain +essentially the same. If not in shape and size, in other respects it is +a small swimming bath. The weight and pressure of the water must be +remembered. A good foundation must be prepared for the bath, with a +thick layer of concrete passing well under the side walls and covering +the whole floor. The side walls should be built of concrete and lined +with white glazed bricks. In certain soils, the excavation for the bath +may be puddled with advantage, but if properly constructed, this should +be unnecessary. The bottom of the bath need not be flat, as the most +economical method of constructing a plunge bath is to make its deepest +part about two-thirds of its length from the end at which the bather +enters. This may be about 4 ft. 6 in. in depth from bottom to +water-line. From this point the floor will slope towards either end, +gradually towards the entering end, and more rapidly towards the exit. +At either end, where the depth of water should be about 3 ft, must be +provided steps for ascent and descent. If the bath be not more than 6 +ft. wide, these should occupy the whole width, and be of marble or slabs +of some cheaper material on brick bearers, or they may be built solid. +A coping of marble, stone, or purpose-made bricks must be placed on the +side walls; and, if the bath be in the cooling room, this may +advantageously be raised several inches to protect from splashing. On +the coping may be required metal standards and a neat hand-railing. A +water-supply pipe and screw-down tap, an overflow and a waste-pipe will +be needed, all of which I have more particularly specified hereinafter. + +The plunge bath is at times a source of two difficulties--it may leak, +and it may be below the level of drain. The first evil is the result of +an error in design, or of bad workmanship; the latter is unavoidable. +The following method of constructing a plunge bath has been adopted with +perfect success:--On the bed of concrete prepared for its floor, erect +side walls of concrete, and on the floors and walls thus formed spread +two distinct layers of asphalt, covering all and running up to the +underside of coping. Against the sides build half-brick walls in cement, +with glazed face, and lay the floor with glazed bricks flat. The general +principles of this construction I show in the accompanying illustration. + +Where the bath is lower than the drain, all that can be done is to drain +out as much as possible and pump the remaining water from a "sump" +provided in a suitable position. By raising the plunge bath chamber a +few feet, the bottom of bath may, in some cases, be just kept above the +drain level; but steps must then be placed between it and the +washing-room, and steps in such places are dangerous, being very liable +to become slippery. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.] + +[Illustration: A Plunge Bath.] + + +THE FRIGIDARIUM OR COOLING ROOM, AND DRESSING ACCOMMODATION FOR BATHERS. + +Dressing and cooling accommodation in a public bath may be provided in +one of the following ways:--1. A separate frigidarium and distinct +dressing room, arranged (_a_) in direct communication with one another, +or (_b_) connected by a lobby, corridor, or ante-room;--2. A combination +apartment arranged (_a_) with dressing-boxes around the walls, and +couches in the centre, or _vice versâ_; (_b_) with Oriental divans; +(_c_) with couches screened off in pairs or singly by dwarf wood +screens; (_d_) with a few private dressing-boxes, a few couches, and a +few lounges, and easy cushioned chairs; and (_e_) as a simple room with +couches placed therein, by the side of which the bather will undress, +and on which he will recline after his bath. + +The first of these arrangements may be admirably adapted to +unpretentious establishments, where, however, it is wished to employ +separate rooms; the second (1, _b_) is only suitable for elaborate baths +of the highest class, in which it may be adopted with excellent and with +practical results. Of the combination arrangements (_a_) has little to +recommend it; (_b_) is expensive and extravagant of space, though it may +be made very effective in appearance and very pleasing and comfortable; +(_c_) is suitable for ladies' baths; (_d_) is very practicable, and +gives the apartment a pleasant, homely look; and (_e_) is best for cheap +baths, being the simplest arrangement possible, wholly unsuited, +however, to establishments of any pretension. + +If the plan include a separate cooling room, it is nothing more than a +spacious, cheerful apartment, designed with a view to the reception of +couches, and the usual accessories designed in connection with it--the +refreshment room, hairdresser and chiropodist's saloon. If this separate +cooling room be provided, a distinct apodyterium, with little +dressing-boxes, must be designed. If the bath be small and easily +managed, curtains may be employed to screen those undressing; but if it +be a large establishment, with a number of bathers constantly dressing +and undressing, doors must be provided, and these must be under lock and +key in charge of an attendant. Each dressing-box must be fitted with a +seat, rack, and shelf; and looking-glasses, toilet-tables, and +lavatories for general use must be placed in the room, which must be +designed in direct connection with the frigidarium. + +This should be spacious, light, lofty, and perfectly ventilated, the +vitiated air being here extracted at the ceiling level, since the +temperature at which the apartment will be kept is an ordinary +one--_over_ that of the exterior air when the weather is cold, and +_under_ when it is at all hot. + +Where the cooling room and dressing room do not immediately adjoin, the +means of communication should be carefully studied, so that it may be +free from cross draughts of cold air, and so that it may be dignified +and room-like--not a mere passage. It may have the air of an ante-room, +but must not be crossed by entering bathers who have not divested +themselves of their boots or shoes. Slamming doors should be avoided, +having regard to the exposed condition of the bathers. + +In spite of the theoretical and sentimental advantages of separate +cooling and dressing-rooms, a combined frigidarium and apodyterium seems +to have found favour latterly. + +Personally, I would gladly enter a protest against the employment of the +combined cooling and dressing room as a decidedly uncleanly habit. It is +certainly not pleasant to know that, having obtained perfect physical +cleanliness, both inwardly and outwardly, one must return to couches +whereon previous bathers may, as likely as not, have, however +temporarily, deposited more or less of their underclothing or +superimposed raiment. But economy of construction is nowadays a question +that must be considered at every step, and the combination apartment +saves both space and materials, and is also economical as regards +attendance. Moreover, it must be confessed that a cooling room provided +with elegant and spacious divans, wherein the bather dresses and +undresses, may be made very pleasing to the eye and withal comfortable +and convenient. The dressing-boxes, too, of the separate apodyterium are +not conducive to the general sense of comfort. + +In arranging the plan of a combined cooling and dressing room it is +necessary to first decide as to how the apartment will be +furnished--viz. which of the plans above mentioned shall be adopted. +This is much a matter of individual taste, though, as I have said above, +the divan is to be preferred in many cases. It is often well to provide +a cooling room of what may be called the "picturesque" order, or the +reverse of stiff formality. By this I mean such an arrangement as 2, +_d_. The bather can then choose between reclining in semi-privacy or in +the open, or, again, resting in an easy chair. With a handsome plunge +bath and a pretty little fountain, such rooms may be rendered very +attractive. + +Whatever be the plan adopted, it must, I repeat, be carefully thought +out previously, and not left as an afterthought. The size of the +reclining couch will be found to be the governing feature. This should +be 6 ft. 6 in. long by 2 ft. 6 in. wide, or 6 ft. by 2 ft., according as +luxury or economy is the end in view. Next to this must be considered +the space allowed for each bather to dress in, and also the routes for +bathers and attendants. Four feet between the couches is a sufficient +space where couches are screened off in pairs. + +Couches may be arranged in pairs or singly. _Two pairs_ of couches +screened off with only a small space between of 4 ft. or so is an +objectional arrangement. It is difficult to explain why this is so; but +the bather who has made one of four strangers thus closely penned up +will appreciate the objection. An arrangement of four couches must +expand into a spacious divan. + +At Fig. 5 are shown different ways of arranging couches in the +frigidarium. A shows the objectionable arrangement spoken of; B is the +comfortable, spacious divan; C the method of placing couches in pairs; +and D is a private couch suitable for ladies' baths. + +The floor of a cooling room must be boarded. In a bath where cost is +subordinate to excellence, a parquetry floor may be provided, and mats +employed, as cleaner than fixed carpets. The walls and ceilings may be +treated in any manner that may be chosen--plastered, papered, or +decorated with colour. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5. + +Methods of arranging Couches in Cooling Room.] + +Any shaped room may be adopted as a combined frigidarium and apodyterium +so long as it fulfils the essential points--i.e. that it be spacious, +capable of easy and perfect ventilation, and of being kept cool, light, +and cheerful. In the cooling room the bather will often stay longer than +in any other apartment, and no pains should be spared to render it +healthy, comfortable, and attractive. The hygienic points to be attended +to are, that there be an abundant supply of fresh cool air and an +effective withdrawal of vitiated air; for the _cold-air bath_ in the +cooling room is, in its way, as all-important as the bath of hot air. +The freshness of the air is of equally vital importance, as much of the +_invigorating_ effect of the bath--that effect which to the minds of the +uninformed is _weakening_--results from submitting the heated skin to +volumes of cold air.[2] In arranging any screens or screen walls in the +cooling room, therefore, regard must be had to the method of +ventilation, that there be no stagnant corners and recesses. The scheme +of ventilation must be decided by the nature of the apartment and its +position. In most cases the air is best admitted through the windows, +fitted with fanlights falling backwards from the top, and extracted by a +powerful self-acting exhaust at the ceiling level. In some positions +extraction flues will have to be built, and, in others, flues of large +area must conduct to the source from which the fresh air is drawn. Under +certain circumstances perfect ventilation will not be obtainable without +the aid of a powerful blowing fan-wheel driven by a motor of some sort, +and running so as to exhaust the vitiated air. The means does not so +much matter so long as the end be gained, and an ample supply of cool +air obtained. A warm, close "cooling room" is worse than useless. In +such places the bather will break out into renewed perspiration, and lie +perspiring for hours, and become greatly weakened thereby, with a good +chance of taking a chill on leaving the establishment. + +Cooling rooms will always remain sufficiently _warm_ in all weathers if +they be in any ordinary relation to the heated apartments; but in the +height of summer care is required to keep them sufficiently cool. Where +simple, everyday precautions will not suffice, the air itself must be +cooled, either by passing it through a cold chamber or over ice-boxes in +inlet tubes, or through a water-spray. Only in exceptional cases, +however, is it necessary to resort to such measures, as, contrary to the +teachings of theorists, it has been found in practice that the proper +temperature for the cooling room of a hot-air bath varies in different +states of the weather, and should not remain constant all the year +round. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 2: Not _draughts_. The ancient Romans, it is curious to note, +would walk in the open air after the bath; and both the _Frigidarium_ of +the Romans and the _Mustaby_ of the Turks were, and are, open to the +heavens.] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HEATING AND VENTILATION. + + +Of the many questions that merit attention and study in connection with +the Turkish bath, all sink into insignificance by the side of that of +the _heating_ and the _nature of the heat_ supplied in the sudatory +chambers. Other things being equal, it is, after all, the _heating_ that +distinguishes one bath from another on the score of excellence. The +heating of the "bath" is the Alpha and Omega of the whole matter. + +There are two ways in which heat may be applied to the body--by direct +radiation, as from the sun or an open fire; and by convection, as +through a volume of air. + +The ancient Roman bathers, with floors below them which rested upon +_pilæ_, or little pillars of brick or tile, around which the flames and +hot gases from the furnace played, and surrounded by heated, hollow +walls, evidently submitted themselves to the action of a heat that must +have been of a purely radiating character. + +So, also, in a less perfect manner, the Turks, who employ flues running +beneath the floors, and the Moors, who adopt stoves visible to the +bathers. + +Theoretically, radiant heat in a bath is vastly superior to that which +is transmitted to the body through the medium of the air. Its virtues +have been extolled by David Urquhart and other eminent authorities on +the bath. "There is a difference," says Mr. Urquhart, "between radiating +and transmitted caloric.... I cannot pretend to treat of this great +secret of nature; to work out this problem a Liebig is required. This I +can say, that such heat is more endurable than common heat. There is a +liveliness about it which transmitted heat lacks. You are conscious of +an electrical action. It is to transmitted heat what champagne is to +flat beer.... Let us drop, if you please, the word 'bath': it is 'heat.' +Let us away with that absurdity 'hot-air': it is the application of heat +to the human frame." Elsewhere this writer has pointed out that the +terms _thermæ_, _sèjac_, and _hammâm_--the names given to the bath by +the Romans, Moors, and Orientals proper--mean _heat_, and not "hot-air" +or "hot-air bath." + +My own studies, observations, and experience lead me to the conclusion +that the direction in which we shall improve the "Turkish bath" will be +in the way of providing sudatories that shall give off pure, radiant +heat in such a manner that the whole surface of the body may be sensible +of a degree of heat, while the lungs may breathe comparatively cool +air--air that has not passed over the sides of a fiery furnace and been +suddenly raised to an enormous temperature, but which has received its +heat by a gentle and gradual process of warming. Under this system the +heat of which we are sensible is as the gentle Zephyr to rude Boreas or +the biting eastern winds. If we go into a kiln of brickwork, such as is +employed in firing clay goods, after the charge has been removed and +all fumes and odours have disappeared, we shall note the soft and balmy +nature of the heat that radiates directly from the walls and vaulting. +We are, to all practical intents and purposes, _in a Roman laconicum_. +The thick walls have been highly charged with caloric during the firing +of the bricks or other articles. They have absorbed vast quantities of +heat, and are now giving off the same to the enclosed air and to +ourselves standing within. In the old Roman bath the walls were charged +with caloric by means of innumerable earthen tubes lining the sides of +the laconicum, and covered with a peculiar plaster. But in both cases +the nature of the resultant heat is identical. It radiates to one from +all sides. There is no acrid biting of the face such as one feels in the +worst type of _hot-air_ baths; no unpleasant fulness or aching of the +head; and no panting or palpitating. Such is the "bath" of pure radiant +heat, a thing totally distinct from, and altogether of a different genus +to, the bath of heated air. And one might be pardoned for the enthusiasm +which would lead one to suggest that it is only in the supplying of this +kind of radiant heat in the modern bath that true and rapid progress can +be expected, and possibly that not until this great or +partial--according as the system of radiation and convection pertains in +existing baths--revolution has been effected, will the bath, at present +used by the few, become the custom of the many. Some day, peradventure, +this hypothetical method of employing pure radiant heat may be rendered +possible and practicable, and we may be placed in a bath where we shall +receive great heat whilst breathing a comparatively cool atmosphere, +and thus receive a measure of that electrical invigoration we experience +when, in some sheltered bathing cove, we have exposed our bodies to the +fiercest rays of the morning sun whilst yet we breathe the fresh, cool, +ozone-laden air. + +Till modern invention, however, has provided us with this desideratum in +the heating of the bath, we must be satisfied with existing methods. And +unless something really practical is perfected, it is far wiser to rely +upon the system of heating by convection through the air--the principle, +generally adopted, of continuously passing large quantities of +freshly-heated air through the sudatory chambers; exposing, however, the +heating apparatus, so that a maximum of radiant heat may be obtained; +and carefully guarding against injuring the air whilst raising its +temperature. If only existing baths were in perfect harmony with this +principle, one would have little cause for complaint, and might the more +leisurely await the perfecting of the true radiating principle of +heating, which I am satisfied is the one upon which we must base all our +hopes for the future of the "Turkish" bath. + +For practical purposes, it will suffice if the method of heating and +ventilating a bath on the hot-air principle be explained. This I shall +now do, and subsequently give plans and instructions for methods of +heating and ventilating on systems where, by the exposure of the heating +surfaces of furnaces, a large proportion of radiant heat is thrown into +the hot-rooms. + +The necessary appliances, and arrangements for the heating and +ventilation of a bath on the ordinary hot-air principle comprise a +furnace in its chamber, with flues or shafts supplying cold, and drawing +off the heated air, and a stokery with provisions for firing and storing +coke, &c. Too often the stokery is unscrupulously cramped, and the life +of the stoker thereby rendered anything but pleasant. Its design is a +simple matter, and perhaps for this reason neglected. The arrangement +and construction of the furnace chamber requires care, and the selection +of a stove or furnace great judgment. As regards the latter feature, the +most important point to consider is the nature of the heating or +radiating surfaces. What will raise the air to the required temperature, +without in the process depriving it in any way of its vitalising +elements, and without adulterating it with either smoke and fumes from +leakage, or with particles of foreign matter given off from the material +employed in its construction? + +There is nothing really better as a radiating surface than ordinary +firebrick. From this material a soft heat is given off, differing in +quality from that obtained from iron. An iron furnace, however, requires +less thought in design, gives less trouble in fitting up, and is cheap, +economical, and expeditious. Stoves, therefore, with an iron radiating +surface, have been largely adopted in the past, in spite of the +objection that, when super-heated, particles of metal are thrown into +the air of the hot rooms. Of iron furnaces there are many placed before +the public; but though all are doubtless suited to ordinary +requirements, there are few that are capable of creditably fulfilling +the conditions indispensable for the hygienic heating of the air of a +Turkish bath. + +These conditions may be summarised as follows:-- + +1. A maximum of heating-surface, with a minimum of grate space. + +2. Perfect immunity from the danger of leakage from the furnace into the +hot-air chamber or conduit. + +3. Freedom from the defect of liability to overheat the air. + +4. Inability to adulterate the air by throwing off matter from the +heating surfaces. + +Such primary essentials must be constantly borne in mind by the designer +of furnaces for the Turkish bath. Their importance must be obvious to +all. + +Of the many iron stoves, Messrs. Constantine's "Convoluted" stove has +been adopted the most frequently, as an eminently practical furnace for +the effective heating of the sudatory chambers. The appearance of this +stove is familiar to all architects, and it will be unnecessary, in +these pages, to minutely describe its construction. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6. + +View of a small Furnace Chamber, with portion of wall broken away to +show the "Convoluted" Stove.] + +The method of constructing a furnace suitable for a small public bath +is, however, shown at Fig. 6. The excavations for stokery and heating +chamber being completed, and the position of the furnace determined a +solid foundation of concrete must be prepared, upon which the brickwork +to support the stove must be laid. At the same time, the foundations for +walls of furnace chamber, stokery, coke store, and the side walls for +the horizontal cold-air conducting flues will be prepared. These latter +must then be built in half-brick with glazed interior face, and the +furnace inclosed in similar work, as shown in perspective sketch. The +flues must be covered with York stone slabs 3 in. thick, up to within +three inches or so of the convolutions of the stove, at which distance +the side walls of the furnace must be erected, the back one similarly, +and the front one round the four projecting doors, which are, +respectively, the ash-pit door, the fire door, and two doors for +cleansing the horizontal smoke-box and interior of convolutions. The +furnace walls must be continued up to a few inches above the bend of +iron smoke flue, and then--if, as shown, the furnace be small--covered +with a 4-in. York slab in one piece. If the furnace be large, a flat +brick arch must form the covering, as at Fig. 8, where this arch +supports the flooring of the laconicum. The openings for the admission +of the heated air into the conduit leading into the hot rooms may be +either directly above, as shown in the last-named illustration, or in +the side, as in Fig. 6, with inclined flues. As a rule, it is more +economical, in heating on the principle now under consideration, to +place the furnace below the level of the hot rooms; but if desirable to +place both on one level, the back wall of the furnace chamber becomes +the party wall of the laconicum, and it must be stopped short of the +ceiling, and the air debouched over it. + +In cheap baths the interior face of furnace chamber may be of stock +brickwork; but best glazed work should be adopted in good ones. All hot +and cold-air ducts should be similarly lined with glazed ware. In +first-class work the floors of horizontal and inclined flues should be +of white glazed tiles set in cement. Manholes must be provided for +cleaning when necessary. Every portion of furnace chamber, flues, +shafts, and conduits for hot and cold air must be "get-at-able" either +by means of manholes or by long brushes. Air-tight doors must be +indicated on the plans wherever this necessity demands them. + +The iron smoke-pipe from furnace must be conducted to the smoke flue, +and the connection between furnace chamber and flue hermetically sealed. +The walls for a small furnace chamber need not be more than 4-1/2 in. +thick. Large furnaces require walls one-brick thick. + +[Illustration: FIG. 7. + +An Air Filter.] + +The cold-air flues leading from either side of the furnace must be +conducted to their respective inlets. If possible, at least two inlets +should be provided, facing different ways: this with regard to the +possibility of certain winds drawing the air out where it is wanted to +enter. The openings should be vertical, like windows, and, in cities, +furnished with a solid frame and casement, fitted with louvres of plate +glass with polished edges. Between the rebate and the casement it is a +good plan to leave a space of an inch and a half for a movable +stretcher-frame holding several layers of "cheese-cloth" to filter the +air. The construction of such an air filter is shown at Fig. 7. The +glass louvres keep out the wet, and throw off coarse particles of +falling soot; and the provision of a movable stretcher permits the +cloths to be frequently changed for clean ones--a very important point, +though little heeded, if not, perhaps, wholly ignored. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8. + +Plans and Section of a Furnace Chamber, &c., for a Bath on the ordinary +Hot-air Principle.] + +The position of air intake is a matter of great importance, especially +in large towns. It evidently is bad to draw a supply of air from the +bottom of an area. Even the position shown in Fig. 8 is not good: the +shaft should be carried higher. The best places for the intakes are +where there is always a current of pure air blowing, and away from smoky +chimneys. Theoretically, it would seem that the higher the level of +intake the better; but in cities, by going high we get among the +belching chimney-tops, even if we escape the stagnation below. Moreover, +a high inlet with a strong wind tending to exhaust the air in the shaft +might find the architect with the cold air sweeping through his bath, +and all the heated air rushing up the supply-shaft. A large +"lobster-back" automatically turning _towards_ the wind, would in many +cases prevent such a disastrous result. Even in low-level intakes, as I +have said, trouble will sometimes arise from the same cause. This may be +remedied by providing more than one inlet, so that only the one facing +the current of air will be employed, the other being closed, which could +be effected by fixing the glass louvres, spoken of above, on pivots, and +connecting them with a rod and adjustable rack. It would be a very +simple matter to make the wind itself automatically open and shut the +louvres. + +The theory of the heating and ventilation of the hot rooms requires most +careful study, and the particular scheme to be adopted in any new bath +must be well considered with respect to the restrictions of the site. At +Fig. 8, I have endeavoured to show how to make the best of what is +perhaps a bad job: the site only admits of ventilation at a back area, +it is impossible to construct flues anywhere else, and the fresh air +must be drawn from the same area. On the ground floor are cooling and +dressing rooms; the bath rooms are in the basement and the furnace in a +sub-basement, reached from a passage at the end of the stairs for the +bather. Two convoluted stoves are shown in a vault; three air-inlets are +provided, and the foul air is drawn up into the smoke flues, two in +number, which, above, could join one another. Let us follow the air in +its passage through the bath. Entering at the intakes, any coarse +impurities are thrown off by the smooth louvres, and the tendency of +finer particles to rush in is checked by the stretched canvas +cheese-cloths. Thus deprived of its actually visible impurities, the air +passes through a longer or shorter conduit of glazed brickwork until it +reaches the horizontal flues running to beneath the furnace walls, along +which it is rapidly drawn, and, ascending between the walls and heating +surfaces and between the two adjacent heating surfaces, absorbs the +radiating heat and enters the laconicum by way of the rectangular shaft +constructed above the vault spanning the two stoves. + +Questions of temperature I will omit for the present. The air, on +passing through the laconicum, will be practically pure, as it is in +such great bulk compared with the number of occupants of this +highly-heated chamber, and it will not be absolutely necessary to +provide ventilators. These should commence in the calidarium, and +should, in the scheme of ventilation here considered, be so disposed +that the nearer they are to the lavatorium and shampooing-room, the more +frequent will they become. The object of this disposition of outlets for +vitiated air is, that the cross currents thus created may not interfere +with the main flow from the heating chamber to the lavatorium. Were too +many ventilators to be placed near the hotter end of the sudatorium, +this stream would be diverted. Too much of the freshly-heated air would +flow out at these points, and the onward movement of the air would be +enfeebled. There would then be difficulty in maintaining the temperature +in the tepidarium and lavatorium. + +In passing onward through the various rooms, two changes are wrought in +the air: it loses so much of the caloric with which it is charged for +every foot it travels, and it becomes laden with the exhalations from +the lungs of the bathers. A large proportion of carbonic acid is thrown +into the air, and as the normal temperature of the human body remains, +in a healthy person, at about 98° Fahr., and rises but a few points even +when submitted to the action of heat, these exhalations, in addition to +being heavier than air, are very much below the average temperature of a +sudatory chamber. Consequently they fall, and must be extracted at the +floor level. + +The total area of the outlets for vitiated air should be about equal to +the area of the narrowest part of the shaft that conducts the fresh, hot +air from the heating chamber. Thus, supposing the latter to be 5 +superficial feet, and the size of outlet ventilators a clear 12 in. by 3 +in., there may be 20 ventilators disposed round the bath-rooms, say 4 in +the calidarium, 7 in the tepidarium, and 9 in the combined shampooing +room and lavatorium. + +In the diagrams at Figs. 8 and 9 the foul-air conduit is the space +comprised under the marble-topped benches running round the hot rooms. +At the end of the laconicum they enter flues, which I have shown as +running side by side with the smoke flues. + +Other methods of heating the air, besides those mentioned, include coils +of iron flue-pipes in a brick chamber--a principle that has been +frequently adopted in the past--and plain cylindrical iron radiating +stoves, such as employed at the Hammam in Jermyn Street. + +[Illustration: FIG. 9. + +Section of Hot Room, showing Foul-air Conduit.] + +In the latter plan, however, a great expense is created by the large +number of furnace-fires to be kept constantly burning. An exposed stove +in a hot room, has, moreover, the objection to its use that it re-heats +the air in the bath, which should never on any account be done. + +If the iron stove-pipe system is adopted, a furnace similar to the one +shown at Fig. 10 must be provided, and after an additional few feet of +brick flue the iron pipe would commence and turn back upon itself much +as the flue in the fire-brick furnace. Proper supports must be +provided, and the pipes must be stout and jointed together with +expansion joints, otherwise considerable difficulty will be found in +keeping a long length of flue pipe perfectly free from leakage. Furnaces +on this principle may be designed so that they throw a certain amount of +radiant heat direct into the hot-rooms, and they possess this advantage +over a mere stove, that they warm the air more gradually. The furnace +should be built adjoining the laconicum, the partition wall being of +4-1/2-inch glazed brickwork, having a large number of small openings +made therein by leaving void spaces as described further on for the +fireclay heating apparatus. Behind this wall the iron flue-pipe should +be placed, turning back upon itself, as described above, for perhaps +half-a-dozen times, and ending in the vertical brick flue. The furnace +itself should be of fire-clay, and so designed that its utmost heating +power may be economically employed in warming the incoming air, which +should pass over the furnace and iron flues, through the holes in +partition wall, and thus into the hot rooms. The flue, if of wrought +iron, should be rectangular in section, but if of cast-iron it should be +round. + +The most economical way of obtaining a high temperature in a small, +inexpensive, and unpretentious private bath is by means of a common +laundry stove, with a longer or shorter length of iron flue in the +apartment. This is the cheapest and quickest method of raising the +temperature of a room for sudorific purposes. + +[Illustration: FIG. 10. + +A Fireclay Heating Apparatus.] + +To turn to methods of heating from a radiating surface of firebrick, at +Fig. 10 I have given the plan, elevation, and sections of a fireclay +heating apparatus. It is constructed wholly of fireclay--fireclay +bricks, quarries, and cement. In the main it consists of a long flue of +firebricks and slabs, which coils backwards and forwards over itself +till the desired amount of radiating surface is gained. Between the +coils are spaces for super-heating the air already warmed by passing +over the actual furnace and into the warm air chamber, the air passing +through by means of perforated bricks. The illustration shows a simple +furnace; but it would be an easy matter to improve upon this by +providing iron air-tight doors lined with fireclay, for cleansing flues +and air-chambers. The example given is only suited to heat a small +public bath. For a large set of hot rooms, a compound apparatus could be +constructed by placing an additional furnace in a sub-basement, the one +on the level of the sudatory supplying radiant heat, and the lower one +hot air. Two such apparatus might be placed one behind the other, end to +end, or might form the _sides_ of the laconicum; the last plan, however, +being the least to be recommended, as in such positions they would not +directly radiate their heat into the adjoining hot rooms. + +The advantage of such a furnace as that shown is that it supplies +radiant heat of a most exhilarating kind, besides a proportion of heated +air, and from a fireclay surface, the employment of which renders it +absolutely impossible to overheat the air, or to contaminate it by +deleterious particles resulting from the decomposition of metal. +Moreover, the stoking of this class of furnace requires less arduous +attention than an iron stove. Its disadvantage is that, should the +temperature of the bath be allowed to fall markedly, it requires some +time for the extra heat to be made up again. Inasmuch, however, as fires +at public baths must be kept banked up overnight, this is not a matter +of importance. It is this very slowness of increase in temperature that +constitutes the safeguard against that overheated air, the presence of +which we can, with practice, detect by the smell in so many baths. The +difficulties involved in the construction of a furnace of this nature +relate to the prevention of cracking and consequent escape of sulphurous +fumes and carbon into the air. The very simplicity of the construction +of the flues and air-chambers constitutes the chief danger, as the +chances are that, unless the architect stands by and sees every joint +made, the work will be done badly. Absolutely faultless workmanship must +be employed throughout, and the fireclay materials must be literally of +the very best and soundest description. Every single joint must be +perfectly made with fireclay cement or paste. The fireclay bricks, &c., +must be selected with regard to the amount of indestructible silica in +the clay, consistent with hardness and toughness. Homogeneity of +material must be obtained, having regard to expansion and contraction. +The same material used for the bricks, &c., worked into a paste, must be +employed for the joints. + +The design for a furnace on the principle shown at Fig. 10 must be +prepared with constant regard to expansion and contraction in heating +and cooling. Should this warning be disregarded, fractures will result. +It will be seen, upon reference to the plans, that the block of flues +and air spaces is left quite free, to allow of any expansion, the +connection with the smoke-shaft being by means of an iron flue-pipe, +which, being provided in considerable length before passing through the +party-wall of laconicum and stokery, by its flexible nature permits any +slight movement in a vertical direction. If an "expansion" joint were +provided, there would be a sufficient length of iron pipe if it passed +direct from the junction with the heating apparatus into the stokery. So +much of the iron flue as is in the laconicum must be coated with +asbestos or some composition, or the heating will not be wholly by +firebrick. The junction of iron flue and heating apparatus is shown by a +cast-iron cap sliding over a projecting rim of fireclay, moulded into +the last quarry cover, similar to the way in which cast-iron mouthpieces +are fitted to retorts. + +This heating apparatus is shown visible in the laconicum, but if thought +desirable it could be screened by a wall of glazed bricks--9 in. and +miss 4-1/2 in. The 4-1/2 by 3 in. holes can be arranged in diamond +patterns. This screen wall, however, cuts off a large quantity of +radiant heat. + +The first flue past the actual furnace--shown with ordinary dead-plate, +raking fire-bars, ashpit, fire-door, and ashpit door for regulating +draught--has walls 4-1/2 in. thick; above, smaller bricks, 3 in. wide; +but in a larger apparatus, 9 in. and 4-1/2 in. respectively would be +required. The quarries between flues and air spaces are 24 in. by 24 in. +by 3 in., with rebated joints. Larger covers would be more liable to +crack at any provocation. + +In addition to heating by means of furnaces, steam-heating may be +employed, if found, as in many cases it would be, convenient and +economical. The chief disadvantage of this method of heating Turkish +baths, is the constant danger, however slight, of bursting a pipe in +the heating coil, which, by immediately filling the highly-heated +atmosphere with vapour, might prove most disastrous to the occupants of +the hot rooms, who would be seriously scalded. Nevertheless, the +principle has been largely employed in the heating of the most recent +Turkish baths in Germany. + +If adopted it may be either on the hot-air or radiating plan, as in +heating by means of furnaces. In the first method the fresh air is +introduced into a chamber containing a coil of steam-pipes, and passes +thence into the laconicum by a shaft or conduit, as in the case of air +heated by a stove. In the second method, steam radiators--compact +batteries of pipes--must be placed in recesses in the hot rooms, fresh +air being introduced over them. The steam-pipes employed should be of +the "small bore" type, about 5/8 inch internal diameter, and of wrought +iron or copper. In order to ensure as far as possible against the danger +of explosion, the system of pipes should be tested, when fixed, by +severe hydraulic pressure. + +It is certainly a great advantage, in point of ease and economy, to be +able to warm a building, drive machinery, and heat Turkish and Russian +baths from one boiler, which can readily be done, very ordinary +pressures of steam giving sufficient heat to keep the radiators of the +requisite temperature. But the nature of the heating accomplished by +means of steam-pipes is very inferior to that from large radiating +surfaces of firebrick. + +The average temperatures of a public bath should range from about 110° +in the shampooing rooms to 250°-260° in the hottest part of the +laconicum, taking the readings of the thermometer at a level of 6 ft. 6 +in. above floor-line. Between the entrance of the heated air and its +point of furthest travel in the shampooing rooms, the bather should be +able to select any temperature that may be most agreeable to him, and as +many find by experience that a certain degree of heat is best suited to +themselves, it shows attention to the _habitués_ of the bath, if the hot +rooms are carefully maintained at the same uniform temperatures +throughout the year. This may be 110°-120° in the shampooing rooms, 140° +in the tepidarium, 180° in the calidarium, and 250° in the laconicum. +These must be the maxima of the average temperatures of each room at 6 +ft. 6 in. above the floor. In a pure atmosphere the highest temperatures +are comfortable, but in a foul one they become insupportable. + +In a good bath, where there is a rapid and continuous flow of air, there +will be comparatively little difference between the temperature at say 4 +ft., 6 ft., and 8 ft. above the floor. In badly-ventilated rooms, where +the air stagnates, there will be a considerable difference. And here we +may note a serious objection to the heating of a bath by convection; for +while the head may be in a high degree of heat the feet are in +comparatively cool air, whereas, if possible, it should be just the +reverse. In convected heat, this of course applies in its entirety, as +where so-called radiant heat is employed the evil is not quite so +marked. And here, too, we may note the admirable nature of the Roman +system of heating, where the floors radiated the majority of the heat, +and the walls a slightly less amount. The fresh air under the ancient +system must have entered through the cooler rooms, and being drawn +towards the _calidarium_ found its exit through the ceilings, at times +by way of the regulating device mentioned by Vitruvius. Thus the ancient +bather would not suffer the inconvenience that accrues to the bather in +the modern hot-air bath, whose head, when he is standing upright, is in +a considerably higher temperature than any other portion of his body. + +The temperature of a bath should not be regulated by the firing of the +furnace. This should be regularly stoked, and kept at one uniform +heat-giving condition. Bad firing and forced firing may crack the stove +should it be of iron, and the air may be overheated. The temperature +should be regulated by means of the hit-and-miss ventilators at the +floor level. Fanlights between the various hot rooms, with screw-rod +adjustment, serve as a means for regulating their relative temperatures. + +The heating power of furnaces must be studied. Having calculated the +cubical contents of the rooms to be heated, and given the heating power +of the stove or apparatus to be employed per cwt. of metal or +superficial foot of radiating surface, we arrive at the necessary size. + +Messrs. Constantine give the following tables to show the heating power +of the "Convoluted" stove. The figures give the requisite size of stove +to raise the air to about the relative temperatures I have mentioned +before, and with ordinary firing. + + Weight of Sq. ft. of Area capable + metal. heating surface. of heating. + --- --- --- + cwt. sq. ft. cub. ft. + + 14 35 500 + 20 55 1,200 + 22 69 2,000 + 34 119 3,500 + 36 139 5,000 + 45 180 8,000 + 50 231 12,000 + 56 296 16,000 + +When different kinds of heating apparatus are employed, their heating +power must be carefully ascertained and calculations entered into, or it +may be found necessary to resort to the costly and humiliating process +of dragging out the stove or pulling down the furnace and refitting a +larger one. This point is worth attention. Such mistakes are not +unfrequently made. + +As regards the amount of air that should flow through the hot rooms, an +allowance of 40 cubic feet per head per minute should be the minimum, if +purity of atmosphere is to be maintained. In a bath, the importance of +perfect ventilation cannot possibly be over estimated, as not only has +the respired air from the lungs to be removed, but also the deleterious +exhalations from the skin which are produced by perspiration. + +The allowance of 40 cubic feet per head per minute should not, if +properly distributed, cause an unpleasant draught in any part of the hot +rooms; for it must be remembered that even in a highly-heated atmosphere +a waft of air of the same temperature is felt to be cold. The main thing +to be studied in this provision of a large volume of air is that the +cold inlet be ample, and the passage from this intake to the point +where the air is debouched into the laconicum equally roomy and +unobstructed. The rapidity of flow will depend upon the means provided +for the extraction of the foul air. With large horizontal flues, and a +capacious and tall shaft, the so-called natural system of ventilation +will be as effective as could be desired. Greater extraction power is +gained if in the brick stack a smoke-pipe can be placed running up the +whole height. In many cases mechanical ventilation could be employed +with the greatest benefit. A powerful air-propeller fixed at the end of +a system of horizontal flues under the floors of the hot rooms, and +running so as to exhaust, would do away with all the objectionable +odours and nastiness of many baths. + +The purity or foulness of the air in the hot rooms forms all the +difference between a good bath and a bad one, which latter is infinitely +worse than no bath at all. There exist, at the present time, scores of +baths where the odours of the sudatory chambers are nauseating. Such +foulness arises from stagnation of the air. There is no continuous flow, +and the respirations and exhalations of the bathers are not removed. A +system of ventilation may be pointed out, but it is on the wrong +principle, and does not act. There is no change of air. The atmosphere +of such places becomes pestilential. + +Owing to the expansion by heat, a relatively greater volume of air +enters the laconicum than the cold intake. This fact, however, does not +practically affect the arrangements for ventilation, &c. Theoretically, +however, it would seem to demand that the shaft conducting from furnace +to hot rooms should be of greater sectional area than that to the +furnace from the intake--about one-third larger--and that the total area +of outlets for the escape of vitiated air should be about midway between +the two. + +The whole principle of the ventilation of the hot rooms of a Turkish +bath resolves itself, primarily, into the fact that we have to +continually remove _the bottom layer of air_. The provision of the +foul-air conduits below the floor level is equivalent to providing a +suspended floor with a hollow space under. This is just the reverse of +the principle of ventilating rooms of ordinary temperature, where we +require to constantly remove the top layer, and often actually do so +when we provide false ceilings to passages, &c. + +The ventilators placed at the floor level of the hot rooms should be +actually so, and not 3 in. or 6 in. above. Long, wide gratings 6 in. +deep are preferable to those of deeper and narrower design. In theory, +indeed, the whole circumference of the hot rooms should be lined round +with gratings, thus making the sudatorium like a lidless box inverted, +into which hot air is thrown and escapes all round the bottom edges. + +There is one point about the circulation of air in a set of hot rooms +that requires considerable attention, and that is the _back-flow_ along +the floor. In any bath where hot air is supplied, if the bather will +hold his linen "check" across the top of the doorway between the rooms +he will find that the air is flowing from the laconicum to the +shampooing room. If, however, the sheet be held across the lower +portion of the doorway, he will find that there is a current of air +setting in an opposite direction--from the shampooing room to the +laconicum. This is shown at Fig. 11. + +[Illustration: FIG. 11. + +Longitudinal Section of Sudatory Chambers.] + +It will be seen from the diagram that the bather is really in this +back-flow when he is standing between and in a line with the doors of +the hot rooms. All the air appears to be travelling along the top of the +bath, and the bather reclining on the marble-topped benches would seem +to be bathed in air that has passed along the top of the bath, round the +shampooing rooms, and back along the floor. In reality, however, it is +only from door to door that the currents exist exactly as shown at the +diagram, Fig. 11, there being a secondary circulating process in each +room. + +This circulation of air will exist in any bath heated on the modern +system--that is to say, where freshly-heated air is passed in in +sufficient quantity. It is a natural result, and tends to distribute the +heat more equally. The back-flow is only objectionable when a door is +opened direct from the heated shampooing rooms to a cooler apartment, as +the plunge bath chamber. The bather standing in a line between the +doorways may then feel a cold draught. To guard against this, double +doors, with a small lobby between, should be provided to any means of +communication with a cold chamber. + +A set of hot rooms could be constructed so that the bather would be in +the top current of air that flows from the heating apparatus. By +reference to Fig. 11 the reader will understand that by the provision of +a platform or grating midway between the floor and ceiling this end +would be attained. + +The atmosphere of the sudatorium must be perfectly free from vapour. +"Perfect dryness of the air," says Mr. Urquhart, "is indispensable to +the enduring of a high temperature.... This dryness is further requisite +for electrical isolation. With vapour in the chamber an atmosphere is +created injurious to health and conducive to disease. It is the very +condition in which low, putrid, and typhus fevers flourish. The +electrical spark will not ignite in such an atmosphere, and the magnet +will lose its attractive power. We all know the difference of our own +sensations on a dry and on a damp day." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +WATER FITTINGS AND APPLIANCES. + + +The water-fittings of a Turkish bath include a boiler of some form for +heating the water, a cold-water cistern, and a hot-water tank; +supply-pipes, flow and return pipes, and branch pipes; lavatorium +fittings, comprising bowls, basins, and cocks; douche room fittings, as +the "needle" bath, shower, douche, spray, and "wave" baths; a warm +shower-bath for bathers entering the bath, or desiring such a shower at +intervals; and the fittings of the plunge bath. In addition to this +there may be required a drinking fountain in the tepidarium, and an +ornamental fountain in the frigidarium; lavatories in various positions; +and, possibly, fittings and appliances for the laundry. + +Premising an ample supply of pure water, it must be brought into the +building through a water-meter to the cold water cistern, which should +be at a sufficiently high level to obtain a good "head." This cistern +must be capacious and properly connected, on the ordinary circulating +principle, with a hot water tank and boiler. Of suitable boilers there +are several in the market, of many and varied designs. Simplicity of +construction should be the guide to a selection. The boiler will perhaps +its most conveniently placed in the stokery, and have be separate +furnace and flue, any scheme for combining the heating of the hot rooms +and of the water being out of the question. In small baths, however, the +hot-water tank may, for economy's sake, be placed near the ceiling in +the laconicum. Where waste steam can be obtained, a water super-heater, +with steam coil, may be employed with advantage; but in the majority of +cases the ordinary circulating system will be found the most suitable. + +The supply-pipes must be of large section, and indeed, the whole scheme +of water-fitting should be liberal. It must be remembered that, in +addition to the wants of the lavatorium and douche room, plunge, &c., +there will be a large amount of water required for laundry purposes, if +washing be done upon the premises. + +The cold supply cistern may, by the exigencies of the case, be kept down +as low as the ceiling of the bath-rooms, and be placed over some +subsidiary apartment. This does not give much pressure of water. For all +purposes it is best to have the cistern at a minimum height of about 20 +ft. above the draw-off taps and valves of the various bathing +appliances. This will ensure a good head of water, and make the douche a +formidable affair. + +The pipes, unions, tees, valves, and cocks should all be of the best +description in so important a work as the fitting-up of a public bath. +Ordinary bungling plumbing is here out of place. Lead piping should be +discarded for all but very cheap work, and iron employed in its stead, +with proper screwed joints, angles, and tees. Should there be +sufficient means, _copper_ piping should be employed for anything under +1 in. internal diameter, and gunmetal should be used for unions, &c., +and for cocks and valves. + +Handsome, large, and well-made water-fittings conduce, in no small +degree, to the effect of a bath. There should be no attempt at hiding +away of pipes, &c. They should be made features of the bath, and be +designed with care and neatly finished. Every pipe, joint, and +connection should be prearranged, and the means of fixing and supporting +the same carefully designed. Boxings, and the like, should be discarded, +and everything frankly exhibited. The day for mysterious plumbing has +gone by. There is some beauty even in a pipe. + +To consider the fittings, we will commence with the lavatorium. Branches +from the hot and cold water supply pipes must be conducted to each +shampooer's basin. These may be finished separately, with independent +nozzles, as at Fig. 12; or the pipes may be connected with the valve +shown at Fig. 13, about 18 in. above the basin, the outlet of the valve +being fitted with a foot or 15 in. of indiarubber hose. In the latter +case the pipes and valve would stand some 9 in. from the wall, and +depend from the horizontal supply pipes, which in their turn could be +carried on wrought-iron brackets affixed to the wall, or be hung by iron +ties, as indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 16. The _internal_ +diameter--the measurement given in all the figures--of these branch +pipes to taps over shampooing basins should be 3/4 in. + +[Illustration: FIG. 12. + +A Shampooing Basin.] + +Cocks and valves for the purposes of the Turkish bath are best of the +"gland" pattern. They should have bold handles. Those of the screw-down +type are useless, except as stop-cocks. Roundways should be used, and, +to insure freedom of running, the turning part should be equal to the +inner diameter of the pipes. The whole should be of gunmetal, and, if +the pipes to be used be of iron, screwed at the end. Fig. 13 shows the +type of valve to be employed to regulate the temperature of water for +shower baths, &c. To be useful, as well as bold and effective in +appearance, the handles should be large. + +[Illustration: FIG. 13. + +Valve for Regulating Temperature of Water.] + +_In every case_, the cold water must be placed on the right hand, and +the hot on the left. + +The earthenware basin is provided to hold water mixed to the required +temperature. A waste and overflow are not shown in the illustration, but +they should be provided. The basin is best wide and shallow--shallower +than shown. There should be no overhanging ledge to catch the +shampooer's hand-basin; for this reason I have shown, at Fig. 12, the +basin sunk into the marble slab, instead of the marble being on top, as +ordinary. The copper hand-basin is provided for the shampooer to take +water from the earthenware basin and throw over the shampooing slab, or +over the bather. In addition, a wooden, copper-banded soap-bowl must be +provided. + +Should there be a row of shampooing basins and benches, the horizontal +supply-pipes must be continued along the wall, and branches dropped to +each basin. The basins are most conveniently placed when raised somewhat +higher than the benches. In the illustration given, I have shown how to +arrange horizontal foul-air flues under the basins. In other cases the +fixing of the basins will be much simpler. For pure lavatorium purposes +these basins, cocks, &c., are all the water-fittings to be considered; +but in an apartment combining the purposes of douche room--and perhaps a +plunge bath chamber--as well as a washing and massage room, more or less +of the fittings about to be described will have to be accommodated. + +The tonic appliances for treating the bather subsequently to the +shampooing, the soaping, and the cleansing, are various. The most useful +is the simple shower bath, with a very large rose, and amply supplied +with water through a regulating valve. It is employed for thoroughly +cleansing the bather before he enters the plunge, whose waters are for +the common use of all. In many small baths its place is efficiently +taken by an ordinary hand rose or spray of the kind shown at Fig. 15. +The shower proper is usually fixed above the "needle" bath, as at Fig. +14, or formed by a continuation of the "backbone" of the needle. It is +best to have separate regulating valves for the needle and shower, as at +Fig. 16; but at Fig. 14 it is shown with a branch from the pipe +conducting to the needle, and with stop cocks. The needle-bath is a +skeleton-like structure having a large hollow backbone and branching +ribs. The water ascends the backbone, and, passing into the ribs, +squirts out of small holes punctured in their internal circumferences. +The bather stands in the centre of the apparatus, with the ribs +encircling him. The ribs should be of 1/2-in. copper piping, the +backbone and lesser supports being of iron, 2-1/2 and 1-1/2 in. diameter +respectively. In a convenient position for the attendant must be placed +the regulating valve. + +A more elaborate contrivance may be made, which will include needle, +shower, ascending shower, spinal douche, and back shower; but this +should be left for hydropathic institutions and invalids. Simplicity in +these matters should be the great desideratum. The above-named +additions, however, may be briefly described. At Fig. 14 I have +indicated the position of ascending shower. It would be connected with +the pipe supplying needle and shower, and have a stop-cock. The spinal +douche is a little nozzle behind the shower proper, and should have +similar connection with the supply-pipe. The back shower or spinal +spray would be a rose placed about half-way up the iron backbone, and be +connected in the same manner. Avoid these complications in a bath for +healthy persons. + +[Illustration: FIG. 14. + +A Needle Bath.] + +The needle bath is best left exposed, but it may be enclosed in a metal +shield if desired. This bath may be placed in one of three +positions--(1) in the shampooing room, (2) in a separate chamber, (3) in +the plunge bath chamber. It is most conveniently placed where the bather +passes it _en route_ from the washing room to the plunge. For this +appliance a good head of water is absolutely essential, as with a low +pressure it is very ineffective. The illustration shows the bath +standing on iron shoes. If fixed in a corner, as ordinarily, it can be +secured to the wall by such cramps or brackets as may be necessary. + +[Illustration: FIG. 15. + +Spray, Wave, and Douche Baths.] + +Besides the needle and shower, as above, the tonic bathing appliances +may include an ordinary horizontal douche that can be pointed in any +direction, a spray, or large rose, and a "wave." These three appliances +may be placed together as at Fig. 15. They are connected to the pipes +from the regulating valves by means of a foot or so of flexible hose. To +this is secured a tapering copper pipe. The douche has a gunmetal +nozzle. It is directed against the back and spine, but must not be used +upon the head or chest. With a good head of water this is a most +powerful appliance, feeling more like a rod of some solid substance +pressing against one than a stream of water. The "wave" is formed by a +copper spreader. The spray is simply a large rose, 6 in. or 8 in. +diameter. + +[Illustration: FIG. 16. + +Regulating Valves for Needle, Douche, &c.] + +It may be found convenient to arrange the valves for the whole of the +above-mentioned appliances together, as at Fig. 16. Each pair of hot and +cold handles are here brought together. These handles should be long, so +as to admit of easy regulating of the temperature of the water; they +may well be 9 in. in length. The douche, wave, and spray should be kept +as close as possible to the handles that regulate their temperature. + +I would repeat the caution that it is very necessary to beware of +complications in these water-fittings and appliances. Some of the more +"fussy" contrivances--as, for example, the elaborated needle bath as +above described--require so much regulating, and so many valves and +stop-cocks, that it is quite an undertaking for the attendant to set +them going. Simplicity in design and construction should be observed in +this work: the pipes as few as need be; the valves as simple as +possible; and the whole put together in a manner that will permit of +their being easily examined and repaired. + +I have before hinted at the desirability of making some sort of +provision whereby the bather may, on entering the bath, have a warm +spray or shower, of any temperature that may be agreeable to him. In +high class baths this feature should always be provided, as it is a +great luxury, and, moreover, to certain constitutions a necessity, thus +to be able to take such a shower before entering the hot rooms, or at +such intervals during the sojourn in these apartments as may be desired. +The proper position for this shower-bath requires some consideration. +Were it only for the entering bather that it should be provided, it +would be best placed in a lobby near the entrance to the hot rooms; but +as the occupants of the hot rooms may frequently desire some such +shower, it must be arranged with regard to this fact. It should be +convenient for the entering bathers and for those in the bath. A small +chamber entered by doors from the lobby to the tepidarium, and also from +the tepidarium itself, would be convenient. At times it may be placed in +a nook off the shampooing room. Wherever it be placed, the apparatus +provided for the purpose of the shower must be such as can be managed by +the bather himself, so as not to take up the time of the attendants; and +for this reason it must be capable of easy regulation, and free from +liability of scalding the user, unless through gross carelessness. A +valve with one handle only must be employed, as, unless the bather has +had some practice, it is difficult to obtain this immunity from danger +of scalding when two handles are used. A valve such as that shown at +Fig. 17 should be employed. This valve must be so designed as to supply +cold, tepid, and hot water _in regular gradation_--not intermittently, +as do some valves of this description. It must be so placed that any one +taking the shower may, whilst beneath the rose, be able to easily reach +the handle. The rose should not be less than 6 in. or 7 in. diameter. +Fig. 12 illustrates the complete fitting up of this bather's +shower-bath. + +In hydropathic establishments it might be an improvement to add a small +foot-bath, formed by a sinking of about 6 in. in the floor, and filled +with hot water; for physiologists tell us it is bad for invalids to +enter the hot rooms with cold feet. Supply pipes, a waste, and overflow +would have to be provided for this bath, and a marble seat might be +placed round it. A marble coping and mosaic flooring would render it +pleasing in appearance. + +[Illustration: FIG. 17. + +Bather's Shower Bath.] + +I have hereinbefore, at Fig. 4, given plan and sections of a plunge +bath, and shown its water-fittings. The overflow and waste run into +cast-iron drainpipes, which should be employed till outside the +building. On the end of the overflow pipe is screwed a gunmetal rose +with leather packing, the screw-holes being drilled into the flange of +pipe. For the waste I have shown a "disc" valve of gunmetal. This is +similarly screwed to flange of pipe, and with leather packing. The valve +is opened and closed by a movable rod. If _fixed_, it might catch the +toes of the swimmer, and for this reason it would perhaps be best to set +the valve itself back in a recess. Instead of this valve, an ordinary +4-in., 5-in., or 6-in. "plug" waste could be employed, but it is rather +clumsy on such a scale. When practicable, a screw-down valve, with wheel +and spindle outside the bath, is the best means of letting out the waste +water. The supply-pipe should be connected with the main supply just +after the water meter. The valve should be of the "screw-down" pattern, +either with a thumbscrew, wheel and spindle, or a key. + +In coast towns, where a _sea-water_ plunge may be employed, a little +rose on a bracket should be provided in a convenient position, for +cleansing the hair from salt water. + +Of the lavatory fittings in the cooling room, and of the "sanitary" +water-fittings, it is unnecessary to speak, except to say that, in a +place devoted to the attainment of cleanliness, plumbing of this nature +should be as perfect as possible. + +A drinking fountain is a desirable feature in the tepidarium of a bath +of any pretension. It should be placed at the coolest end of the room, +affixed to a wall, and provided with a supply-pipe, waste, and tap of +some sort. The bowl is best formed of glazed earthenware. + +If an ornamental fountain be required in the frigidarium, it should be +of terra-cotta or modelled glazed ware, and must be provided with +supply-pipe, waste, and means of regulating the jet of water. A fountain +is a very desirable addition to a cooling room, as it is restful to the +ear, and may be made pleasant to the eye by means of flowers and plants +arranged around and upon it. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LIGHTING, DECORATING, AND FURNISHING. + + +Light and shade being the soul of all ornamental effect, we may well +consider first the methods of lighting the bath. As a rule, much +artificial light will be required. The hot rooms, being often in a +basement, are as a rule but feebly illumined from areas and the like. +Seeing that purity of atmosphere in these apartments is of so vital +importance, the method of artificial lighting adopted should not be such +as impregnates the air with obnoxious and harmful, if unnoticeable, +fumes. Gas, for this reason, used in the ordinary manner, is +objectionable, as the ventilation being by means of low-level exits for +the foul air, the products of combustion must of necessity pass by and +envelop persons below the burners, though, of course, in a diluted +state. Should, therefore, gas-lighting be employed in a sudatory +chamber, it should for preference be on one of those systems whereby the +burner is cut off from the atmosphere of the room, and provision made +for carrying off the fumes. Happily, the use of electric lighting is at +last increasing with marked rapidity; and the incandescent light is +admirably adapted for all purposes of the Turkish bath. Where it can +possibly be adopted it is a great addition to a bath. + +For cooling room purposes gas is not so objectionable, except that it is +heating, and assists in vitiating the atmosphere. But inasmuch as the +fumes in this case will ascend with the general body of air, the +objection to gas is much lessened in these apartments. Nevertheless, the +electric light is the illuminant to be coveted. + +The quality of the lighting in the cooling room should be toned and +softened. It is not a place for brilliant general illumination, but +rather for a soft light pervading the whole, and auxiliary lights where +required, such as near couches, &c.--a system, in fact, diametrically +opposed to sun-burner illumination. Nothing more objectionable of its +kind can well be imagined than a glaring light in the ceiling of a +cooling room. It would be found intolerable. + +For practical purposes, the greatest amount of light required in any +part of a frigidarium is that at the heads of the couches, where it must +be of such strength as will admit of comfortable reading. One +gas-burner, or one small incandescent lamp, to every two couches is a +fair allowance. If effect be desired, there is, of course, much in the +distribution of the illuminating agent that affects for good or evil, +and the placing and the relative powers of the lamps or burners must be +considered. The dominant point of light might be a prettily-designed +lantern with a few brilliant points of colour in it, depending from a +chain over a fountain, throwing its rays downwards on to the falling +waters, and _not_ in the eyes of those bathers who may be reclining upon +the couches. + +Throughout the bath, in either natural or artificial lighting, by +windows or lamps, it should be the aim not to throw strong light in the +eyes of the bather--a principle of universal application, but especially +to be regarded in a place where, more often than not, the occupants of +the various apartments are reclining, _face upwards_, on benches or +couches. In the hot rooms, as in the cooling room, little general +illumination is required. A bright artificial light in such places seems +especially painful to the eyes. What light, therefore, may be provided +in the sudatory chambers, should be as diffused as possible, the +additional lights for the few who practise reading in these apartments +being so arranged as not to be objectionable to the majority of bathers. +The lights should be shaded so as to throw their rays downwards in a +very small compass. + +Considerably more light is required in the lavatoria and shampooing +rooms. In scheming the plan of bath rooms in a basement, where daylight +can only be obtained at one point, it is desirable, if practicable, to +arrange the shampooing room so that it may enjoy the benefit of this +light. + +For effect, the scale of lighting in the bath rooms may be a rather dark +laconicum, and a gradually-increased amount of light from thence to the +shampooing room. The plunge-bath chamber should be well lighted, but not +above the tone of the frigidarium, or the bather will feel to be going +from cheerfulness to comparative gloom, which would be unpleasant. A +bright, warm light should be that in the plunge-bath chamber, with +perhaps an ornamental lamp over the bath itself; and if the +intermediary staircase--should there be such a feature--be lighted on a +lower scale, the effect on entering the frigidarium will be a cheerful +one. + + +DECORATING. + +Under this heading, I would speak of the means of obtaining effect in a +bath, of the materials to be employed, and of the design of features--of +the effect of the whole and the proportions of its parts, rather than of +anything implying the _laying on_ of so-called ornament. + +The architecture of a bath is _interior architecture_ as distinct from +that involving external work. Much of this, moreover, can often only be +seen by artificial light. These two restrictions point to the +employment, for the most part, of surface decoration, rather than of +modelling--of tiles, mosaics, marbles, in place of mouldings, cornices, +and pilasters. + +There are three features of the bath that are fit subjects for handsome +designing, and they are the frigidarium, the tepidarium, and the plunge +bath. There is an excuse for elaborating the first two, in that these +are the apartments in which the bather remains the longest time; and as +for the plunge, it is in itself an object capable of giving a very +pleasing effect. Over-elaboration--in respect to added ornament--in the +hot rooms, however, gives an air of incongruity. Simplicity, with good +proportions, seems here the most pleasing. The general effect of the hot +rooms should be light, a statement which is wholly in harmony with what +I have said on their lighting, though it may not at first sight appear +to be so. The tone of the ceilings and walls and floors should be light, +the darkest portions being a dado. A generally dark and heavy tone of +colouring is very oppressive in a sudatory chamber. Keep them light: +light ceilings of plaster for cheap baths, and of lightly decorated, +large, thin tiles, or lightly-tinted enamelled iron, for more expensive +establishments; light walls of white, ivory, cream, or buff glazed +bricks, without startling bands of a vulgar, as distinct from a really +bold, contrast; and mosaic floors of a light filling-in and not too dark +pattern. The risers to marble-topped benches may be of another tone, but +not too dark; and, in place of a dado of bare glazed bricks, it is +perhaps best to stretch Indian matting to keep the bather from the +burning wall, as at Fig. 20. This will necessitate fillets affixed to +plugs in the brickwork. Woodwork looks best dark and polished, affording +an agreeable contrast to the lighter materials. + +Bright points of colour may be obtained by stained glass in +ceiling-lights or windows, and at night by coloured glass shades over +lamps, &c. + +The use of iron joists with glazed brick arches between is not to be +recommended for the ceilings of the hot rooms. To say the least, it is a +heavy-looking arrangement. Enamelled iron may be made to look very well +if affixed in sheets of delicate tint with light patterns, and affixed +with "buttons" with enamelled heads to the fireproof floors, as at Fig. +18. Large thin tiles make an admirable ceiling for small baths. They +may be fixed with ornamental wood fillets, or made with screw-holes and +affixed to ceiling joists. + +[Illustration: FIG. 18. + +Section and Plan of an Enamelled Iron Ceiling.] + +Glazed brickwork for the walls of hot rooms, &c., should be specified to +be executed with an extra neat joint, and should bond to less than 12 +in. to the foot; otherwise the effect of the unwieldy mortar joints is +clumsy. This applies equally to walling and to arches and vaults. Work +which may pass as fair in ordinary cases, looks coarse and rough in the +glazed interior walls of a bath. In selecting glazed bricks there is +some difficulty in obtaining really delicate tints; much of the work +produced is unfortunately of a very crude colouring. + +One portion of the tepidarium, and other bath rooms, admits of being +rendered very attractive; and that is the flooring. Mosaic work is +always pleasing, if it be designed with taste and executed artistically. +Marble and tile mosaics are both good, the former admitting of a +richness of effect quite its own, and the latter of brilliant colouring. +In designing marble-mosaic floors, however, one may well fight shy of +including that senseless, purposeless description which is nowadays so +often employed as a filling-in between borders. I refer to the +heterogeneous jumble of every colour mixed without regard to one +another, and giving at a distance a dirty grey tone, and near at hand an +effect like a gravel walk covered with faded cherry-blossom--to be +flattering. Despite the fact that this method of design is of antique +origin, and has a real classical designation, I cannot but think that it +is to be avoided, and that fillings-in should be made with tesseræ of +one tint, or that mosaic should be abandoned altogether. + +Given the means, it is easy to render a set of bath rooms elaborate, +with faïence and modelled glazed ware, marbles and painted encaustic +tiles, and many other suitable but expensive materials; but for my own +part I prefer to see comparative simplicity in a sudatory chamber, +though by this I do not mean monastic severity of style. + +The general air of the frigidarium requires some consideration. It +should have an effect of its own, quite distinct from anything else. It +should have something of the conservatory in it. It should be richly +carpeted, have much woodwork about it, and be pleasant with plants and +laden with the murmur of falling waters. It should be light, certainly; +cheerful, cool, and airy looking; and as lofty as possible within reason +and common sense. The ceiling should be of a light tone. A lantern-light +where the light may come in, rather than be seen, and where the vitiated +air may go out, is a pleasant and useful addition. + +Points for emphasising with a view to ultimate effect are the stairs to +hot rooms--if a staircase be needed--the divans or screens for couches, +and an ornamental fountain as above described. The staircase may be +rendered attractive with bowl newels, and perhaps white marble treads to +the stairs. The divans may be rendered things of beauty by designing +ornamental, open-work wood partitions, in either an Oriental style or +otherwise. It is not easy to make small dwarf partitions, enclosing a +couple of couches, look handsome. As a rule, they are of a flimsy and +gimcrack order of architecture. They should be made as solid as +possible. For effect there is nothing better than prettily-designed +divans. + +As regards style, I do not see why one method of design should be more +suited than another for the bath. Having become popularly known as the +"Turkish" bath, an Eastern or Saracenic style has been often adopted in +the past. And, inasmuch as such style is essentially an interior style +of architecture, there is something to be said on this score. It is, +moreover, a style in which surface decoration pertains rather than +modelled work, or, at least, the modelling is in very low relief. There +is yet ample scope for the display of skill in the design of a bath in +an Oriental style, as hitherto such attempts have only been made in a +half-hearted manner; and in many smaller commercial baths the unskilful +use of the style has vulgarised it to no small extent.[3] + +Considering that the old Romans brought the bath to a great pitch of +excellence--far, very far, I should be inclined to say, in advance of +our present knowledge of the subject--their style of architecture would +seem fitted to its design at this day; and for large public baths, +larger than any yet erected in this country, one can imagine that a very +interesting design could be made in the Roman style, founded on a study +of the old baths, and, for the sake of the interest attaching to them, +reproducing many of the original mosaics, pictures, details, &c., of the +public baths of the time of the Empire. In a like manner in the Moorish +style one could obtain a very elegant effect by a careful study of old +baths in Eastern countries,[4] drawing, perhaps, some inspiration from +the courts of the palaces of the Moors, with their pleasant retired air, +for the frigidarium. I have often thought, when looking at the late Owen +Jones' splendid model at the Crystal Palace, what an admirable +frigidarium the Court of the Lions would make, with its spacious +central area, and retired nooks suitable for couches, and its pretty +sparkling fountain and green plants, its brilliant colouring, and +general cheerfulness of effect. Similarly, in a Roman style, a Pompeian +court seems suggestive of the arrangement of a fine frigidarium, with +its _cubicula_ for couches, and its central area and fountain. + +The above are but theoretical suggestions as to what might be done +should the bath make such progress in this country as may necessitate +the provision of handsome public baths for the people. In everyday +practice there is not a great field for elaborate designing in baths. +Although only the Roman and Eastern styles have been mentioned, there +can be no manner of reason why an architect should not design his bath +in whatsoever style he may please. + +I have spoken of the plunge bath as a feature capable of being rendered +a thing of beauty. This is in reference as much to its plan as to the +materials of the sides and floor, &c. There is no reason why a plunge +should always be a plain oblong on plan. It may be of any of the shapes +indicated at Fig. 19. Many bathers, especially in warm weather, like to +stay some minutes in the plunge, and not go straight through; they may +like to swim up and down the bath, and thus require room to turn, and a +keyhole plan, such as at A, is suitable, and especially useful where the +bather has to return to the end of bath he entered. Another shape is +shown at B. In ladies' baths still more margin for novel planning is +allowable, as here the true dive seldom pertains. A delicate semi-oval +plan, such as that at D, which is much after the pattern of the Roman +bath recently discovered at Box, could be employed; or a plain, circular +bath with steps around, such as that of the Pompeian _Balneum_, shown at +C; or, again, such a plan as that at E, after the classic one at Bognor +in Sussex. For inspirations as to the plans of plunge baths, we cannot +do better than refer direct to the old Roman remains, either in Italy +itself, or in Great Britain and other provinces and colonial +dependencies of the old Empire. The Romans were fully alive to the +possibilities of the plunge bath as a subject for artistic design, and +often produced baths of great beauty. + +[Illustration: FIG. 19. + +Plans of Plunge Baths.] + +The flooring and sides of these baths should be of a light tint, and +there should always be more or less pure white. Nothing really is better +than plain white glazed bricks, with neat joints. With this bottom the +water always looks clean when it is clean, and shows contamination when +it exists. Marble-mosaic floorings should be chiefly of white tesseræ, +any simple patterns being executed in light tints. Delicate tints, such +as strawberry, pea green, and peacock blue, look well through the water. +The floor of the plunge bath may thus be made very pretty. The sides are +best of glazed brickwork, neatly executed, and coping and treads of +steps of so-called white marble. + + +FURNISHING. + +The work of the upholsterer in fitting up a Turkish bath comprises the +complete furnishing of the cooling room with couches, lounges, ottomans, +carpets, mats, and any chairs and tables that may be required, besides +the usual furniture common to all rooms. In the sudatory chambers may be +required easy chairs of peculiar construction, with stretched canvas +seats; in some cases movable wooden benches in lieu of fixed +marble-topped ones; and any carpeting, matting, felt for benches, +curtains (if any), and Indian matting for dadoes. These are the +principal requirements that need consideration, the remaining furnishing +of subordinate apartments being, of course, of commonplace and ordinary +description. The refreshment department requires possibly a +coffee-maker, refrigerator, ice-box, and shelf fittings; but, as a +general rule, no arrangements for actual cooking. + +The cooling room couches are usually made 6 ft. by 2 ft.; but 6 ft. 6 +in. by 2 ft. 6 in. is a more liberal allowance. They should be made of +polished wood, strongly framed, stuffed with horsehair and covered with +a red Turkey twill, as at A, Fig. 21. Where divans are adopted, on the +Eastern model, the benches must be framed of wood, permanently fixed, +and covered with mattresses kept in their places by a wooden fillet, as +Fig. 20. Above the couch thus formed it is well to stretch a dado of +Indian matting, affixed above to a moulded rail. + +The carpets employed in the cooling room should be soft to the tread. +Nothing, of course, equals a Persian or Turkey carpet, and one or the +other should be provided when their cost can be afforded. A rich carpet +adds greatly to the effect of the room. In cases where a polished wood +floor is adopted and shown, soft durable matting or strips of carpet +must be placed along any routes, such as from and to the hot rooms and +the boot-room, by the sides of couches, to lounges and tables, +&c.--anywhere, in fact, where the bather may require to tread. Anything +in the nature of fastenings likely, by any possibility, to injure the +feet, must be carefully avoided. + +A table or two for books, papers, magazines, &c., should be provided in +the cooling room. The provision of lounges, &c., must depend upon the +design of the room, and whether nooks or angles are available for their +accommodation. Little wooden or metal tripod tables must be placed by +the heads of the couches (Fig. 21, B). + +[Illustration: FIG. 20. + +Section of Benches in Hot Rooms and in Cooling Room Divans.] + +The chairs in the hot rooms must be designed upon some such lines as at +C and D, whereat are shown an iron, and a wooden, framed chair. Beechen +frames are best, and the seat formed of rather closely-woven canvas +fixed at top and bottom and hanging in a curve. A few of these seats +should always be provided in the hot rooms. Movable wooden _benches_ are +constructed of beech, oak, or well-seasoned yellow deal, as at E. The +head end is best raised as shown. Very carefully-seasoned wood should be +employed, for all joinery purposes, in the hot rooms. + +In the boot room, the pigeon-holes must not be forgotten, and a +cushioned seat, perhaps, for taking off boots and shoes. A shelf or +shelves for linen checks is useful in this position. + +Sometimes the floor of the calidarium is carpeted all over, but _strips_ +of matting or carpet are better. The hot laconicum is best carpeted +throughout. The tepidarium should have strips of carpet where the +bathers must necessarily tread. In some baths it is the custom to +provide, instead of carpet, felt sandals for use in the hot rooms. For +similar reasons to the carpeting--the non-conduction of heat--fine white +felting is sometimes placed in strips along the marble benches, as at +Fig. 20. Of the Indian matting for a portion of the walls above the +benches, I have already spoken. + +In the shampooing rooms, little blocks of wood shaped as at E, Fig. 5, +are required as head-rests. They should be about 12 by 5 by 4 in., and +hollowed to fit the head. + +[Illustration: FIG. 21. + +Furniture of a Turkish Bath.] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote 3: I do not know of any building--bath or otherwise, civil or +domestic--in this country where the true spirit of Oriental colour +decoration has been grasped. One of the chief principles which seems to +have been missed is that in real Saracenic art the colours are employed +in very small portions only, and no colour becomes insubordinate to the +general effect.] + +[Footnote 4: Here is a branch of architectural design absolutely +unstudied. Few architects visit the East, and none enter the baths +there, either in Egypt, Turkey, or Morocco. The ordeal of the true +Oriental shampooing doubtless deters the few who might be curious about +these buildings.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +PRIVATE BATHS. + + +The Turkish bath in the house may be designed on any scale, from a +single room heated to the required temperature by a common laundry +stove, to an elaborate suite of apartments, providing all that is found +in the public bath, and even added luxuries. It may be an addition to an +existing building or a feature designed at one and the same time as the +house. + +There are, of course, many expedients for producing perspiration by +heated air much simpler than by the special construction of a suite of +bath rooms; but as they will be familiar to all studying the subject of +baths, I will pass them over here as mere makeshifts. For although there +is something to be said in their favour, in that the head is free and +one can breathe cooler air, there are serious objections to their use, +as the lamps employed _burn the air_, and there is also an absence of +that rapid aërial circulation which is so much to be desired. Besides +the actual objections to their use, more or less inconvenience attends +the employment of the sheet and lamp (or cabinet and lamp) baths, and +there is little of the luxury of a true sudatorium about the +extemporised bath, admirable as it may be as a hydropathic expedient. + +The bath in the house may consist of one of the following +arrangements:--(1) A single room used as a sudatory chamber and for +washing; (2) a hot room and a washing room; (3) a combined hot room and +washing room, and a cooling room; (4) a cooling room, washing room, and +hot room; or (5) a suite of chambers of such extent as to provide every +possible luxury, such as even the old Roman gentlemen would have +coveted. Where there is no second room the bather must use his bed room +as a cooling and reposing room, as he must also in the cases where only +a washing room and a hot room are provided. + +[Illustration: FIG. 22. + +Plan of Mr. Urquhart's Small Private Bath and of the Hot Room at Sir +Erasmus Wilson's Bath at Richmond Hill.] + +For a simple sudatory chamber, where washing operations are also +conducted, all that is required is a room with brick walls and fire- and +heat-proof floor and ceiling, with an adjoining lobby, a flue to conduct +smoke from a simple stove, and a sunk washing tank or _lavatrina_. +Allowance must be made for a couch opposite the stove. Fig. 22 (A) +shows the simplest form of a bath room possible; it is that which Mr. +Urquhart constructed, and has described in his 'Manual of the Turkish +Bath.' It was erected by him to show how cheaply an effective bath room +might be built, the whole arrangement, with water fittings and building +of three of its walls, only costing 37_l._ + +The room or rooms forming the Turkish bath in a private house should be +cut off by a lobby from the other apartments of the house, with +carefully-fitting self-closing doors at either end; and in the case of +an elaborate bath, another little lobby with double doors and heavy +curtains, should be placed between the cooling room and the two bathing +rooms, as at Fig. 24. The air of the hot rooms should, of course, be +perfectly and absolutely cut off from that of the house. + +The position of the bath in a house will depend upon the size of the +bath and the house and its situation. In town houses, where the bath +consists of only a washing and a hot room, the first floor will be the +most convenient. Where a cooling room is provided, the ground floor is +as handy as anywhere; and this position allows of the easier +construction of the heating apparatus. In the country, the bath is best +built away from the house, connected by a short lobby, which may be +utilised for boots, &c., as at Fig. 24. The main difficulties to be +overcome are the heating of the bath, and the non-conduction of heat to +places where it is not wanted. + +The heating apparatus of a private bath may be, for the simplest, a +common laundry stove, as at Fig. 22 (A) and at Fig. 23; for bigger +baths, a small convoluted stove, as at Fig. 24; or a furnace of +firebrick with an iron flue, as at B, Fig. 22--a plan of the hot room +(15 ft. by 12 ft.) of the bath which Sir Erasmus Wilson built at +Richmond Hill. For elaborate baths, a small furnace wholly constructed +of fireclay, such as that of which I have given complete plans in the +chapter on "Heating and Ventilation," would be the best. A furnace of +this description is shown in the design for an elaborate private bath, +at Fig. 25. Should the bath be heated regularly every day, a firebrick +furnace is certainly the best, as such furnaces retain their heat a long +time. It should be "banked" at night. A bath only required at times, and +quickly, is best heated with a thin iron stove. A portable iron stove +and a long length of iron flue will rapidly raise the temperature. The +simple baths illustrated at Figs. 22 (A) and 23, are therefore very +convenient and effective. The principle of heating by the transmission +to the hot rooms of freshly-heated air is also a very convenient one for +private purposes, as on this system the bath may be on an upper floor, +and yet have its heating apparatus conveniently stowed away below, as at +Fig. 24. A small furnace chamber, such as that at Fig. 6, _ante_, must +be constructed, and a hot-air flue of large section built up to the hot +room. If the bath be on the ground floor, the construction of any form +of heating apparatus is rendered easier. + +To prevent the transmission of heat to other apartments of the house, +the precautions hereinbefore mentioned must be observed. Hollow walls +must be provided round the heated chambers, to prevent loss of heat on +the external side, and the transmission of heat through internal walls. +The floors above and below should--if not of solid fireproof +construction--be formed as described in the section dealing with the +design of the sudorific chambers, with puggings of slag-wool, asbestos, +sawdust, or materials having similar properties. Windows should be +double. Wherever possible, concrete floors should be provided to the hot +rooms and washing rooms, so that they may be covered with tiles or +mosaics, and on account of the spilling of water. It should be needless +to point out the necessity of having most careful regard to safety from +fire by the stoves or furnaces. + +The ventilation of private baths should receive as much careful +attention as those for public use. The hollow external walls may often +be used with advantage for the extraction of the vitiated air, which +must be let into the cavity at the floor level. If the bath be +constructed on the ground floor, with nothing beneath, the system of +carrying off the vitiated air by horizontal conduits--recommended for +public baths--should be employed, as in the accompanying design for a +large private bath, where the whole of the foul air is drawn into one +vertical shaft of sufficiently wide section. Much that I have said on +the heating and ventilation, and, indeed, on many matters in connection +with the design of public baths, applies in the case of the private one, +and the reader is therefore referred to preceding pages for many hints +as to its construction. + +In the accompanying figures I have endeavoured to explain the +arrangement and construction of private baths, from those formed by +converting existing rooms into bath rooms, to an elaborate and complete +design. Fig. 22 (A) is a plan of Mr. Urquhart's cheap private bath, an +apartment only measuring 11 ft. by 16 ft., yet forming an effective +sudatory chamber, with simple iron stove, couch, seat, and sunk tank or +lavatrina. On this principle I have arranged the plans of the baths +adapted to existing rooms in a house, shown at Fig. 23. One plan shows a +hot room built on to an existing ordinary bath room. A doorway is formed +in the old external wall, and the new chamber constructed with hollow +walls, with glazed bricks internally. An extra room would, of course, be +thus formed on the floor below. A fireproof floor would be provided, and +the pipes from iron stove conducted to old fireplace in bath room, which +would become the lavatorium, and undressing room if necessary. A +double-doored lobby is formed in the latter apartment, and the slipper +bath used as ordinarily. It will be seen that by appropriating the +adjoining bed room, a frigidarium is obtained, by taking away the +flue-pipe to a new chimney, and knocking a doorway through the old +partition wall, thus making a complete set of bath rooms. + +[Illustration: FIG. 23. + +Methods of constructing Turkish Baths in existing Houses.] + +The other plan, given at Fig. 23, shows an existing room divided into a +combined hot room and washing room, and a cooling room. Three of the +walls being ordinary external walls, the hot room is lined with lath and +plaster on quartering, leaving an air-space between to prevent loss of +heat by absorption and radiation. One or two of the spaces between the +quarters should be formed into lath and plaster flues, for the +withdrawal of the vitiated air, being connected below with the hot room, +and above lead into the open air. A pugged partition and double-doored +lobby separate the rooms. Space is left in the hot room for a +full-length couch opposite the radiating stove, which has a metal screen +around to protect the more adjacent walls from the heat. A lavatrina is +provided, as shown at the enlarged section. A nook is formed for a +shower. This recess could be fitted with enamelled iron screen and hood, +as at the end of elaborate slipper-baths. A couple of couches, lavatory, +and toilet table are compactly arranged in the little frigidarium. + +Where these plain iron radiating stoves are employed, the fresh air +should be admitted as near the stove as possible, and if the inlet be +connected with a space formed round the stove by a sheet-iron jacket, +the air will enter the room at a considerably raised temperature. The +temperature of the incoming air in a bath where the heat radiates +directly from the stove or furnace to the body of the bather, is not a +matter of such vital importance as it is in cases where the heat is +transmitted through the agency of the air itself. + +[Illustration: FIG. 24. + +A complete Private Turkish Bath.] + +Cost of construction being now so constant a factor in every +consideration, I have been led to give the above plans and descriptions +of cheaply-formed baths as suggestions for the adaptation of other +rooms. But plans of more elaborate baths are occasionally required, and +at Fig. 24 I give the plan and cross section of a bath constructed as an +appendage to, and at one and the same time as, the house. In this plan +all necessaries are liberally provided for, but there is no extravagant +outlay on elaboration of features and decoration. It is arranged on the +first floor of a projecting wing off the main building. The frigidarium +is cut off from the corridor or landing of the house by a lobby, which +provides a w.c. and a space for boots and shoes and linen and towels. +Between the frigidarium and bath rooms is a double-doored lobby of a +kind that is very useful in both public and private baths. Hung with +heavy curtains over the inner face of either door, it forms a perfect +preventive against the entry of the air of the hot rooms into the +cooling room. Between the combined tepidarium and lavatorium and the +laconicum is a glazed partition with a doorway, fitted with a curtain if +necessary. The walls are 18 in.--9 in. and 4-1/2 in., with 4-1/2 in. +cavity, used for ventilation. The bath rooms are lined with glazed +brickwork. The floor is of fireproof, iron and concrete, construction. +Enamelled iron sheets are screwed to the ceiling joists in the hot +rooms, and pugging placed over. Under the laconicum is the stokery and +furnace chamber, fitted with a small convoluted stove, a hot-air shaft +leading to the bath room. Fresh air comes to the stove by horizontal +flues from either side of the building. The windows in the bath rooms +are double. In the laconicum are two felt-covered wooden benches, as at +Fig. 21 (E), _ante_, and a similar bench occupies one side of +lavatorium, opposite which is the lavatrina, 18 in. deep, partly sunk +into the floor and partly raised. The shower should be placed over this. +In the frigidarium are two couches, hooks for clothes, lavatory, and +toilet tables, &c. This would be a very effective plan for a comfortable +private bath. + +The ordinary "slipper," "length," or "shallow" bath is out of place in +the rooms of a Turkish bath; but where the bath has to be adapted with +economy to an existing bath room, as at Fig. 23, and in cases where, +say, some members of a family take the Turkish bath and others the +ordinary warm bath, it may remain as at the last-named figure, and serve +the purposes of a lavatrina. The lavatrina, as designed in the plan of +the large Turkish bath appended, however, is the most convenient +apparatus to facilitate the orthodox method of lathering and washing +oneself in this style of bathing, as distinct from the ordinary method +of immersion in a large body of water; and as the former manner is the +most economical of water, it is unnecessary, in providing a Turkish bath +in a house, to make any increased provision for the supply of hot and +cold water over and above that which would be allowed for an ordinary +slipper-bath. + +In a private bath the lavatorium will also serve the purpose of a +tepidarium. This chamber should therefore be as large as possible. In it +may be required a shampooing slab, and, possibly, a small plunge bath, +in addition to the lavatrina, reclining-bench, and what water fittings +are to be provided. All that will be required are hot and cold water +taps over the edge of the lavatrina, which should also have a waste and +overflow. Having to be worked by the bather himself, the shower +arrangement should be such as shown at Fig. 17, _ante_. This will serve +all purposes, unless a douche and a needle are desired, when the +regulating valve of this appliance must be placed conveniently within +the bather's reach while standing in the bath. + +The private bather, unless he can afford to engage a bath-man, must look +upon shampooing as a _luxury_ but not a _necessity_ of the bath. Dr. W. +J. Fleming, in a lecture on the "Physiology of Turkish Baths," read +before the Glasgow Physiological Society some years back, said that the +accessories of shampooing, &c., are, despite the popular opinion to the +contrary, non-essential. A shampooing slab--which must be of marble--is +therefore not a necessary provision in any but very elaborate private +baths. + +A complete private bath must contain the _piscina_, or plunge. Unless +space and expense be no object, this cannot well be made capable of +affording a vigorous dive; but endeavours should be made to secure a +bath of such dimensions as will admit of a refreshing immersion of the +whole body. It will be constructed and fitted exactly as a small public +plunge bath. + +The frigidarium of a private bath should be as pleasant, cheerful, and +comfortable as possible. It should be a cosy place where the bather may +recline and cool, and smoke and read, or otherwise divert himself to his +heart's content. If so preferred, it might be arranged like an Eastern +divan; or it might be a simple, homely room, fitted with one or two +comfortable couches. A fireplace may here be a desirable feature, for +appearance sake, during the winter months. The room should be _really_ +ventilated--viz. well supplied with pure, fresh air, and with effective +means of withdrawing the vitiated atmosphere, since, as I have pointed +out in the chapters on public baths, the cooling process is, in its way, +as important as the heating, it being essential that the bather should +expose the whole surface of his skin to volumes of pure cool air. + +[Illustration: FIG. 25. + +DESIGN FOR A PRIVATE TURKISH BATH + +LONGITUDINAL SECTION.] + +At Fig. 25, pages 130 and 131, I give plans of a large private Turkish +bath. It is such a building as would be a most desirable and pleasing +addition to a country mansion; and considering the money prodigally +lavished over the appurtenances of the modern mansion house, it is +indeed surprising that more has not been attempted in the way of +appending a feature that is at once a talisman of health, a cure for +disease, and an untold luxury. The public bath may be a blessing, but +for comfort and luxury it cannot compare with the well-appointed private +bath. + +[Illustration: Design for a Private Turkish Bath.] + +The design I give as a suggestion, to be modified and adapted to any +style of design. The building could be connected to the house by a +corridor, or by a glazed _xystos_, either abutting on to the main wall +of house or a little detached. Off the lobby to the frigidarium are +recesses for boots and for linen. The frigidarium--about 15 ft. +square--has benches fitted up like one side of a divan, bay windows with +space for plants and flowers, lavatory and toilet-table, and an +ornamental fountain. A lobby separates this apartment from the bath +rooms, and off it are a w.c. and a towel closet, which latter could be +supplied with hot air. The combined lavatorium and tepidarium--14 ft. +square--is a domed chamber, with semicircular recesses containing the +plunge bath and lavatrina. A shampooing bench is shown. A marble dado +surrounds the walls, and marble corbels are provided to pendentives of +dome--which could be of brick or terracotta and concrete--and marble +springers to horse-shoe arches. The shower is placed over the lavatrina. +Plenty of space is left for a bench or chair in this chamber. Adjoining +is the laconicum with a firebrick furnace, after the nature of that of +which I have before given full detailed drawings. The vitiated air is +drawn through flues in the floor, to a shaft on the opposite side to the +chimney. The stokery and coke-store adjoin the laconicum. Fresh air +would be admitted to the furnace as explained in the detailed +description of the furnace illustrated at Fig. 10. If there were no +available supply of water from house, a boiler and tank could be placed +in the stokery, and a cistern on the flat roof. The flat roof, if of +iron and concrete, would form an abutment to dome. If thought desirable, +the same flat roof could be carried over the combined tepidarium and +lavatorium. An air space should be left between the masonry of dome and +covering of copper or other material. The lights should be double +glazed. With the radiating stove there is no objection to the loftiness +of the dome. This bath could be perfectly ventilated and supplied with +pure heat of a most hygienic character. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE BATH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, ETC. + + +The bath for the hydropathic establishment will generally be required in +connection with, and--what is of greater moment--_in harmony with_, +other baths, such as medicated baths, Russian or vapour baths, and the +ordinary douche, wave, spray, and needle baths, which, where the Turkish +bath is included, may often be efficiently administered with the +appliances usually provided in the shampooing and washing room. +Moreover, if the establishment include the pumilio-pine treatment, or +system of pine-therapeutics, there will be required rooms or halls for +the inhalation of dry pine and pinal vapour. The nature of the +communication between these different baths, as the medicated, Russian, +&c., and the Turkish bath, and their relative positions, must be +carefully studied. It should be compact and the various passages and +corridors as short as possible, these passages and corridors being +provided with means for maintaining them at a suitable, and uniformly +equable, temperature. This latter point we do not find so carefully +studied in hydropathic establishments as its importance would warrant. +The consequence is that, in passing backwards and forwards to and from +the different bath rooms, the delicate invalid contracts a serious +chill. + +[Illustration: FIG. 26. + +Plan of the Baths at the Hôtel Mont Dore, Bournemouth.] + +I give herewith, at Fig. 26, a plan of the baths at the Hôtel Mont Dore, +at Bournemouth, which, though not confessedly a hydropathic institution, +has yet a fine bathing establishment of the hydropathic type, as well +as complete arrangements for the administration of the pine cure. These +baths include a Turkish bath, with three hot rooms, a shampooing room, +and cooling room, connected by an anteroom with the suite of +miscellaneous bath rooms of the gentlemen's department. The latter +comprise a room for the tonic water baths, such as the needle, douche, +sitz, hip, and wave; a room or "hall" for the inhalation of pine vapour, +whilst in a bath of condensed steam; and a room for the administration +of the Mont Dore cure, consisting of the application of pulverised Mont +Dore water, or spray, to the eye, nose, or ear, as may be required, this +room being also used for the inhalation of dry pine. In addition are a +range of slipper baths, in comfortably fitted bath rooms, for the +purposes of electric and medicated baths, such as those of pine extract, +sulphur, iodine, &c., &c., and for ordinary hot and cold spring-water +and salt-water baths. In connection are arranged dressing and reposing +rooms, besides necessary subsidiary apartments. A somewhat similar suite +of rooms is arranged for ladies on the other side of the block. There is +no separate Turkish bath, however; certain days of the week are set +apart exclusively for ladies' use. The steam boilers, which supply the +steam to the vapour baths and pine-vapour baths, and the water super +heaters, as well as the hotel lift and pumping machinery, are arranged +in a basement under the stairs, anteroom, tepidarium, and shampooing +room. + +It will be seen that the compact little Turkish bath, which was arranged +under the direction of the late Mr. Charles Bartholomew, is in direct +communication with the other baths, allowing the bather to pass from the +hot rooms, or shampooing room, to medicated or pine bath, or _vice +versâ_. In designing the plan of baths of the type of those at the Mont +Dore, this intercommunication between the various baths is the point to +be most carefully studied. Direct communication is required between the +Turkish, and the Russian, bath, inhalation hall, and medicated baths, as +some methods of treatment render this an absolute necessity. + +In a small establishment the hydropathic appliances are movable, and +used in ordinary bath rooms, the Turkish bath being the only feature +requiring special design. + +A true hydropathic establishment of any size should be provided with two +Turkish baths, one for ladies and one for gentlemen, as the power and +efficiency of the treatment may depend upon the regularity and +persistency with which it is carried out. Where there is only one bath, +it has to be set apart on different days for the use of ladies and +gentlemen, and it is evident that the benefit of a course of baths may +be greatly lessened by the occasional unreadiness of the bath. Two +suites of rooms should, therefore, be provided. It may be that they will +be most economically constructed and worked if arranged side by side, so +that they may have their furnaces together, and be stoked with economy. + +Where, as in country establishments, there is plenty of room, it is +often convenient to arrange the Turkish and other baths on the ground +floor adjoining the main building, a corridor of connection being +placed, if necessary. It should be remembered, however, that invalids +have to be taken--often carried or wheeled in movable chairs--to the +baths, and allowance should therefore be made for the passage of such a +wheeled chair from the top story, by way of a lift, to the door of the +baths. + +In a large establishment, a full complement of rooms should be provided +for the Turkish bath--viz. three hot rooms, a washing and shampooing +room, and a cooling room. They will, of course, be on a small scale; but +the whole number should be provided. A plunge bath should also be added, +but in small hydropathics may be dispensed with altogether. + +For hydropathic purposes the lavatorium is generally required to have +rather more elaborate water-fittings than other baths. The needle bath +should include the ascending shower, the back shower, and the spinal +douche--a small nozzle behind the rose of the vertical shower. The +regulating appliances for these various showers, sprays, &c., should be +brought together, and conveniently placed for the attendant. A very +ingenious appliance, suitable for a hydropathic bath, is a thermometer +regulating valve, which indicates the temperature of the water being +supplied to the bather. The waters mix in a ball, into which is inserted +the bulb of a sensitive thermometer, which rises and falls as the hot or +cold handles are turned. + +If the shampooing and washing room of the Turkish bath is to be used for +the administration of the tonic water baths to other bathers besides +those taking the Turkish bath, it must be made of ample dimensions. So, +also, if the cooling room is to be used as a reposing room for other +bathers, it must be made of large size. + +Perfect ventilation is of paramount importance in baths used for the +treatment of disease. Purity of atmosphere in the hot rooms is a vital +necessity, and so also is it in the miscellaneous bath rooms of a +hydropathic establishment. + +Unreadiness is a great vice in the Turkish bath appended to these +institutions. Hot rooms beneath their proper temperature, and lukewarm +water, are unpardonable delinquencies, either in the early morning, in +the evening, or during the day. For this reason I would recommend a +furnace of fireclay, as it retains its heat for a long time, and is not +subject to the rapid changes of iron stoves. + +Much of that which I have said with respect to the hydropathic bath will +apply to the design of the bath for hospital and asylum purposes. Here, +however, efficiency is all that is required, and everything need be but +of the plainest description. The conditions and exigencies of each case +must determine the size, position, and nature of the suite of bath +rooms. All that has been said upon the subject of the design and +construction of the bath must be studied, and the principles, herein +given, applied to the peculiar circumstances. So also in regard to +Turkish baths for hotels, and for residential blocks of buildings, and +for clubs. + +There is a wide field for activity in Turkish bath building, in the +increased provision of baths in hospitals, asylums, and public and +private institutions of one kind and another; and also in hotels, +"flats," and clubs. The hydropathic establishments have long adopted +the Turkish bath as a powerful remedial and curative agent in perfect +harmony with the principles of the Water Cure. But it is only +occasionally that such provision has been made in hospitals and asylums; +and although within the last few years noticeable innovations have been +made in this respect, the subject has heretofore been greatly neglected. +Seeing, too, the immense extent to which co-operative living has +developed, and the consequent enormous increase in size of large hotels, +residential blocks, &c., I cannot but think that the builders of such +tenements could with advantage turn their attention to the supplying of +small Turkish baths for the visitors and residents. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE TURKISH BATH FOR HORSES. + + +Animals of many kinds, including horses, dogs, cows, sheep, and pigs, +have been experimented upon with regard to the bath, and with much +success. But for practical purposes all we need here consider is the +design of the bath for horses, since a bath for a horse will evidently +be suitable for a cow, and might not be wholly beneath the dignity of a +pig. It is, after all, only in connection with the training of horses +that anything of practical importance has been accomplished in this +direction. Several Turkish baths for horses have been erected in this +country in connection with hospitals for horses, attached to large +businesses, and appended to training stables. In the development of +race-horses the treatment has, according to the opinion of several +authorities, been found eminently beneficial. + +The bath must be arranged in connection, and in direct communication +with the stables. It may consist, as Fig. 27--a plan of a bath built for +the Great Northern Railway Company's hospital for horses--of a washing, +and two hot, rooms. An airy shed will do for a place for the animals to +cool, and in fine weather they will derive more benefit from being +turned out in the open. In the plan given it will be seen that the horse +is led through the washing room into the first hot room. Without +turning round, he may be led into the second hot room and thence into +the washing room again. In the hot rooms, which are heated by a +convoluted stove, are stocks, wherein, if restive, the animal can be +secured. A similar arrangement is made in the washing room, where, after +undergoing the sweating process, the horse is groomed down, an operation +that should be performed in part with an iron _strigil_, much after the +pattern of those employed upon their own bodies by the ancient Romans. + +[Illustration: FIG. 27. + +Plan of the Great Northern Railway Company's Turkish Bath for Horses.] + +These equine Turkish baths need be very inexpensive and simply +constructed, though, where it is desired to do the thing well, glazed +bricks should, for the sake of cleanliness, be used for lining the +walls. All that will be required in the washing rooms is a couple of +draw-off taps with hot and cold water, some pails, a scraper, and +wash-leather. On leaving the sudatory chamber, the horse should first be +well scraped with the scraper, carefully sponging, or dousing him, if +necessary, with warm water. Buckets of hot, tepid, and cold water should +then be thrown over him, and having been well rubbed down with the +leather, he should then be covered with a cotton sheet, and his legs +bandaged with cotton bands, the sheets, &c., being gradually removed +after an interval of about a quarter of an hour, and the animal turned +into a shed, or into the open, to cool. + +THE END. + + + + +INDEX. + + + A. + + PAGE + + Air, allowance of, in hot rooms, 81 + backflow of, 83 + circulation of, in hot rooms, 85 + expansion in heating, 82 + filters, 67 + flues for vitiated, 92 + inlets for cold, 67 + intake, position of, 68 + arrangement of, 69 + its changes in the bath, 71 + of bath, necessity for dryness of, 85 + overheated, 76 + passage of, through bath rooms, 70 + rapidity of flow of, 82 + + Apodyterium, the, 4, 13 + and frigidarium, combined, 13 + + B. + + Bath, architecture of, 105 + ascending shower, 93 + back shower, 94 + decoration of, 105 + elaborate needle, 138 + foot, 98 + materials for, 105 + Mr. Urquhart's cheap private, 120, 123 + needle, 93, 94 + position of private, 120 + preliminary shower, 97 + primary object of, 10 + public, general requirements of, 9 + shower, 92 + style of design for, 109 + subsidiary apartments of, 14 + the, in asylums, 139 + the, in hospitals, 139 + the "slipper", 127 + wave, 95 + + Baths, ancient and modern, difference between, 10 + Roman and Oriental, 2 + works on, 3 + cheap, 66 + private, 125 + complete private, 125-127 + construction of, in private houses, 123, 124 + Eastern, 110 + elaborate private, 129, 132, 133 + importance of double sets of, 137 + importance of intercommunication between various, 137 + in crowded sites, 18 + nature of private, 119 + objections to extemporised hot air, 118 + Old Roman, 110 + on one level, 18 + private, 118 + public and commercial, 6 + public, lack of, in England, 7 + supply of water for private, 128 + two classes of, 26 + ventilation of private, 122 + + Bath-rooms arranged _en suite_, advantage of, 37 + drainage of, 44 + + _Balneæ_, the Pompeian, 112 + ancient, 4 + Benches, felting for marble, 116 + + Bignor, Roman, bath at, 112 + + Boilers, 87 + + Boot-room, fittings for, 116 + + Box, Roman bath at, 112 + + + C. + + Calidarium, the, 4, 33 + floor of, 116 + + Ceilings of enamelled iron, 106 + + Checks, shelves for, 116 + + Cisterns, 87, 88 + + Cleansing process, ways of concluding, 12 + + Cold plunge, object of, 12 + + Combined cooling and dressing room, its arrangement, 54 + + Cooling and dressing rooms combined, their merits and demerits, 54 + + Cooling room, carpets for, 114 + couches in, 114 + furniture of, 113 + importance of ventilating, 57 + method, 57 + lighting of, 103 + the separate, 53 + + Cooling rooms in hydropathic establishments, 138 + fireplaces in, 23 + methods of arranging, 52 + temperature of, 53, 58 + + + D. + + Divans, construction of, 114 + + Douche, horizontal, 95 + room, the, 45 + spinal, 93 + + Drainage, importance of perfect, 44 + + Dressing and cooling rooms, 13 + + Dry atmosphere, necessity for, in bath, 4 + + + F. + + Firing, evil of bad and forced, 80 + + Floorings for cheap baths, 34 + + Flues, hot and cold air, construction of, 40 + + Foul air conduits, 71 + + Frigidarium, design of, 108 + divans in, 109 + fountain in, 101 + of private baths, 129 + the, 4, 13 + the old Roman, 57 + + Furnace, advantage of a fireclay, 75 + fireclay, for private bath, 132 + method of constructing, 74 + expansion and contraction of, 76 + + Furnaces for private baths, 121 + heating power of, 80 + with iron flues, 72 + + Furnace chamber, position of, 40 + + + G. + + Gas, objections to, in bath, 102 + + Glazed earthenware, its suitability for baths, 33 + + Good and bad baths, difference between, 82 + + Good bath, what it is, and how gained, 9 + + + H. + + Hair-dresser and chiropodist, 15 + + Hammam, the, Jermyn Street, 18 + + Hammam, the Oriental, 3 + + Heat, convected and radiant, 5, 59 + methods of applying to bather, 10, 56 + prevention of transmission of, 122 + + Heating apparatuses for private baths, 120 + screen walls to, 77 + + Heating by fireclay furnaces, 73 + iron flue-pipes, 72 + ordinary stoves, 72 + convection, objection to, 79 + steam, 77 + arrangements for, 78 + dangers attendant upon, 77 + of small baths, 73 + of the bath, its importance, 59 + by the ordinary method, 62 + on the hot-air principle, 62 + and ventilation, 59 + theory of, 69 + + High temperatures, beneficial effect of in cases of disease, 11 + necessity for, 11 + + Horses, bathing of, 142 + + "Hot-air bath," a misleading term, 5 + + Hot-air bath, the, 6 + appliances and arrangements for, 63 + + Hot air, height of delivery of, into laconicum, 40 + manner, 40 + principle, objections to, 61 + + Hot rooms, benches in, 38 + brickwork in, 107 + ceilings of, 34 + chairs and benches in, 116 + decoration of, 105 + doorways in, 38 + fireproof floors over, 35 + glazing in, 38 + height of, 39 + Indian matting in, 106 + joinery in, 37 + lighting of, 102 + materials for, 38 + objection to stepped benches in, 39 + proportional area of, 33 + position of partitions in, 37 + radiation of heat from, 35 + + Hot rooms, windows in, 35 + treatment of woodwork in, 106 + + Hydropathy and the Turkish bath, 140 + + Hydropathic establishments, the bath in, 134 + + + I. + + Invalids, consideration for, in bathing establishments, 138 + + Irish "sweating houses," old, 5, 13 + + + L. + + Laconicum, the, 4, 32 + ceiling of, 35 + floor of, 116 + + Ladies' baths, 14, 44, 111 + + Laundry, 16 + + Lavatorium, the, 4, 43 + and shampooing room, 41 + the hydropathic, 138 + of private bath, 128 + washing basins in, 43 + water fittings of, 89 + + Lavatrina, the, 119, 127 + + + M. + + Mont Dore, baths at the Hotel, 135 + cure, the, 136 + + Moorish bath, heating of the, 59 + + _Mustaby_, the Turkish, 57 + + + O. + + Obstacles to the progress of the bath, 1 + + Oriental colour decoration, 110 + + + P. + + Pay office, the, 14 + + Perspiration, object of, 11 + + Plumbing, 88, 100 + + Plunge bath, the, 46 + between hot rooms and frigidarium, 12 + chamber, lighting of, 104 + construction of, 48 + decoration of, 113 + depth of, 48 + for private baths, 129 + in hydropathic establishments, 138 + water fittings of, 99 + + Popular ignorance and the bath, 1 + + Processes of the bath, 11 + + Public Baths and Wash-houses Act, inadequacy of, 7 + + Public baths in England, unworthy of the nation, 29 + general disposition of plan of, 17 + + + R. + + Rest after bath, necessity for, 13 + + Roman baths, method of heating the old, 59 + nature of heat in old, 79 + + + S. + + Sanitary accommodation, necessity for care in providing, 15 + + Shampooer, space required by each, 43 + + Shampooing and the private bath, 128 + benches, 34, 42 + positions of bather during, 43 + value of, 12 + and washing room combined, arrangement of, 43 + room, 42 + ventilation of, 42 + lighting of, 104 + + Shower for head, 100 + preliminary warm, 44 + + So-called Turkish baths, their harmfulness, 2 + + Stokery, the, 15 + + Stoves, attributes of good, 64 + Convolute, 264 + heating power of 80 + method, of constructing, furnace chamber for, 64 + iron, 63 + objections to exposing in hot rooms, 72 + plain iron radiating 125 + radiating surfaces of, 63 + + Subsidiary apartments of the bath, 32 + + Sudatorium, best position for bathers in 38 + + Sudatory chamber, a simple, 119 + + + T. + + Tank, hot water, 87 + + Temperature, importance of maintaining 79 + of bath rooms 78 + regulating, 80 + variations in 79 + + Tepidarium, the 4, 32 + drinking fountain in, 100 + mosaic floors in, 108 + of private bath, 128 + old Roman, 39 + + _Thermæ_, old Roman, 3 + + Tonic baths 92 + + Transmission of heated air, prevention of, 36 + heat, 36 + + Treatment, course of, in the bath, 11 + + Turkish bath, association of miscellaneous hydropathic baths with + the, 134 + building, field for activity in 139 + for animals 141 + for horses 141 + Great Northern Railway Company's 141 + heating of the true 59 + the, a misnomer 5 + what it is, 4 + direction in which improvement may be made in the, 60 + + Turkish baths, Baden-Baden, 30 + Bartholomew's, Leicester Square, 25 + Bremen, 29 + Burton's, Euston Road, 27 + Camden Town, 22 + foul atmosphere of some so-called, 2, 82 + in Germany, 29 + lukewarm, 139 + Nevill's, London Bridge, 25 + Northumberland Avenue, 23 + Nuremberg, 30 + Savoy Hill, 20 + Vienna, 30 + + + V. + + Valve, thermometer regulating, 138 + + Valves and cocks, 90 + regulating, for shower bath, &c., 96 + + Ventilation, 139 + importance of, in hot rooms, 81 + in cramped sites, 69 + mechanical, 82 + + Ventilator gratings, 83 + + Ventilators, disposition of, in hot rooms, 70 + number and size of, 71 + position of, 71 + + + W. + + Washing and shampooing rooms, various ways of arranging, 41 + + Water, pressure of, 88 + + Water fittings, 87 + of private bath, 128 + value of simplicity in, 97 + + +LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND +CHARING CROSS. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Turkish Bath, by Robert Owen Allsop + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30444 *** |