Those who have studied the hygienic effects produced by the action of jets or streams on the surface of the body, urge very strongly that the impact results in stimulating the proper action of the skin. This is the opinion of most persons who have had experience with such apparatus.
The older forms of showers, which direct the water vertically upon the head of the bather, are not so desirable as those in which the out let is inclined and placed at about the level of the shoulders, thus avoiding wetting the head unless desired. Indeed, all the else ftials of a bath of this form are met by a water-supplied rubber tube discharging at about the level of the waist over a tight floor or pan provided with a drain.
Aside from the shower baths that may be provided in conjunction with a bathtub, one type of which is shown in Fig. 13, many designs are fitted to floor-pans, called receptors, usually having a curtain, as in Fig. 14, thus providing for private installations a great va riety of complete showering and spraying appointments. The re ceptors may be enameled iron, porcelain, or marble. A cement or asphalt floor, sloping to a drain, is simple and effective.
In lieu of the full curtain and regular receptor capable of pro viding six to eight inches' depth of water, and having tub-like supply and waste fittings in addition to the shower features, a shallow base of marble provided with a drain and having three marble sides, such as is shown in Fig. 15, can be provided with any pre ferred type of shower fittings. The overhead douche, already noted, set at an angle, with flexible joint for adjustment, as seen in Fig. 16, so that the body can be played on without wetting the hair, is not often fitted to private shower fix tures, as it requires considerable additional space. A rubber cap for the head enables one to use the vertical shower with a fair degree of satisfaction.
times is the case, one is apt inadvertently to scald himself by at first turning on hot water alone. The chances of injury in this way increase with elaborate combinations, if not carefully guarded against by the designers; and we should not take it for granted that they have provided such safeguards. As a rule, reliable makers do embody ample mixing chambers, thermometers, etc., in such apparatus, where necessary, and they regulate the control of hot-service valves, ar in some other way render the improper use of them unlikely.
Sitz Baths. These are primarily for bathing the hips and loins in a sitting posture, but may be fitted with special features as ordered. Porcelain and enameled iron are the usual materials. The fixtures approximate in dimensions 15 inches in height at front and 26 inches at back, and are 26 to 30 inches wide. In the back, at a proper height, in a complete fixture, like that shown in Fig. 17, is a horizontal slit commodating fittings for a "Liver Spray"—a wide wave-like spray of water, either hot, cold, or of intermediate temperature, as suits the person. In the bottom, in conjunction with the outlet, is a hot or cold douche, equally under control of the user. In the center of the douche, and operated dently, is a Bidet jet. These provisions are entirely rate from and dependent of the regular supply tings, but one waste fitting is used in common f o r all. The simple sit z bath has the regular Bell Supply a n d Waste, like those used on the bath, the dimensions ing diminished to suit. For the traordinary tures, these fittings are merely adapted in a way to give the user convenient control. For all but the simplest fixtures, the control appliances are variably fitted through the rims, the valve handles being provided with proper indices to guide the user. Bidet jets in combination with sitz-bath fittings, have to a great extent curtailed the use of separate Bidet fixtures. Bidet jets have often been added to a water-closet, but a satisfactory application cannot be made to a closet. Separate Bidet fixtures are now rare, but are furnished by fixture makers; and in isolated cases, where frequent or regular use is necessary, are preferable to any combination with a fixture used for other purposes.