BATHS AND WASHHOUSES. The practice of bathing is one which is too much neglected in this country. In the east, andat Rome in ancient times, the arrangements for bathing show much completeness. Some of the finest buildings at Rome were Baths. There were sixteen public baths at Rome in the time of Augustus, besides many sump tuous private baths ; the public baths named after or by Agrippa, Nero, Titus, Domitian, Caraealla, and Diocletian, have acquired quite a European celebrity for their vastness and splendour.
In England domestic bathing is far too little practised. As metal-work becomes cheapened, the means of so doing are placed more and more within reach of the middle class. The shower-bath, especially, is becoming more and more efficient and economical. One form, recently introduced, is a kind of funnel turned upside clown, with a colander or per forated plate p•need over the open surface of the funnel; the small end is held in the hand; and as long as that exit is closed so as to pre vent the admission of air, no water can flow from the colander ; but as soon as the small end is opened, water flows through the perfo rations. The bather therefore keeps his finger on the small end of the machine until ready for the flow of water. Another bath has been more recently introduced, in which there arc two holes stopped by the two thumbs at the lower part of the apparatus ; it is more convenient than the other, inasmuch that the hand has not to be held so high above the head.
An ingenious improvement on the common shover-bath was made in 1844 by Messrs. Lewis, who registered their invention. It coasists in making the water flow out at various heights and in various directions; and it is designated by its inventors by the some what learned name of omni-directire. Water is in the first instance poured into a reservoir at the bottom, whence a small band-pump forces it to a reservoir at the top. From this upper reservoir it is made to descend in a great variety of ways. By pulling one parti cular string, the water descends perpendicu larly, as in the common shower-bath. By pulling another string, it descends along five tubes which extend the whole height of the bath, round the outer circumference ; and as these tubes have small orifices on the side next the bather, he can have a number of little streams pouring upon him from all di rections. By moving one or more slides, he
can close any number of these orifices in the tubes so as to limit the streams of water to particular directions. By turning a handle, and holding a small leathern pipe in the hand, the bather can discharge a more copious stream in any required direction ; mid by moving another handle at the bottom of the bath, he can obtain an upward stream. The apparatus is somewhat complex ; but it cer tainly is omni-directive.' The public baths in England are very few in number; and being also too high-charged to meet the wants of the operative classes, a happy suggestion was made to combine cheap public baths with public laundries. It was in 1844 that an association was formed in Lon don, for Promoting cleanliness amongst the Poor ; ' and this association has been the fore runner of an amount of good which can hardly be calculated. At first it was a charitable undertaking, supported by the benevolent ; then it was regarded as a commercial under taking, planned so as to support itself; and at last it has assumed the form of a corporate undertaking, supported by parish or borough funds. All three varieties do, indeed, exist at the present time ; but it is the last of the three which will probably be developed to the greatest extent. Public washhouses and laundries were formed in Glasshouse Yard, in Whitechapel, and in George Street, Hamp stead Road ; and these having been found very advantageous, an Act of Parliament was passed in 1840 empowering parishes and boroughs to construct baths and washhouses, under certain regulations. Few recent sta tutes have worked so much good, silently and unostentatiously. Baths and washhouses have been formed, and are now being formed, not only in various parts of the metropolis, but in most of the populous towns in England.
In the George Street Baths, in the six months from March to September, 1850, there were 63,000 persons who used the baths, and 36,000 who used the washhouses.
It is gratifying to learn that the-French Na tional Assembly has just voted 600,000 francs for tho establishment ofBaths andWashhouses.