Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/407

 BATH 387 and swollen, the face is turgid, the eyes are injected ; the action of the heart is increased, the pulse becomes fuller and more frequent, the carotid arteries in particular beat with vio- lence ; the breathing is oppressed, and there is a painful sensation of weight about the head ; soon the parts not covered by the water break out into a profuse perspiration, which only partially relieves the discomfort of the patient. On leaving the bath the excitement does not immediately subside ; the pulse continues to beat with force and frequency, the extremities, particularly the lower, remain swollen, and the patient perspires abundantly, while the secre- tion of urine is diminished ; there is a sense of muscular fatigue, and the whole system is re- laxed and weakened. These symptoms, how- ever, when present, are to be attributed to a too sudden or too long continued action of the hot bath. The best mode of obtaining its bene- ficial effects, in ordinary cases, is to begin with water at the temperature of the tepid bath, and gradually raise it to that of the hot bath. When the full effect of this is produced, and before any signs of exhaustion manifest them- selves, the bather should leave the hot water and take a momentary shower or douche of cold water, to be followed immediately by rub- bing with the towel. In healthy persons this will usually produce a moderate and agreeable reaction. The continued warm or hot bath, however, is sometimes employed intentionally to produce temporary muscular relaxation in cases of dislocation or strangulated hernia. Besides the cold and warm water bath, the body may be exposed to the action of air arti- ficially heated or to the vapor of boiling water. The former, the laconicum, was habitually em- ployed by the Romans and is now used by the Turks and the Egyptians, and the latter by the Russians. The effects of both, when the tem- perature is much elevated, are at first highly stimulating. The beat of the heart is increased in force and frequency ; the pulse rises to 90, 100, 120, and even 150 or 160 beats in a min- ute ; the blood is driven powerfully to the sur- face, the face becomes flushed, the eyes injected and suffused, the skin turgid, and the bather soon breaks out into a profuse sweat ; if the temperature is very high and too long contin- ued, after a time the whole mass of the blood becomes heated above its normal standard, and this may be attended with dangerous or fatal consequences. Owing to the free evaporation from the surface, the hot-air bath can be borne of a much higher temperature than the vapor bath. The ordinary heat of the Russian or oriental bagnio is from 120 to 140 F., though it is occasionally raised as high as 180 or 190 ; while, when the air is moderately dry, a temperature of from 250 to 280 F. has been borne for some time with impunity. Medicated baths are used in the treatment of diseases, generally those of a chronic charac- ter, and may be either liquid or vapor baths, the vehicle being water, watery vapor, or air. lying among the Alleghanies and bordering on West Virginia; area, 725 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 3,795, of whom 889 were colored. The surface is hilly, and well watered by the sources of the James, Cowpasture, and Jackson rivers. The soil is very fertile in the valleys. There are many medicinal springs. The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad traverses the county. The chief productions in 1870 were 30,098 bushels of wheat, 49,252 of Indian corn, 23,552 of oats, and 2,790 tons of hay. There were 1,081 horses, 1,357 milch cows, 3,534 other cattle, 3,029 sheep, and 2,380 swine. Capital, Warm Springs. II. A N. E. county of Kentucky, watered by Licking river and Slate creek; area, 290 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 10,125, of whom 1,702 were colored. The N. W. portion is re- markably fertile. Coal and iron are found in great abundance, and there are numerous me- dicinal springs. The chief productions in 1870 were 46,113 bushels of wheat, 23,092 of rye, 860,631 of Indian corn, 108,945 of oats, 2,175 tons of hay, and 25,480 Ibs. of wool. There were 4,178 horses, 2,199 mules and asses, 2,879 milch cows, 7,209 other cattle, 8,343 sheep, and 22,405 swine. Capital, Owingsville. BATH, a city, port of entry, and the capital of Sagadahock co., Maine, situated on the W. bank of the Kennebec river, 4 m. below its junction with the Androscoggin at Merrymeet- ing bay, 12 m. from the ocean, and 35 m. by rail S. of Augusta; pop. in 1860, 8,076; in 1870, 7,371. The river here is a mile wide, with abundant anchorage and docks, the tide ris- ing about 12 ft. The city extends 2 m. along the bank, and 1 m. back. It is irregularly laid out, contains 5 national banks, 2 savings banks, 2 Congregational churches, 1 Baptist, 2 Freewill Baptist, 2 Methodist, 1 Universal- ist, 1 Episcopal, 1 Roman Catholic, and 1 Swe- denborgian. There are 19 public schools, at- tended by 1,795 pupils. The valuation of property in 1860 was $5,876,993, and in 1870, $6,393,876. One daily and one weekly news- paper are published. The principal business' is ship building, in which Bath ranks next after New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. During the year ending June 30, 1871, there were built here 48 vessels, of 9,825 tons. A large number of vessels engaged in commerce in all parts of the world are owned in Bath. The number of vessels registered, enrolled, and licensed in 1871 was 195, with an aggregate tonnage of 81,951. As the river never freezes here and is of great depth, Bath has great advantages as a commercial port. During the year ending June 30, 1871, the imports amounted to $182,512, and the exports to $24,985 ; 4 American vessels of 2,691 and 27 foreign vessels of 1,864 tons entered from for- eign ports; the clearances for foreign ports were 12 American vessels, tonnage 4,777, and 27 foreign vessels, tonnage 2,435. The entrances in the coastwise trade were 70, with an aggre- gate tonnage of 42,232, and the clearances 52, of