Page:The physical training of children (IA 39002011126464.med.yale.edu).pdf/296

 the water, or, if he have not the courage to do so, by plunging his head without loss of time completely under the water. He should remain in the water about a quarter of an hour, but never longer than half an hour. Many bathers by remaining a long time in the water do themselves great injury. If sea bathing be found to be invigorating—and how often to the delicate it has proved to be truly magical—a patient may bathe once every day, but on no account oftener. If he be not strong, he had better, at first, bathe only every other day, or even only twice a week. The bather, after leaving the machine, ought, for half an hour, to take a brisk walk in order to promote a reaction, and thus to cause a free circulation of the blood. 306. Do you think a tepid bath may be more safely used?

A tepid bath may be taken at almost any time; and a bather may remain longer in one, with safety, than in a cold bath. A tepid bath from 62 to 96 degrees of Fahrenheit.

307. Do you approve of warm bathing?

A warm bath may, with advantage, be occasionally used—say once a week. A warm bath from 97 to 100 degrees of Fahrenheit. A warm bath cleanses the skin more effectually than either a cold or a tepid bath; but, as it is more relaxing, ought not to be employed so often as either of them. A person should not continue longer than ten minutes in a warm bath. Once a week, as a rule, is quite often enough for a warm bath; and it would be an excellent plan if every boy and girl and adult would make a practice of having one regularly every week, unless any special reason should arise to forbid its use. 308. But does not warm bathing, by relaxing the pores of the skin, cause a person to catch cold if he expose himself to the air immediately afterward?

There is, on this point, a great deal of misconception