Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/221

Rh naked on a bench, and continue there, notwithstanding a profuse perspiration, sometimes for two hours, occasionally pouring hot water over their bodies: thus some, with a view to promote perspiration, and completely to open the pores, are first rubbed, and then gently flagellated with leafy branches of birch; while others wash their bodies with warm or cold water; and all of them at length plunge over head in a large tub of water. Many, however, rush out almost dissolved in sweat; and either throw themselves immediately from the bath-room into the adjoining river, or, in winter, roll themselves in snow during the most piercing cold, without suffering any inconvenience, and probably with advantage; for we understand that rheumatisms are scarcely known in Russia; and there is great reason to attribute this exemption to the use of the vapour-bath. Indeed, they differ from all the balnea of antiquity, as well as from those of the modern Orientals, in the circumstance of not being dry sweating-baths; whence their peculiar excellence in many cases where hot water-baths would be inefficacious, or even hurtful. By exciting an unusual degree of perspiration, they promote cleanliness, while they render the skin soft and smooth: hence, again, they cannot be compared to the voluptuous baths of the Greeks and Romans; because all the consequences of effeminacy and luxury are here completely obviated. From the prejudices imbibed during a soft and effeminate education, this sudden transition from heat to intense cold, appears to us unnatural and dangerous; but it certainly hardens the body of the Russian, and enables him to brave all the vicissitudes of the weather, and all the severities of his climate.

To conclude this interesting subject, we shall avail ourselves of a few additional observations, extracted from a late work of acknowledged merit, entitled, "A View of the Russian Empire, &c." (in three vols. 8vo. London, 1799, price 1l. 7s. boards), by the Rev. W., who resided many years in that country; and to whose sentiments we cordially subscribe.

"It is not to be doubted that the Russians owe their longevity, their robust state of health, their little disposition to certain mortal diseases, and their happy and chearful temper, mostly to these baths; though climate, aliment, and habits of living, likewise contribute their share.—The great lord chancellor, and other sagacious observers of nature and of mankind, have lamented, and certainly not without cause, that this bathing has fallen into disuse among the modern nations of Europe, and justly wish the practice back again in all our towns and villages. In fact, when we consider that the old physicians so early introduced into their practice this remedy of Nature's own invention, and employed it with such great success; when we recollect that Rome, for five hundred years together, had no physicians, but only baths, and that to this day a multitude of nations cure almost all their maladies merely by baths; we cannot avoid regarding the dismission of them as the epocha of a grand revolution which has been wrought in the physical state of the human race, in our quarter of the world.

"The natural perspiration, the most important of all excretions, must naturally go on better in a