On 4/28/2010 7:28 PM, ladybeanofbun...@aol.com wrote:
There is a very good reason why people did not bathe that way
until warmer weather and it had a lot to do with the simple fact
that it was too cold to do so in winter.
The 1820s advice manuals for the middle classes that I used for _The
Lady's Stratagem_ strongly advised bathing in a tub as "the principal
means of health and freshness." The routine was "once a week in all
seasons, and two or even three times in the hottest weather" (when, of
course, people sweat more). The time dictated for the bath was "at least
an hour and a half." Also advised (this is explicitly stated as an
addition to the tub bath routine) was bathing the armpits and feet every
morning and evening. A daily tub bath was advised for those who wished
to gain weight.
I grew up in an 1859 farmhouse that was virtually unaltered when my
parents bought it, and the later improvements in plumbing and heating
went through long phases of nonfunctionality. I've taken lots of winter
baths where the water was heated on the stove and poured into the tub.
The water keeps you warm, so it's not too bad, although getting out of
the tub into a drafty bathroom is uncomfortable for a few minutes.
Shower baths were considered more uncomfortable (though bracing) but
they seem to have been taken cold.
Fran
Lavolta Press
www.lavoltapress.com
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