Bath, Air

Syn. Bal′neum pneumat′icum , L.:— a. (Cold.) Simple exposure of the body, in a state of nudity, for a short time to the atmosphere. Tonic, anodyne, and sedative; in febrile excitement, nervous irritability, and restle ne accompanied by a quick or full pulse, . Safe and often very effective. It will frequently induce sleep when all other means fail. b. (Hot:— A a , A. sud a′tio , L.) An apartment to which dry heated air is admitted. Sometimes the arrangement is such that the air is not inhaled. Stimulant; sudorific; more so than even the vapour bath; produces copious perspiration, being, indeed, the most powerful and certain diaphoretic known. It has been advantageously employed in cholera (for which its advocates state that it is almost a specific), congestive fevers, chronic rheumatism, contractions, stiff joints, paralysis, scaly skin-diseases, dropsical swellings, and most of the cases in which the vapour bath is usually employed. The temperatures are—as a sudorific, 85° to 105° Fahr.; as a stimulant, 100° to 130°. When not inhaled it may be often raised, with advantage, 15° to 25° higher. See Bath, Turkish . c. (Compre ed.) Recommended, by M. Tarberie, in aphonia, . It has recently been employed in asthma, phthisis, and some other like diseases, with extraordinary succe , at Ben Rhydding. d. (Rarefied.) Applied locally. Revulsive; resembles CUPPING, DRY (which see ).