Turkish Baths

ITS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. 79
25o-26o in the hottest part of the laconicum, taking
the readings of the thermometer at a level of 6 ft. 6 in.
above floor-line. Between the entrance of the heated
air and its point of furthest travel in the shampooing
rooms, the bather should be able to select any temperature
that may be most agreeable to him, and as many
find by experience that a certain degree
of heat is best
suited to themselves, it shows attention to the habituts
of the bath, if the hot rooms are
carefully maintained at
the same uniform temperatures throughout the year.
This may be Iio-I2o in the shampooing rooms, 140
in the tepidariurn, 180 in the calidarium. and 250 in
the laconicum. These must be the maxima of the
average temperatures
of each room at 6 ft. 6 in. above
the floor. In a pure atmosphere the highest temperatures
are comfortable, but in a foul one they become
insupportable.
In a good bath, where there is a rapid and continuous
flow of air, there will be comparatively little difference
between the temperature at say 4 ft., 6 ft., and 8 ft.
above the floor. In badly-ventilated rooms, where the
air stagnates,
there will be a considerable difference.
And here we may note a serious objection to the heating
of a bath by convection ;
for while the head may be in
a high degree of heat the feet are in comparatively
cool air, whereas, if possible, it should be just the
reverse.
In convected heat, this of course applies in its
entirety, as where so-called radiant heat is
employed the
evil is not quite so marked. And here, too, we may note
the admirable nature of the Roman system of heating,
where the floors radiated the majority of the heat, and