3 December 1925: There has been a revival in the practice of indulging in mud baths as an aid to beauty and as a curative treatment for various ailments
T
here has recently been a marked revival in the practice of indulging in mud baths as an aid to beauty and as a curative treatment for various ailments. Mud baths are specially effective for rheumatism, sciatica, lumbago, and gout, and even where a person does not suffer from any of these troubles the mud bath has its advantages, for there is nothing like it for ensuring clearness of the skin and giving a general tonic to the whole body. It is becoming increasingly popular with women who are interested in the most effective beauty culture. The mud bath of the beauty experts is really a peat bath. Much of the peat used comes from the area around Goole in Yorkshire, and many tons are dispatched weekly to the centres where such baths are provided.
The taking of a mud bath is an acquired art. To attempt to jump in as one does sometimes when entering an ordinary swimming bath would be as foolish as to try and dive in. The bather steps gently into the peat mixture and forces the body into the mud until only the head stands clear. There he or she must remain for 20 minutes. Contrary to expectations the mud bath is not unpleasant. The muddy mixture gives a warm sensation. After 20 minutes immersion the bather scrambles out leaving as much of the mud as possible in the bath, and proceeds to a warm shower, which soon clears off the remainder of the peaty paste. Then, wrapped in heated towels, the body all aglow with reinvigorated life, the bather rests upon a couch.
