For purposes of cleanliness the _warm bath_ is the most efficient, combined with the free use of soap. The chief objection to it is that it produces an increased flow of blood to the skin, by relaxing the cutaneous blood-vessels, thus increasing the danger of chills if there is subsequent exposure. The increased sensibility to cold resulting from a warm bath may be obviated by afterwards rapidly sponging the body all over with cold water, and then drying the body quickly, and using the friction of a moderately rough towel. It is desirable for both cold and warm baths to have a “bath-sheet,” in which the person may be completely enclosed on coming out of the bath. Drying is thus much more quickly accomplished, and the danger of chill is minimised. A daily morning _cold bath_ is a most important agent in the maintenance of robust health. The first sensation on entering a cold bath is of shock, due to the cooling of the surface of the body. This is followed in a few seconds by a glow, due to the blood returning with considerable force to the skin. A cold bath ought to be taken as rapidly as possible. If soaping the body is desired, it should be done before entering the bath, and the stay in the latter should be little more than momentary. In this way the best reaction or “glow” is obtained. If a feeling of cold and chilliness remains after a cold bath, it has done more harm than good. This condition may often be avoided by quick drying and brisk friction; if after this a good reaction is not obtained, the temperature of the water should be increased. For those who are not very robust, the “cold tub” in winter is to be deprecated. If the water be raised to 60° by the addition of warm water, or in some cases even to 70°, a good reaction may be obtained. In other cases, in which a reaction is not experienced even after a bath of the latter temperature, a tepid bath may be taken, and then the body rapidly sponged with colder water. Cold baths increase the tone of the skin, rendering it less susceptible to changes of temperature. The tendency to “catch cold” is diminished, the blood-vessels and nerves of the skin both responding more readily to any stimuli. _Swimming_ is a valuable combination of bathing and exercise. A sudden plunge into cold water for swimming purposes is dangerous to those who are not hardened to it, and especially so in the case of running water, as in rivers or the sea. Here the water around the swimmer is constantly being changed, and each layer of water coming in contact with him abstracts a considerable amount of heat. Many of the cases of so-called death from “cramp” are really due to the benumbing and depressing influence of continued cold on the vital organs.