HOT SALT BATHS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8560, 24 October 1913, Page 8

HOT SALT BATHS

LATEST IMPROVEMENT AT LYALR BAT. A party of pressmen yesterday visited Mr C. J. Clark's hot salt water bathhouse at Lvall Bay, and were shown over* the establishment by the proprietor. The first thing which cam© under their notice was the machinery plant used for heating the water by gas. The feature of this apparatus is an automatic mercury valve. By turning the water on in the bath the pressure of the water forces down the mercury and allows the main flow of gas to ignite from two pilot* which are Always kept alight. The bum* in" gas heats the water, which is kept in two cylinders made of specially prepared metal. In the present case tney were made by the Wellington Gas Company, who have done the work exceedingly well. By means of this appliance the temperature can be raised or lowered to suit the convenience of the user. The water is generally kept ten degree* above boiling point, and the temperature is broken down by cold taps in the baths. The boilers can be washed out with hot fresh water at any time. This machine is capable of bringing the water to boiling point in three minutes' time at any hour of the day or night. There are six hot salt water bathrooms in the establishment. The floor of each room is laid down in No u chat el asphalt, and the baths themselves are made of Doulton ware. To these baths are fitted taps—hot and cold salt water taps, and hot and cold fresh water taps* There is also a fresh water shower con. nectod with every bath. The rooms ara kent in a thoroughly sanitary state and are washed out with Jeyee’ fluid every morning. For the convenience of those who wish to have hot fresh water bathe a single plant which feeds two roome has been installed in the other side oi the building. Each room is peven feel long by six feet broad by 10 feet high,, Every room is well ventilated. Visitors are allowed the freedom of the establishment. There is a lounge replete with easy chairs, sofas, etc.; a sitting room, and a verandah where a simple tea on health-food lines can be obtained. The food is all cooked in a kitchen on the premises, by a skilled nurse who pie. sides over the establishment. From the windows of this verandah one can jutting out to a rock, the two hundred and fifty feet of pipe through which the water is pumped up. At the end of this pipe is a concrete septic tank which clarifies the water before it is used. Under the building it stowed the little 21 h.p. gas engine fitted with a centrifugal pump which does the work of pumping the sea water to a 600gallon tank, perched on a stand fourteen feet from the ground. This tank holds about 25 bathfuls and is filled twice dailv. Being brought straight in from the ocean the water is absolutely pure when it has passed through the septic There is now a plunge bath in the course of construction in front of the building. The dimensions of this wil! be SO feet by 20 feet, with a depth of four feet. This bath will be either tepid or cold, according to the weather, and will be filled and emptied by tbe tide. At tbe side of this bath is to lie a turfcovered area for sun-bathing . The house is situated on a. section feeing the Queen’s drive and the ocean beach, and in the nesr future tramc will stop almost at the door.