BATHS WITH UTILE WATER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11716, 5 June 1916, Page 4

BATHS WITH UTILE WATER.

HOW THE SAILOR MANAGES.

" I wonder," *aid the old sailor, if anyone has thought of telling those bovs in the trenches how to keep clean Shout having a bath. When I was at sea serving my time on a sailing shin• I have gone for three weeks without having one. Of course when my mates and I told that ashore we were called dirty wretches, but we were as clean aV could be, though in the appmrtices' berth wo had only a bucket of water to last us for the week. "What we did was to dip the end of a towel or cloth* into the bucket, sponging ourselves all over witft it. We used no soap, tor that would have left us sticky, unless followed by a good sluicing of fresh water.. After tho sponging we would stand whero there was a bit of a. breeze, and with a rou"h towel we would rub ourselves vigorously all over till the skin tingled. Of course, is bocu as rani came we were able to have a ba.tn lii ihe ordinarv way, though I doubt wnetner wo were anv cleaner than after the dry bath. Sea-water baths could not bo' taken because the c. mount of salt in mid-ocean was likely to induce dryness and irritation of '.ho >.<fi. <• Sailormen."' lie c-nriKs;;. " are as olean clean, and tiwrv- tine_ way +h »• man:;<"2 it. (~v-. •'<■ l-.rw.lior hi tlio trenfftfls? " Well thou, toll him from mo how to lave a bath widiout water. Tlu> method, Though a simple cm-?. uiav not be known U) m-M'.y or •:]•..;- i :! <£ ;j at "the front, and the suj : .--.-o:; :i.ay bo found welcome when >vi write to vour fighting son or l>mvhe:, u mit would not come ami-" :<" ■> '■ cncotuitnut of tho inl'ormiitior. is a . p: v<;.:o. lor wrt,i it; help two or throe lacu eould man•wo with a mhiiinuin supply of water. A" sponge is light enough to tuck aw.-iy with the other comforts you an; sending, and though under troucl. conditions it would probably have to be discarded after the second <hy. it would have sufficiently served the purpose for which it had been intended. Inciia-rubber sponges are dearer (they cost about Is 6d each), but they would last longer, not becoming oirensive as soon as the natural sponge uoes when not dried in the sun.