Wash-boilers.

Washbasins.

In many respects a bath is simply a large wash-basin, with supplies, waste, trap, and overflow essentially like those of a wash-basin, but on a larger scale. The best tubs, and also the most expensive ones, are of solid earthenware, or porcelain, as it is incorrectly called; but such tubs are very heavy, and consume a great deal of hot water, on account of the chilling effect of the mass of cold material in them. Recently, however, an attempt has been made to furnish a lighter and cheaper porcelain tub, which should be a very desirable article for dwelling-houses.

Next to the solid porcelain tubs, the ones most generally preferred are those of enamelled iron. These, if well made, are beautifully clean and attractive, and are comparatively light, so that they do not burden the bath-room floor, while they do not seriously chill the hot water. The best qualities are guaranteed by the makers for three years against the chipping of the enamel. The enamelled, as well as the solid porcelain tubs, are set without wooden casings, so that there are no concealed spaces about them to harbor water-bugs.

Baths.

Many bath-tubs are, however, made of tinned copper, set in a casing either of wood or iron, and have certain advantages. Besides being somewhat cheaper than the enamelled tubs, they do not cool the water in them, and accidental contact with the sides does not chill a sensitive skin. They are also much less slippery, when wet with soapy water, than the porcelain or enamelled tubs, and are thus, perhaps, better suited to the use of old or feeble persons. They soon become shabby, however, through the wearing off of their coating of tin, and, although this does not impair their usefulness, it makes them less popular with housekeepers than the more modern varieties. In very old houses similar bath-tubs are sometimes found, lined with lead instead of copper, the lead being usually painted; and tubs of painted cast iron still linger in old hotels; but both of these have long been obsolete for new work; and the silver-lined bath-tubs of some of the New York mansions, or the Italian baths, hollowed out of a block of marble, are not likely to become popular here. Most good bath-tubs are now fitted with a standing overflow, in place of the inaccessible pipe and strainer formerly in use; and it is common to place the stand-pipe outside of the tub, communicating with it by a short pipe. A few years ago, when the inaccessible bath-overflow was discarded, its place was taken by a "standing-waste," consisting of a stand-pipe in the tub itself, which was lifted out of its socket to allow the water to run out of the tub, serving at the same time as an overflow; and, when not in use, rested on two plated brackets at the foot of the tub. This was a very clean and efficient device, and is still extensively used; but, unless the tub is a long one, the stand-pipe is in the way of the bather's feet; and, being heavy, it is liable to slip out of wet hands, and chip the enamel of the tub, or make dents in a copper lining. To get the pipe out of the way of the feet, recessed tubs were then made, similar to the recessed pantry sinks still so popular, and the standing-waste was often set permanently in place, requiring only to be turned, or lifted slightly, to allow the water to escape. This arrangement is more convenient than the plain tub and stand-pipe, but the recess requires special cleaning to remove the soapy scum which collects in it; and the outside overflow, which can be lifted out and cleaned occasionally, in connection with a plain tub, and a plug and chain waste, is generally satisfactory.

Bath-overflows.

For supplying bath-tubs plain and combination cocks in great variety are sold, with and without ring-cups, soap-cups, and shampoo and shower attachments; but, for dwelling-houses, separate hot and cold water supplies are usually most desirable. In hotels, where the hot and cold water are under the same pressure, combination bath-cocks answer very well; but the system of heating water in private houses is totally different from that used in hotels, the hot water being usually under much lower pressure than the cold water, and the result of this is that the cold water forces its way first out of a combination-cock, pushing back the hot water, so that a mixture of agreeable temperature can only be obtained in the tub by drawing hot and cold water alternately; and, in using a shower or shampoo attachment, the trouble is intensified. In permanent shower-baths, which are rapidly becoming popular for private houses, this difficulty is avoided, to some degree, by providing a reservoir overhead, in which the hot and cold water can mix before escaping, a "mixing-ball " being often added to facilitate the process.

Besides the shower, needle-baths, in which the bather stands in the centre of sets of perforated pipes forming nearly a circle around him, are often used; but with these, as with the shower, the result is likely to be disappointing unless the pressure of the hot and cold water can be equalized by means similar to those employed in hotels and public baths.

Bath-supplies.

Shower-baths.

Needle-baths.

The last important plumbing appliance remaining to be described is the water-closet, the most unsatisfactory and dangerous of all if improperly made or set, or badly managed. As the pan-closets, the valve-closets of the Hellyer type, and the plunger-closets of the Jennings, Demarest, and other varieties are no longer in the market, and are found only in old houses, it is unnecessary to say much about them. The pan-closet, with its huge receiver full of filth under the pan, is incurably bad, and, where found in an old house, should be immediately replaced by something better. The valve-closets, if well put in, are practically safe as long as the valve remains tight; and the plunger-closets can be kept in safe condition by lifting out the plunger frequently, and cleaning it and the plunger chamber. Where, however, any of these old-fashioned closets become so worn that the water is not held in the basin, they should be discarded, and something more modern set in place of them.