MARUSIN'S STORY Uncle Kolya led us on his own path - straight to the village of Lyady. We walked first through a field, then through a forest. Either along the path, or along the cart road. They walked slowly, because at first the cow shook her head and became stubborn. Then nothing, they went their separate ways. We hardly spoke. Only occasionally

Russian baths have haunted foreigners for a long time. So what are the Russians doing there anyway? Are they washing themselves or are they being promiscuous? And what does such simplicity of morals contribute to: the corruption of the people or, on the contrary, their chastity? Opinions were divided.

Casanova, the world-famous conqueror of women, whose name has become a household name, spoke as follows.
“On Saturdays I went with her (with my mistress - K-K) to the Russian baths in order to wash in the company of about 40 other people, men and women, completely naked, who did not look at anyone and believed that no one was looking at them. Such shamelessness stemmed from purity of morals.”
G. Casanova “Memories”

J. Delabart View of the Silver Baths in Moscow (or “Silver Baths on the Bank of the Yauza River with a depiction of the Russian wedding ceremony”) 1796. Russian Museum.

Venezuelan Francisco de Miranda, who visited Russia in 1786-1787, seems to have been less than delighted with what he saw and was shocked by what was happening. Although, judging by the frequent mention of trips to ladies of easy virtue in his memoirs, the traveler did not suffer from particular chastity.
"From there we went to the Big Baths, men's and women's, on the Moscow River. We first went into the men's baths, where we saw a great many naked people splashing in the water without any embarrassment. Through the door in the plank partition we proceeded to female part, where completely naked women walked around, walked from the dressing room to the steam room or to the yard, soaped themselves, etc. We watched them for more than an hour, and they continued their manipulations as if nothing had happened, spreading their legs, washing their private parts, etc. ...

In the end, having passed through a crowd of naked women, none of whom thought to cover themselves, I went out into the street and walked to another entrance to the same bathhouse, from where everything was clearly visible, and then I went inside again, and the bathhouse attendants who were charging fee at the entrance, they didn’t even think to stop me. The bodies of pregnant women resembled a shapeless mass due to their huge bellies. Truly, looking at all these naked women, of all ages and with the most varied forms, I could not find in them much resemblance to the “Venus” from the Medici collection... There are more than 2 thousand visitors to this bathhouse, mainly on Saturdays, and from each one takes only two kopecks; however, I was assured that the owner receives a large income. From there we went outside and proceeded to the river to look at the women who, after the bath, go there to swim. There were a lot of them, and they went down to the water without the slightest shame. And those who were on the shore and still washing themselves shouted to us in Russian: “Look, look, but don’t come closer!” Men and women bathe there almost mixed together, because, apart from a pole, nothing separates them in the river... In the villages, the custom of men and women bathing together is still preserved, and the current empress was the first to ensure that decency was observed and bathing was separate . "

Engraving by Eichler after a painting by Delabart. 1799.

Our compatriot A.N. Radishchev also contributed his two cents.
“Baths have been and are now places of love celebrations. The traveler, having agreed on his stay with a helpful old woman or
a guy, stands in the yard, where he intends to make a sacrifice to the universally adored Lada. Night has come. The bathhouse is already ready for him. The traveler undresses, goes to the bathhouse, where he is met either by the hostess, if she is young, or by her daughter, or by her in-laws, or by neighbors. They wipe off his tired limbs; wash away his dirt. They do this by taking off their clothes, kindling a lustful fire in him, and he spends the night here, losing money, health and time precious for travel. It used to be said that these lustful monsters would put to death a traveler who had made a mistake and was weighed down by his love affairs and wine, in order to take advantage of his estate. I don’t know if this is true, but it is true that the impudence of the Valdai girls has decreased. And although they will not refuse to satisfy the wishes of the traveler, the former impudence is not visible in them.”

C. Masson also expressed his opinion on this matter.
“Although Russian baths have been described many times, I still consider it worthwhile to talk about them here, since they greatly influence the character and morals of women from the common people. Having arrived in Russia, I decided to personally check the idea that I had formed based on the stories of travelers and which I did not really trust... So, one day with one of my friends I went to the bank of the Nevka to the public baths; I didn’t have to go far to see that Russian beauties are accustomed to flaunting their charms in front of passers-by. A crowd of women of all ages, attracted by the June heat, did not even consider it necessary to go into the enclosure of the bathhouse. Having undressed on the shore, they immediately swam and frolicked...

Since then, I have been to the baths many times and seen the same thing as on the shores of the Neva islands. But after the picture sketched above, greater details would be too obscene. True, the chaste Catherine issued a decree ordering the entrepreneurs of public baths to build them for both sexes separately and to allow into the women's baths only those men who are necessary for their maintenance, and even artists and doctors who come there to study their art; To get there, hunters simply assign themselves one of these titles. So, in St. Petersburg, baths and baths are separated for both sexes by a partition, but many old women always prefer to interfere with the crowd of men; and besides, after washing in the bathhouse, both men and women run out naked and run together to take a dip in the river flowing behind the bathhouse. Here the most chaste women cover themselves with a birch broom, which they used to steam in the bathhouse. When a man wants to wash himself separately, he is often washed and bathed by a woman: she performs these duties carefully and with complete indifference. In the village, the structure of the baths is ancient, that is, there all sexes and ages wash together, and a family consisting of a forty-year-old father, a thirty-five-year-old mother, a twenty-year-old son and a fifteen-year-old daughter goes to the bathhouse, and its members mutually wash and steam each other in the state of innocence of the former people.

These customs not only seem offensive to us, but they are actually offensive to a non-savage people who already wear clothes, but, in essence, they are not at all the result of depravity and do not indicate debauchery. I will say more, it is not these baths that drive people to debauchery; on the contrary, they are undoubtedly very useful for them. The heart of a Russian young man does not tremble and his blood does not boil at the thought of developing breasts. He has no reason to sigh about secret, unknown delights - he has already seen everything since childhood and knows everything. A young Russian girl never blushes from curiosity or from an immodest thought; she never learns anything new for herself from her husband...”

P.S. The post reflects the state of affairs during the time of Catherine II.

The benefits of the bath for representatives of the fair half of humanity have been proven not only by centuries-old tradition, but also by the findings of scientists. But in order to achieve maximum success from this procedure, you should know why it is needed and how to carry it out correctly.

The beauty of the Russian bath is that, thanks to its special ritual, it has a gentle effect on the body. Thus, it is in a Russian bathhouse, where the temperature, as a rule, should not rise above 80 degrees, and the humidity is 100%, that it is theoretically impossible to thermally damage both the skin and delicate respiratory organs. However, there are truly feminine advantages of the Russian bathhouse.

What are the benefits of a bath for female body? The first and main thing is gynecological health, or, more precisely, the prevention of colds of the reproductive system.

The second significant factor justifying the benefits of the bath for the health of a beautiful lady is the strengthening of blood vessels and, of course, the cardiac system.

The third, although in most cases it is listed first, is the cosmetic factor. After a single visit to a Russian bathhouse, the skin is noticeably transformed, and subsequent visits, subject to the correct procedure in the steam room and after it, will result in slow, steady weight loss.

And last but not least, the fourth factor is a calming effect on the psychosomatic system. Even simple relaxation on a shelf in a steam room guarantees the same effect that sedative pharmaceuticals can provide, with the only exception that the bath, provided that the procedures in it are carried out correctly, have no side effects.

How is maximum benefit achieved for a woman’s body?

In order for the bathhouse to bring only benefits, before visiting it you should visit your doctor in order to exclude the following contraindications:

• pressure anomalies, especially high pressure - with them, a trip to the bathhouse can turn into best case scenario fainting;

• presence of heart disease;

• detection or treatment of gynecological diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases;

• the presence of tumors of any type;

• viral diseases of the respiratory system in the nascent or peak stage. Here a remark should be made that the Russian bath, the health benefits of which have been proven in terms of an additional method of treating ARVI, is allowed only in the recovery stage and only under the supervision of a doctor.

If the supervising doctor has approved a visit to the bathhouse, you should first purchase a personal set of things. These include a bathrobe, a towel, a fabric cap, rubber slippers and a rug, your own broom and tub for soaking it, and massage brushes. Of course, this kit can be provided in the bathhouse, but to obtain maximum benefits for women’s health, it is better to purchase your own kit.

The procedure itself is as follows. Before starting bath manipulations, you should take a warm shower. After which the beautiful lady can allow herself to go into a warm dressing room heated to 40 degrees for 5 minutes. Then, in 8-minute visits, they visit the main room with a temperature of about 80 degrees. Then you can carry out a massage procedure with a broom or simply steam yourself. Finally, you should take a cool shower and be sure to drink natural, unreconstituted juices or warm green tea.

After the procedure, the result is almost immediately noticeable, which is guaranteed by defenders of the theory about the benefits of the bath: the skin texture is evened out, and it itself takes on a healthier appearance, tension in the muscles is relieved, and the body silhouette itself looks much more attractive than before the procedure. And your mood improves significantly, which is an excellent treatment for the effects of stress.

Read also: How to protect your eyes in a solarium?

About the benefits of saunas for weight loss

Particularly ardent supporters of the bathhouse as an excellent means of losing weight claim that just one trip can ensure the loss of almost two kilograms. The statement is controversial, because weight loss in in this case occurs due to partial dehydration of the body, which means that the lost kilograms will return in the coming days.

But in order to get a stable, albeit very slow result, you should be patient and visit the bathhouse regularly. Why do this? There are plenty of reasons. It’s worth starting with the fact that while in the steam room, harmful pollutants are removed from the pores along with sweat, and, consequently, the skin begins to receive more oxygen. The latter, entering the bloodstream, ensures active blood circulation, and, therefore, activation of all body systems, including metabolism. As a result, a one-time visit to a Russian bathhouse can replace one visit to the gym, at least that’s what scientists say.

As you can see, the benefits of a bath for women in terms of weight loss are quite significant. It’s just worth mentioning that it is not recommended to use additionally folk remedies to “dry” the body, as is often done in women’s communities. Yes, the result in this case will be the loss of not a kilogram or two, but much more. But is it worth it if at the same time vital organs are simultaneously deprived of most of the fluid necessary for their activity?

In very ancient times, baths were heated " in black", i.e. they did not have a chimney. In later times, baths " in black" were replaced by baths with a stove-heater, by the so-called baths " in white" If the heat source in the bathhouse " in black"there was a fireplace located directly in the steam room, and steam was obtained by pouring water on the hot stones of the hearth, then in the bathhouse" in white“The source of heat was a stove-heater, which was loaded with firewood from another room and had a chimney. Only the heating surface of the stove went into the steam compartment, onto which a pile of cobblestones was piled for better heat transfer and steam formation (hence the name - heater stove). By pouring water on the hot stones, steam was generated. Smoke, soot, carbon monoxide, and ash did not enter the steam room. Baths " in black" were gradually replaced by more improved bathhouses with a stove-stove, although in some areas " in black» steamed up late XIX century. Some wealthy peasants installed two bathhouses: one, heated " in black", away from housing, the other - " white" - in the courtyard .

Nowhere without a bathhouse

Since ancient times, not a single celebration in Rus' was complete without a bathhouse. On the eve of the wedding, after matinee", the bride invited her friends to go with her to " frying the bathhouse", which was already flooded. The groom and his groomsmen also took a steam bath before the wedding. The newlyweds also went to the bathhouse the day after the wedding - that was the ritual. In their future life together, in order to ensure that there was no disharmony in the marriage, the spouses were obliged to take a steam bath in the bathhouse before going to bed together.

It was the custom of the Russian people to treat guests not only with abundant food, but also with a good steam room." bathhouse" Professor P. I. Strakhov notes that Russian tsars, when meeting foreign ambassadors and guests, first invited them to the bathhouse.

In doctoral dissertation V. V. Godlevsky It has been shown that a steam bath is an indispensable hygienic means for people to maintain cleanliness of the body, and for a number of diseases “ a bath can achieve better results than other therapeutic means» .

Hardening through the alternate use of hot water and steam, cold water and even snow, a kind of massage using a broom, treatment of a number of diseases in the bathhouse, in particular through increased sweating - these and many other features of the Russian bathhouse characterize it as a powerful remedy physiological effects on the human body. To enhance sweating in Rus', the following technique has long been used: in a steam room, the body was rubbed with one of the following substances - salt, beer, milk, honey, grated radish, tar, turpentine, pepper, etc.

It can be said that in Rus', baths served as the prototype of a modern dressing and maternity room, where antiseptic measures were observed. They carried out their treatment in the bathhouse " scalp doctors", specialists in gout and salt deposits, Bali " used» wounds, bone fractures, skin and venereal diseases, treated various gynecological diseases, including female infertility by " navel reduction", in the bathhouse they delivered babies and managed the postpartum period for women.

If you don't like bathhouses, that means you're not Russian.

Many testify to the love of the Russian people for the steam bath historical facts, literary works and works of scientists. Famous Russian historian, expert on the life of the Russian people in XVI-XVII centuries N. I. Kostomarov writes: " Russians generally went to the bathhouse very often; she was the first need home life, both for cleanliness and for some kind of pleasure". According to him, almost every wealthy house had its own bathhouse - a soap house, and for common people and for visitors to the cities there were public ones, or as they were called then, “ royal» soap shops, where they paid money for entrance, which constituted one of the branches of income royal court. These were one-story buildings, usually on the river bank, they were heated with wood and had three rooms: a dressing room, a soap room and a steam room. During the cold season, soap houses were heated once or twice a week. In the summer heat, in order to avoid fires, it was forbidden to heat the baths. There were only exceptions for the sick and postpartum women at the will of the governor...“However, notes N.I. Kostomarov, “ A bathhouse was such a necessity for Russians that, due to the ban on drowning them, residents threatened the government with scattering from their homes.". Adherence to the bathhouse was, one might say, characteristic national trait Russian person. A remarkable fact was cited in his historical research by the famous Russian historian and writer N. M. Karamzin, author of a major work "History of Russian Goverment": « Dmitry the Pretender never went to the bathhouse: the residents of Moscow concluded from the fact that he was not Russian!»

Some idea of ​​the bathing customs and morals of those times can be obtained from the historical essays of N. I. Kostomarov: “ We usually went to the soap shop after lunch, without fear of it harmful consequences. The heat was unbearable. Hay was spread on the benches and shelves, which was covered with linen. The Russian would lie down on it and force himself to be beaten until he was tired, then he would run out into the air and throw himself into a lake or river in the summer, near which soap houses were usually built, and in the winter he would roll in the snow or douse himself with cold water in the cold. Anyone who went to the soap shop always took a steam bath: it was a universal custom. The public soap houses had two sections, men's and women's; they were separated from one another by partitions, but there was one entrance to both; both men and women, entering and leaving through the same door, met each other naked, covered themselves with brooms and talked to each other without much confusion, and sometimes ran out of the soap shop at once and rolled together in the snow».

« In more distant times,- the historian continues, - It was customary for both men and women to wash in the same soap bath, and even monks and monks (monks and nuns - author) washed and steamed together". It should be noted that in the 18th century the Charter was issued, which strictly prohibited “ male over seven years of age to enter a female commercial bathhouse and for a female gender to enter a male commercial bathhouse when the other gender is steaming in them" The owners of the bathhouses did a simple thing - the stove was moved to the middle of the bathhouse building, and the building itself was divided in two, making two exits. You can add the following small touch to the picture painted by N.I. Kostomarov in order to feel the atmosphere of that time: on the day when the bathhouse was heated, the bathhouse attendant walked the streets and called to the people: “ To the bathhouse! To the bathhouse!»

Collector of Russian customs and rituals M. Zabelin writes: " The custom of washing, on many occasions, brought pleasure and pleasure, but it could not be otherwise due to many prejudices, as well as many household superstitions, closely related to religious rules» .

Foreigners who visited Russia, with constant surprise and, as a rule, with respect, noted the Russian custom of washing and steaming a lot and often in the bathhouse, repeating that they had never seen anything like this in their homeland.

German scientist and traveler Adam Olearius(1603-1671), secretary of the Schleswig-Holstein embassy in Russia in the 30s XVII century, in his work “Description of Muscovy” reports that in Russia there is not a single city, not a single village in which there would not be steam baths, public or private. He writes that " ...if a Russian person feels sick, he drinks a good glass of wine, having first poured a charge of gunpowder into it or mixed the drink with crushed garlic, and immediately then goes to the bathhouse, where he sweats in the unbearable heat for two or three hours" The scientist concludes: “ Such energetic therapy was not without some practical meaning.» .

Having visited one of the baths in Astrakhan, Adam Olearius described his impressions as follows: “ Russians can endure extreme heat and in the bathhouse, lying down on the shelves, they order to beat themselves and rub their bodies with hot birch brooms, which I could not bear, then, when from such heat they become all red and become exhausted to the point that they can no longer able to remain in the bathhouse, they run out of it naked, both men and women, and douse themselves cold water, and in winter, jumping out of the bathhouse, they roll around in the snow, rub their bodies with it, as if with soap, and then, having cooled down in this way, they again enter the hot bathhouse». « Such a change in opposite figures is beneficial to their health."- the scientist concludes.

And I whip with a birch broom...

In the notes Airamana, who walked from Königsberg to Narva, says: “ I also want to briefly recall the bathhouses of the Muscovites or their washing habits, because this is unknown among us... But they do not, like us, use a scraper to clean uncleanness from the body, and they have a so-called broom... In general, in none You won’t find in almost any country where washing is valued as much as in this Moscow. Women find their highest pleasure in this...»

One of the foreign travelers to Russia, in his diary dated November 13, 1709, published in the collection “Russian Life According to the Memoirs of Contemporaries of the 18th Century,” noted: “ ...outside the city I happened to see how Russians use their baths. Despite severe frost, they ran out of the bathhouse into the yard completely naked, red as boiled crayfish, and jumped into the river flowing nearby. Then, having cooled off to their heart’s content, they ran back into the bathhouse, but before getting dressed, they jumped out for a long time, playing, running naked in the cold and wind. Russians bring birch brooms in leaves to the bathhouse and scrape and scratch their body so that warmth penetrates better and the pores open wider.».

Chamber cadet Berholz, who was at the court of Peter I for some time, wrote in his diary that he visited a Russian bathhouse: “ I found it very useful and made a plan to use it more often." Berkholz goes on to say that the Russian people know how to give the water that is poured on the hot stove stones the degree of heat that is necessary. He described his impressions this way: “ At first, you lie quietly on a shelf covered with straw, covered with a clean sheet on top. Then they begin to soar with birch brooms. This is extremely pleasant because it opens the pores and increases perspiration. Afterwards, they vigorously scrape their fingers all over the body to separate impurities from it, which is also very pleasant. Then they take soap and rub it all over the body so that not the slightest trace of dirt remains anywhere... Douse it with warm or cold water, as desired. You feel as if you were born again...»

English envoy to Russia Earl Carlyle, returning to his homeland, he wrote about Russian baths: “ Their benefits have been proven by experience; they can be considered a remedy and protection against diseases.» .

During the reign of Peter I, the steam bath and the bathing business itself received a new impetus for development in the Russian state. Tsar Peter himself, a big fan of the bathhouse, understood its therapeutic and prophylactic significance and took every possible care to build new “ healing baths" When St. Petersburg was founded in 1703, everyone was allowed to build baths, and no duties were charged for it. In one of the Decrees dating back to 1704, it says “ about the construction of baths in Novgorod and Pskov and about giving them as rent».

It would be wrong to say that Europeans were not familiar with Russian bathhouse customs. N. I. Kostomarov, describing the life of the Moscow state in the 16th-17th centuries, noted: “ The Germans who lived in Moscow borrowed their soap houses from the Russians, but gave them more comfort". But, nevertheless, as a result of Peter’s reforms in the field foreign policy aimed at expanding cultural, scientific and economic ties Russia with countries Western Europe, Russian steam bath, as one of the attributes national culture And folk traditions, began to spread widely across European countries. This process especially intensified after the defeat of Napoleon I in 1812-1814 and the entry of Russian troops into the countries of Western Europe. Baths similar to Russian ones began to be built in France, Germany, England, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and other countries. Even in New York a bathhouse was built in the Russian image.

In the book “A New Method of Treatment,” a German physician M. Platen wrote that in the Middle Ages and subsequent centuries, diseases were rampant in Germany due to non-compliance with the simplest hygienic rules, while in neighboring Russia, even in the smallest village, there were always steam baths - an excellent hygienic and health remedy. Further, M. Platen draws attention to the fact that at the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian bathhouse began to spread in many European countries, especially in Germany. " But we Germans- the doctor admits, - p When using a Russian bath, we very rarely remember that we owe this step forward in cultural development to our eastern neighbor» .

Russian soldiers contributed to a certain extent to the revival of the custom of taking a steam bath in European countries. Accompanying Peter I during his stay in Amsterdam and Paris, they amazed the Dutch and French by bathing in the river after a steam bath, despite the frost. This was reported in the magazine “Son of the Fatherland” for 1819, which published a story recorded from the words of Peter’s contemporary: “ In 1718, when Peter the Great was in Paris, he ordered a bathhouse to be built in one house for the grenadiers on the banks of the Seine, in which they bathed after a hot day. Such an adventure, which, in their opinion, was unusual for the Parisians, was produced by a crowded gathering of spectators. They watched in amazement as the soldiers ran out, hot from the steam of the bath, threw themselves into the river, swam and dived. The royal chamberlain Verton, who was in the emperor's servants, seeing this bathing himself, reported to Peter the Great (not knowing that this was being done by order of the sovereign) to forbid the soldiers to bathe, because they would all die. Peter, laughing, answered: “Don’t be afraid, Mr. Verton. The soldiers were somewhat weakened by the Parisian air, so they hardened themselves with a Russian bath. This happens to us even in winter: habit is second nature».

Therapeutic purpose of the bath

Baths in Rus' have always been given a healing, healing meaning. The archives contain a record that on May 11, 1733, permission was received from the medical office “ open a medicinal bathhouse in Moscow" The owner of this establishment was obliged to “ take the price of excesses so that there are no complaints about it" In addition, "z It is forbidden to keep hot wines, vodka and any sacred drink" Another archival record reports the opening on November 11, 1763 in St. Petersburg at the Malaya Morskaya medicinal bath " for sweating and treatment of fluxes and other bodily attacks on doctor's recommendation».

The Europeans themselves contributed to the spread of Russian bath traditions. The Portuguese (1699-1783) served for twenty years as a physician at the court of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. At the end of his life path R. Sanchez settled in France and there wrote several treatises related to Russian baths. His first book was published in Paris in 1764 and was called “On the treatment of smallpox among the Russians with the addition of ancient methods also used.” It expressed the opinion that the widespread use of the bathhouse in Russian life led to the not very strong spread of smallpox in Russia. It also mentions the treatment of venereal diseases through the bath (Chapter IX), and diseases, “ cancer called"(Chapter XII), the so-called " baby screamer", etc. Recognizing that R. Sanchez’s statement that a bath can cure smallpox is erroneous, one cannot fail to note his high assessment of the Russian steam bath as an excellent hygienic and prophylactic means for preventing infectious diseases and promoting health.

But main work R. Sanchez, as he himself emphasized, “ respectful essay"about Russian baths, was published in 1774, and then translated into many Western European languages. The book was published in Russian in Moscow in 1779. It was called in the style of that time: “About Russian steam baths, since they help strengthen, preserve and restore health.” In this very detailed treatise, Sanchez, a foreigner imbued with great love and respect for Russian traditions and customs, not only described in detail the structure of the Russian steam bath and the bathing customs of that time, but also with amazing insight conveyed the main essence of the beneficial effects of the Russian bath as the most precious blessing , which can serve to maintain " strength and health of the body"not only in Russia, but also abroad.

« My sincere desire extends only to demonstrating the superiority of the Russian Baths over those that were in ancient times among the Greeks and Romans and over those now in use among the Turks, both for maintaining health and for curing many diseases...“This is how Sanchez defines the goal of his research. He further continues: “ When I think about the multitude of medicines coming out of pharmacies and chemical laboratories, prepared with great expense and brought from all over the world with indescribable difficulty, then many times I wanted to see half and three-quarters of these buildings erected everywhere at great expense turn into Russian Baths for benefits to society» .

According to Dr. Sanchez, the superiority of the Russian steam bath lies in the technology itself for generating steam. In a Russian bath, steam is generated using a heater stove on which there are hot stones. Humidity, temperature, in a word, the microclimate of the steam room is easily regulated - you just need to splash a ladle of water on the hot stones, and these parameters change dramatically. " This resumption of steam is repaired every five minutes,- Sanchez reports. You can cool the bathhouse and reduce its humidity, and you can easily freshen the air by ventilating the steam room».

« ... In Roman and Turkish baths, steam comes from watering the hot floor, under which the pipes pass. But since they are not changed by fresh air, one can easily conclude that these baths have disadvantages, which are completely averted in Russia». « New steam, - Sanchez concludes, - gives birth to new air».

As a doctor and scientist, Sanchez could not ignore the physical effect of the Russian bath on the human body. Here are some lines from his treatise. " In this way, the steam produced does not relax the hard parts of the body, like the steam of ancient Roman and modern Turkish baths: for this steam in Russian baths, being left by the elemental particles of fire and air and renewed at will, softens and does not relax it; it expands the instruments of inhalation, combat and other veins, revives and restores these parts to the state in which they were before the disease».

...The effect of the bath consists in the removal of the finest macrotas from our body through thermal steam... In medical science there is no medicine that would be equal in strength, effectiveness and healing for strengthening and revitalizing the human body... This so effective, so penetrating and hot steam touches the body of a lying person a naked person inhaling the same warm air that his body itself is nourished by, loosens the skin, increases the unhindered circulation of vital juices, promotes breathing and frees the flow of blood in the veins and other veins... The patient then begins to sweat and feels a pleasant calm in all his senses , which inconspicuously bows to the sweetest sleep, which lasts half an hour, and sometimes more...

« Those who feel tired, have swollen and heavy eyes, who are tired from strong military exploits, or from agriculture, or from working in mining plants and saltworks, factories will find a bathhouse the best medicine for themselves...". Petrov B. D. Essays on the history of Russian medicine. - M.: 1962, p. 143-144.
. Galitsky A.V. Generous heat. Essays about the Russian bathhouse and its close and distant relatives. - M.: physical education and sport, 1986, 96 p.