Bagnio, a term adopted from the Italian, and signifying a lath : in English, it denotes a house for bathing, sweating, and cleansing the body; but sometimes also for worse purposes,

The substances used for heating bagnios are various} such as bricks, stones, etc. managed in different ways, and in several vessels and utensils, according to the choice or fancy of the proprietor. The effect generally expected from resorting to such places, is an immoderate degree of perspiration, occasioned by artificial heat : this cannot fail to open the pores ; to attenuate and dissolve the humours ; to dissipate all the superfluous particles ; and eventually to heat and dry the whole body.— Hence this practice cannot be proper for persons of a choleric, thin, and spare habit, nor for those subject to periodical discharges.

In rheumatic and paralytic diseases, great benefit has sometimes been derived from a cautious use of the bagnio. For whatever complaint it be resorted to, care must be taken that neither the bowels nor stomach be distended, which .might be the case in the former, by obstructions or costiveness in the latter, after a plentiful repast. Besides., the heat of a bagnio should always be accommodated to the strength and peculiar condition of the patient ; for if immoderate, it will be attended with effects very detrimental to the whole frame the least of which are pustules, tumors, and obstructions of the surface of the body.