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→Modern Concepts of Cleanliness and Bath Houses
During the Medieval period in Europe, we see contrasts in concepts of public bathing. At times, there were possible prohibitions against public bath houses since they could be places for what was seen as illicit sexual behavior. In other cases, bathing was encouraged not only for cleanliness but it was also seen as a way to improve health, including hot and cold baths helping with stomach and heart problems.
In the 19th century, municipal governments realized the benefits of public bath houses. While rich classes increasingly utilized private baths in their own accommodations or even wealth public baths, the masses, particularly for public health reasons, needed access to baths. Governments in Europe and North America began to build public baths in major cities, with Liverpool and London being some of the earliest cities to sponsor major public baths. Also, contacts with Ottoman Turkey, which had inherited the concept of public baths from centuries before, influenced different cities in Europe, where many Turkish baths were built. In the UK, public baths became law under the Baths and Wash-houses Act of 1846. This helped to spread the utilization of baths, once again, to the masses, who still generally lacked any piped water to their accommodations. The building of baths also included bathing pools. This then began the era of public swimming pools that often accommodated public baths.
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