A PAPER Delivered in by 

Dr. Alston.  
Dr. Hamens  
Dr. Bates.  
Dr. Micklethwait.   ON Monday the 16. of October, 1648. to the honourable Committee FOR baths and Bath-Stoves. FROM The college of Physitians in London. TOGETHER, With an Answer thereunto. By Peter chamberlain. Dr. in physic, and Fell. of the said college.  
LONDON, Printed in the year 1648.   

The Committee being set the third time in expectation of what Objections the college would offer against the Ordinance for public artificial baths,& Bath-Stoves, or whether they would approve of them.  
Dr. Alston began as followeth, in these or the like words and Phrases.  
THe college commanded me to return humble thanks to the honourable Committee for not giving consent to the Ordinance of baths, without them.( Then he proceeded) Having the fear of God before our eyes, and the good of the Common-wealth, The college do by us return this Answer to the honourable Committee, that they do not think fit the erecting of public baths should be granted to Dr. chamberlain, and they think them hurtful to the Common-wealth.  
And the college desires that this honourable Committee signify so much unto the honourable Hose.  
Then the Committee asked if they had not brought their Answer in writing, whereupon they presented their Paper as followeth:  

To the Honourable, the Committee for baths.  
THe President and college of Physitians return their humble thanks to this honourable Committee for your favour unto them, and humbly represent that since the honourable Committee is pleased to resolve not to enjoin Dr. chamberlain to attend the college concerning his Design of baths, they can give no satisfactory Answer therein, Onely whereas public baths have been by their abuse, the Causes in the Greek and Roman States,( where there was greater necessity, and less danger of them then in our could clyme) of so much physical prejudice, effeminating bodies, and procuring infirmities, and moral in debauching the manners of the people, that in either of them upon the coming of the Christians into power, they were demolished or converted into other uses; And whereas for private use there are in the houses of divers persons of this Kingdom, Cradles, tubs, Boxes, chairs, baths, and Bathe-Stoves, in which by the help of Fumes, vapours, water, oil, &c. according to the prescription of Physitians, sweat may be procured, pain assuaged, and all necessary ends of bathing attained. The President and college are so confident of, and presume so much upon the wisdom and justice of this honourable Committee,& the two Houses of Parliament, that they believe, if that it shall please them to empower the said Dr. chamberlain by any Ordinance for erection of public baths, they will so regulate his design, make such provision, and take such caution from him, that none of the afore-mentioned inconveniences shall follow. And that they will neither infringe the just liberty of the Subject, nor abridge other physicians in the choice of their instruments, or legal practise of any part of their Art.  
Fran. Prujean Collegii Medicorum. Londinensium Regisstarius. This is a true Copy. lo. C●pley.    

To the honourable Committe for baths, The humble Answer of Peter chamberlain, Doctor in physic, and Fellow of the college of Physitians in London, to a Paper delivered to the honourable Committe, by Dr. Alston, Dr. Hameus, Doct. Bates, and Dr. Micklethwait, from the President, and others of the said college. In humble obedience to Command of this Honourable Committee,& in Answer to the college Paper.  
IN the first place, I say, I willingly pass by all personal aims, be it in the mention of my not attendance,( which they are cause of) or in their grand Caveats enjoined by them on this honourable Committee, and the two Houses of Parliament, upon their Wisdoms and Justice, If they shall empower me, &c. or in their many arguments of Abuse to prevent that IF. And am resolved( as God shall enable me) to swallow all private reproach and scorn, that runs not too much on the public score.  
Secondly, concerning the Matter itself, I humbly answer, that the college have quiter mistaken it; for I presented only the Use of public baths, and they meddle only with the Abuse of them. Alas, who knows not, that the Abuse of wine causeth drunkenness; the abuse of women, whoredom; the abuse of meats, gluttony; and the abuse of physic, poison?  
Thirdly, I fear they have too much forsaken the Authors of our own Faculty, to side with Poets and the superstitious beginnings of Antichrist, in the aggravations of those Abuses.  
Fourthly, I doubt whether they have not mistaken the jealous zeal of those Religious Fathers that writ against them; for the insulting barbarisms of the goths and vandals, and other conquering Nations, in demolishing those stately Buildings. And whether the self-same writings may not more, or as fitly be applied unto the private Houses, and those Accommodations mentioned in the Paper, Yea, to the Excellent and Famous baths of Sommersetshire.  
Fifthly, I perceive they consulted not well with Travellers, when they affirm them all demolished, or converted to other uses in the graecian and roman Empires. For the truth is, that many of them being demolished, Lesser Purses, Power, and Leisure, have not been able to contend in State with the Treasure and sovereignty of the whole world, which those Emperours had that built them.  
Sixthly, I doubt whether it be not a fundamental heresy in physic, to necessitate hot Remedies( as baths) for hot Countries, and proclaim them dangerous in could Clymes, notwithstanding the daily Experience in Germany, Poland, Denmark,& Muscovia, to the contrary. And the Great Canon of physic, contraria contrariis curantur,  
Seventhly, I do verily believe, and dare adventure my Life and Estate upon it, that I can( by Gods blessing) more safely, certainly, suddenly, and with more Ease, cure many( if not all curable) diseases with them, then all our college; yea, then All Physitians in the world can do without them. Yea, such diseases as without them are wholly desperate and deadly.  
Eighthly, In Answer to some tacit Jealousies, I do not do this purposely to diminish the Practise of Physitians, but verily suppose there may be a way propounded in them, both advantageous to them& the Common-wealth.  
Ninthly, I do not endeavour to engross them to myself; but have from the beginning, and do still humbly offer it unto the State, or any whom they shall appoint; wherein( if I do not) I verily believe that Dr. Grent will be the best able to serve them.  
Lastly, I profess before God and men, that I believe the due use of them in all convenient places, may save above 10000 Lives a year. And that in faithfulness to Almighty God, and my native Country, I have endeavoured this service; from the which, if the honourable Parliament or Committee can discharge me before the Great judge, I shall give most humble thanks to God and Them, rejoicing to have so escaped the incensed Spirits of so many learned men, as now oppose me.  
FINIS.