In 1750 Dr Richard Russell published a book in which he announced a startling new discovery: dipping the body in salt water helped cure certain diseases. A rush to the sea began which has never stopped. At first it was entirely for medical reasons. Invalids were seized and dipped in salt water by muscular female 'dippers' and 'bathers'...
—Mark Girouard, Historic Houses of Britain
As somewhat of an invalid myself I find the idea of being seized and dipped into the North Atlantic rather alarming, but as I reader I found this passage quite funny. This book seems to be full of the dry British wit that I enjoy so much. Who knew that a musty old coffee table book could be so amusing?
