Gell, William: Pompeiana: the topography, edifices and ornaments of Pompeii ; the result of excavations since 1819 ; in two volumes (Band 1) (London, 1832)

120 POMPEIANA.

Hot water entered this bath, 13, at one
of the angles, immediately from the caldron
9, which boiled on the other side of the wall.

There appears to have been a moveable
stone in the pavement, near this cistern,
possibly for permitting the entrance of a
column of hot air on certain occasions.

This chamber, from the water which must
have fallen upon the pavement, and the di-
stillation caused by the vapour from so great
a quantity of heated liquid, must have always
been wet, and must have had an outlet, called
fusorium, to which the floor inclined. Per-
haps the opening near the hot bath served, in
part, for this purpose. The floor was found
much damaged and broken in by the fall of
a part of the arch on its first discovery.

The seats in this chamber were probably
of wood, as the whole must have been con-
stantly in a state of humid heat, which would
have corroded furniture of bronze like those
of Vaccula in the tepidarium.

In that portion of the vaulted roof yet
remaining are no fewer than four openings
for the admission of light, and the trans-
mission of hot air and vapour.