This is part of a copy of Thomas Gibson Bowles's letter dated 9 May 1884 to his fellow London & Provincial Turkish Bath Company directors dealing with matters relating to the falling standards of the Hammam at the time. The secretary's copy of the letter covers over four large minute book pages. This excerpt is from that part dealing with the shampooers.

…character. But its value depends upon the
shampooing being done with knowledge
so as to act on the muscles, nerves and
organs beneath the skin. Now in the Hammam
it is done without knowledge. It is treated
as though it were a mere process of skin
rubbing or plate polishing. It is indeed
in the Hammam, not shampooing at all
and it has not the effects produced
by the shampooing of Eastern hands. Those
who have not experienced the latter may
doubt what I say, or may hardly know
what I mean, those who have, can neither
doubt nor ignore.

     It is not that the Shampooers of the
Hammam have any want of energy or any
want of industry. It is that they lack
knowledge of the very difficult arts of
shampooing. They do the best they know, no
doubt, but they do not know the best for
they lack the traditions that are behind
the Eastern Shampooer, and the knowledge
that has thence resulted, at any rate
they do not shampoo.

     The natural & simple method of remedy
is to get from the East a professional
Shampooer who has the knowledge required.
What our Shampooers require is to learn. Let
them be taught by one who knows. There is…