" Sauna is a poor-mans drugstore"

    In Finland, 1500 years ago, the sauna was nothing more than a pile of rocks on the floor of the steam room. Hot embers from a fire were spread over this pile until the rocks were hot. Ashes were removed, and water was tossed upon them to produce steam ( "loyly" ). 
    There was often a window in between the sauna and the changing room (if there was a changing room), with a lantern in it for light.  The lantern couldn't be in the sauna (heat room), because the steam from the sauna wouldn't allow the fuel in the lantern to burn.
    In the latter 19th century, about the time of the Industrial Revolution, the steel "kiuas" came into being. This was a wood-burning stove with a large rock capacity to produce "loyly".  The "kiuas", and it's attached water heater, was used for hot water for the family before the advent of indoor plumbing. 
    The sauna was, and still is, a very important part of life for the Finnish.  It was usually the first structure to be built when a homestead was being developed.  It was a place for cleaning, bathing, curing meats, and also birthing children  because it was the only place with hot water.
    As technology progressed, the electric sauna heater came into use. It has all of the pleasures of a wood-fired sauna except one; the smell and smoke of a wood fire. It is fast, extremely efficient, and produces no by-products ( ash, dust or grime ), besides being more convenient.