The cold water treatment of burns has the disadvantage that it increase the chances of -

"The use of immersion hydrotherapy for wound management has substantially decreased. A number of studies have shown that the infection rate is actually increased when patients are immersed in a tub because of the generalized inoculation of burn wounds with bacterial from what was previously a localized infection. Hydrotherapy, on a slant board, is a very useful approach once the wounds are in the process of being debrided and closed. Showering is also effective for wound cleansing in the more stable patient."- CSDT 13/e