Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-10-06

recently commenced at PHILADELPHIA. emit.
tied the Journal of Health, we select the fol
loving sensible article. fit should be the
means Of lettering single member Of soci-
ety from sell strangulation, the work from
winch we transcrlbe the following remarks
Will not have been published in vain. We
have had our laugh long enough at the ladies'
, corsets: we now give them an opportunity
OF repayIng us in our own coin.
Bost. d. .adu.
"On the propriety of covering the neck: in
men, the anclents entertained very different
ideas from those which prevail at the pres.
ent day. The Romans in particular. left
this part of the body uncovered, except in
Indictment weather, when the toga was held
around the throat with the hand. Thew
knew nothing of the modern cravat; though
under certain circumstances of disease. or
in coming out ofthe warm bath, they were
IN the habit of wearing upon the neck the
ttocate-a kind of collar formed Of silk, cot
ton, OF wool. This, however, we learn from
Quintilian, it was considered effeminate to
make use ofin publick, excepting under the
same circumstances in which covering to
the head and legs was permissible.
Palladium sicut fascias ct focaa excusare potest
valetudo"
The question as to grace and health, up-
on this point, will probably be decided in IA
YOUR of the Romans. That the cravat by no
means contributes to the beauty of the fg-
ure, will be confessed.by every individual Of
taste, and hence the best masters in sculpt-
ure and painting endeavour, whenever it is
possible, to free the neck from it in their busts
and portraits.
That 1t is not essential to health, even in
our uncertain climate, is also evinced by the
fact, that in the female sex those parts of
the neck and throat which in man are en-
veloped with so much care by numerous
folds of muslin or cambrick, are left uncov-
cred with impunity during all seasons: on
the contrary, the custom Of covering the
neck too warmly, it is more than probable,
is not unfrequenly the cause of disease.
We do not object to light and loose era
vat, particularly in winter; we should even
recommend its use, did the laws in regard
to dress emanate from the study of the ply
stefan, instead of the shopboard of the tailor
or the saloon of some fashionable milliner !;
as conservators ofhealth we may, however,
be permitted to say, that the constant use
of cravat, too voluminous or composed of
too thick materials, renders the neck pecti-
liarly liable to the impression of slight de-
grees of cold: we believe that to this cause
are to be referred many inAamatory affec-
tions of the throat. There are indeed few
individuals accustomed to wear constantly
the cravat now in fashion, who can throw
it aside for an hour or two, even in summer,
without contracting some uneasines in the
throat; and if exposed to a draught of air,
or in the evening, decided quinsy is often
the result.
Around the neck are situated many large
blood vessels connected with the brain, as
well as other important organs which cannot
be compressed without injurious consequent
ces. So long as the cravat is loose and light,
no inconvenience is experienced but when
it is made to embrace the neck with the
grasp of halter, as was a short time since,
and is now, to much the custom, the free re-
turn of the blood from the head is impeded {;
the face becomes red and turgid ; and the
martyr to fashion experiences pain and an
overfulnesss of the head, without suspecting
for moment, "the source from which his
ills arise" When the body is thrown into
exertion with the throat thus begirt, the evil
is augmented; and in those full habits, dan
gerous affections of the head are the conse-
quence. Vertigo swooning violent bleed
ings from the nose, difficult to arrest and
even appoplexy-are said to have resulted
from this cause alone.
A highly respectable physician of this
city informed US not long since that several
young gentleman have come under his care,
affected with very distressing and almost
constant pain of the head and eyes. Find
ing that in every instance the cravat was
drawn too tightly round the neck, he direct
ed it to be worn in future more loosely lit
tie else was required to relieve them Of their
complaints.
Percy, French surgeon ofgreat celebri-
ty, observes, that most Of the fashions in
dress have been invented to conceal some
weakness or deformity. "That of enormous
cravats originated fiom similar motives. 1t
was borrowed by the French from the Eng
lish, who introduced it in order to conceal
the hideous and disgusting scars left upon
their necks by the scrofula, disease en-
demick and hereditary among the latter
and strange to say, this fashion too often
occasioned in the French, who had the folly
to adopt it, scars equally unsightly-the con-
sequence of the indamations and liberation
in the gland of the neck to which it gave
RISE"
During all exertions of the body, it is i'm
portant that the neck be left free from COM
preston. The cravat should be loosened,
also, when we are engaged in reading writ
ing, or profound study and invariably should
it be removed, together with all ligatures
from every part of the body on retiring to
sleep-whether at night, or during the day ;
much evil has been occasioned by neglect
of such precaution.
A great deal more might be said in regard
to this subject. We might hint to the sing
err and publick speaker, the injury their vol
ces sustain by cravat of too great bulk, or
one so tightly drawn as to compress the
throat and windpipe--we might warn the
young Of the danger, when heated by exer-
else, Of throwing of the accustomed cover
ing of the neck,-and word might be said
upon each Of those diseases, the presence