The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-25
DlsOaSe LutklnE n the Nlrht Am.

- NAo NABAN an
IMPAIRMENT ExPosuRR m s1FTrNa ON
sToors-NRcEastTY OF PROTECTION DI
EXTRA cLoTTaG.
To hs Bditor Of tAs IFt6Hne; 40.
srR,-My age and experience as a ply
stefan enable me with propriety and con
fdence TO call the attention Of the publ,
to q custom now widely prevalent, prlncl
pally among the middle and lower classes
Of sitting on their atOops alter sunset
concede that this position after q hot DAY
is one OF comfort, but It certainly ID NO,
one Of safety. This opinion d supported
by years Of experience and careful obser.
walton, but In iurther support Of Il I Qiyt
the following reasons, founded on com.
mon sense and the well known laws Of
heAltn: igl.lJiVg! e. .Fn- ~
The vapor which under the effects Of
the sun rises during the day becomes con.
densed and remains near the earth al
night. - =
Under the effect Of heatSud fatigue the
system Of night Is least able 10 resist the
depressing influence Of dampness and va.
porous air, and therefore the body, II az.
posed TO II, should be protected By addI.
honal clothing, or by exercise. 30 =
The fact thatno chill ID felt and that the
skin % uncomfortable with Precipitation
furnishes no evidence that we are not un.
duly exposing ourselves. On the contra.
~ the seeds Of many chronic and fatal
diseases are laid while the system Is in
that state Of lasaitude and fepose pro.
duced by hot day, and while we are en-.
gagged lin that seductive employment Of
trying to keep COOL" INN.
At the very time that clothing IL o bur.
den we should either protect ourselves by
1t or withdraw our skin and lunga from
immediate contract with damp, sunless,
and vaporous air, which in Just the pro-
portion that 1t Ia grateful to our sense Ia
destructive 10 our health. A notionWide.
ly prevails that the only danger from
chills and fever Is incurred In the country.
This 10 erroneous. Statistics and logic
prove It to be 90. It ID true that paved
streets, perfect sewerage, and clean sur
roundings protect from chills and fever,
But there are blocks Of elegant houses in
eligible locations in this city where chills
and fever, diptheria, and kindred diseases
prevail, l may say, to an alarming extent.
The reason assigned land perhaps cor
rectly) are detective sewerage and re-
Gently upturned earth. But these causes.
operate unfavorably chiefly In the ab.
sence Of the sun. Those who labor dur.
ing the day in these sewers and excaYa-
tons are not exceptional sufferers from
chills and fever, etc. The vlctimB are
among those who after sunset remain
near them and expose themselves with
out exercise or sufficient clothing to the
exhalatlonS thereirom. And the same Of.
iects, though in less degree, happen to
those who expose themselves anywhere
whether In city or country after sunset
BY remaining stationary on cold stuups,
tmpertectly clothed and with systems re.
duced by heat and fatigue. The weak.
est may In the daytime and by active ex-
ercise meet with impunity the chilly,
damp air OF marsh Il properly clothed.
The strongest may be easily over
come by o far less dangerous air II 1t
Is permitted to steal npon him In an hour
when his senses and functions are locked
in q state otliAtigde and inacdon; for
while 1t seems 70 cool and refresh, 1t is
really closing the pores and introducing
into the currents OF the system derange-
ment and poison. And the fact that III.
effects do not shortly follow the practice
of the habit Is no evidence Of the unsound-
ness Of my views. Individuals differ in
their recuperative or Fesistive power, and
the same individual may to-day with i'm
punlty be exposed to q disease 10 which If
similarly exposed tomorrow he would
succumb. But effects will sooner or later
follow causes. And strength OF constitu-
ton or good condition will not always
resist the effects OF q violation of the laws
Of health. Believing my views 10 be
sound, and that their adoption will
lengthen life and prevent disease, send
them TO you. AN OLD PHYa1CIAN,1
- NeD York, July 1S, 1874.