The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-18
SATURDAY FORMING, JANUARY is.

fear of being considered effeminste, they will
allow themselves TO confess.
They are nerer really comfortable when the
thermometer is below GAO, that most invgorat-
ing and inspirlung of all climates they are
wretchsd when 1t falls to 400, which must
have been the indoor winter climate of our
forefathers, who never could warm their rooms,
and wore thick hats indoors; aud when the
glass marks below 800 10 the air they positively
suffer, 'catch cold," grow cross, and feel what,
If they are over sixty, is melancholy truth,
distinctly increased lab lily 10 death. 1t
should seem, built as our houses are, that those
who suffer thus from cold should easily protect
themselves, but that is not the case. 1t is by
no means such an easy task TO bring large
room warmed by an open fireplace, aud rot by
hot-water pipes, above 500; and with the ther-
mometer at that height, these people are chilly,
feel draugbts everywhere. especially on the
face, dread neuralgia and ara more or less mis-
cradle out of bed Getting up in the morning
is TO them torment they come down to break
fast half frozen, and noon is well pae. before it
is safe TO make to them any request which in
wolves exeItion. They cannot stop 10 one
room, either, for the whole day. II is very ex-
more expensive than people think who have
not tried it, aid every step into hal, or pas
sage or unheaied room Increases their liability
to cold. Many quite well fed and lodged pee
pie are lever warm while the cold lasts lose
energy perceptibly, complain that "tbeir brains
are cold, or exhibit all The symptoms of the
influenza, which. nevertheless, has not attacked
them
Anybody can see the truth for himself, by
watching the boys away from the FIRE 10 IN or
binary classroom i'll winter time. The boys
have plenty OF exercise, good food aud the
quick circulation OF youth; yet when it is
freezing outside, ons-fourth of them will sit
blue with cold, half stupid, and dangerously
liable to any variety OF chest complaint or
bronchial affection. Chilly men are not made
the better by the nnsympathetic remarks of
quicker-olooded people, VITO recommend the
exercise it may be impossible from business
circumstances to take, or assure them that the
cold is seasonable or healthy, or brutally &C
cuse them OF coddng themselves in the past,
or desiring too much considerat on in the pres
ent. They are as sick as if they were at sea,
buf are, nevertheless. assured that all they
watt is good rousing," that "ire spaniels
are never warm" aud that the exact remedy
for their distress is TO stand about on ice for an
hour or two. looking at their sons and daugh.
tiers skating The young despise the chilly for
chiillness, and thefe is probably no complaint
except sea-sickness 10 which the sufferers OBJ
active Sirl will momentarily despse mother
who 'feels the cold' as if she were wanting a
cause for re oeivlpg pity
Strong exercise for those who eau take is, is,
DO doubt, the best of remedies for chiiliness;
but thousands suffer from that complaint to
whom strong exercise is attsinabla only once a
week, who do not enjoy it even then, aud who
nnd that although walking produces an effect,
1t is one which does not last half an hour after
the exercise has ceased The cblliuess recon-
mences as they pass through the hall of their
own house, and in az hour they are suffering
aino.t as miserabiy as ever. Nevertheless,
they have during the walk passed through an
experience which, if they would only compre-
bend II, would protect them from one-haf the
misery they complain Of They have not only
walked, but they have walked well clothed.
The Eoglishman, even if be lives in cities, M
derstsnds outdoor life, and if he walks out on
frosty day, walks out 10 thick, close-httipg
boots, in q hat which warns his head, in gloves
which protect bis hands, and in coat which
D4lpe malt an 1pch thick and made of wool, pro-
lects bim as well as Nature protects most ami
mails Its when he comes indoors that he
dresses himself fooishly. He has still to
guard against low thermometer, he loses the
qulcsness OF circulation produced by exercise,
aud he 10 exposed to draughts he does not feel
abroad; but he uncovers his head, uncoyers his
hands, and partially uncoyers his feet, and d.
vests himself entirely of his outdoor fleece. A
ssneep, or oear, which did the same thing in
ITS house or den, would die naturally enough
OF pulmonary disease. No inhabitant of a
country where cold is sharp enough or long
Continued enough to impart self-defensiye in
stnct ever does anything of the kind, bat keeps
on as much of his outdoor clothing as will keen
up the sense of warmth, The Russian of the
North, II he cannot thoroughly warm his
house, keeps ON his sheep-skip, as the Esoui- |
mau wears his fur, as if it were the clothing
nature intended him to wear. The English. |
man sloLe divests himself of so many arti- |
Giles of dress that he feels chilly, and then |
runs to the tire to warm his hands and |
feet, or enjoy the higher temperature |
which a fire 10 chimney diffases for
about five feet from the fender. Warm Cloth
ing 10 the house would protect him Just as
completely as out of the house, but be thinks it
undignihed t, wear it, and prefers covering
over fire TO clothing himself reason ably, aud
being accused Immediately of effeminacy or Of ]
eoddliDg himself. Women are exempt f,nno |
this difficulty, and, being aware of the peculiar
beauty OF shawls as drapery, wear whea chip
extra clothing within the house without scr ,y
pie; but men, unless very old or able soiu,
weakness OF the lungs, would pr 10 pleaa
common silk skoll-cap, the mos 81 put on IA
projections against drauab. eneGsiVe u az
as preposterons and - great-coat indoors
clothing would apostolic. Yet the extra
prevent ali y farm them completely, and
such habi' q chills of which they stand in
drausb' ..ual dread No defence against
kerr rs is 80 perfect as a common silk hand
.nief tied over the head, aud silk vest, or
one of wash leather, put on between the shirt
and waiscoat, will keep the body more equally
warm that good fire. A wadded coat will
enable the chilly man to sit and work any
where indoors, and 30 will an extra suit OF thin
flannel worn during the whole of the active
Gay. Just let anyone who doubts what we say
try the very simple expedient, when the chilli
dressng-gown over his ordinary clothing, and
in five minutes he will be perfectly comfort
able and ready for any work; while he will not
suffer, as be fancies he will, when he goes out
of hot h
ject is q mere deusion. You are not strength
ened for outdoor life by shiveriog indoors, but
rather weakened, habitual warmth, if not too
great, being one of the best preservatives of con-
titustional strength. chilly man might as we'll
refuse blankets in be because they would in.
crease his sense of cold when he got up, as re-
fuse warm clothing indoors because out of
doors be would not be so sensible of his great
coat. The object is not to be sensible of
pleasant difference, but to bs ard to remain
moderately and BEAUTIFULLY warm-to bs in
sensible, in fact to ordinary difference of tenn
perature.
We insist thus upon this question of clothes,
not only because we believe 1t to be of imsor-
tance to the aged and those of a chilly tenn
permanent, bat also because we have learnt to
despair OF any reasonable method of heating
middle-class houses. The English will not
adopt any. The trouble and expense of heat
ing houses with warm water pipes or hot air is
very great, the use of stoves is proscribedj by
the reasonable prejudice in favor of Seeing the
nre" and the unreasonable prejudice that they
burn up the air and produce suffocatIoD, and
no kind of open CRATE with a large chimney
above it will thoroughly warm house. 1t
will, at an immense expenditure of fuel,
warm a small room, and that is all; and of all
possible coDtrivances for running health, a
stuffy little room, with the air in il constantly
heated above 75o while its owner supposes that
it is about ESQ., is perhaps the most efficacious.
If 1t only suppresses or prevents the use of one
such room, our little lecture on the value of |
clothes indoors will have done more than We
hope it will do, man never unlearning his |
daily habits except under pressure, and resent |
ing advice about health from his friends as he |
resents seeing them poke his fire.