Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-15
A Chat with the Family.
by AGRICOLA.


One object of clothing the body is to
secure uniformity of temperature. A
temperature of 90 degrees f. is the
average for q person in health, and
without counteracting influences this
will be maintained by the action of the
blood. Clothing may disturb this uni
formity in various ways. Compression
upon any part of the system obstructs
the flow of blood, which results in the
lowering of the temperature. The feet
and hands are made cold by tight boots
and gloves. Too many thicknesses of
clothing at particular point results in
the accumulation of heat and conse
quent congestion. A lack of clothing
results in the escape of heat, and the
forcing inwardly the surface blood,
tending to produce congestion of the
internal organs. One part may be over
heated by too much clothing, while an
other part is suffering from cold. Too
often do we see children loaded with
clothing about the chest, while the neck
and legs are barely covered.
In some parts of the body the blood
vessels are larger and more numerous
than in other parts-as in the throat
and lungs and liver and kidneys. Hence
these organs are liable to become over
heated by too much clothing, and es-
pecially if other parts of the body are
imperfectly protected. The region of
the kidneys is often overdressed by the
tapping, at this point, of the garments
which clothe the trunk and lower ex-
tremities. Two or three extra thick
nesses are thus obtained, and the ten
dency is to accumulate an excess of
blood in these delicate organs.
1t is maintained that the muf1ing OF
the throat is the cause of more sore
throats, coughs and groups than all
other causes combined, especially when
supplemented by thinly clad extremi-
ties. As l have intimated, flannel
should be constantly worn next the
skin. This prevents sudden chills of
the surface, which is very important in
our variable climate. If flannel irri
tate the skin, cotton flannel or silk may
be substituted. Linen may never he
worn as an inner garment.
Much injury has resulted from the
false notion on the part of mothers, that
children need to be hardened by ex-
posure; but more often this hardening
process results in sickness and prema
ture death. Suitable clothing us nu-
tritious diet is necessary to healthy
growth.
Food is the source of all bodily func-
tons. Each days bodily and mental
exercise, each days waste, repair and
growth depends upon food, as the re-
cuperating power. Animal heat is lost.
and must be reproduced through the
consumption of food, and blood. making.
If the body is insulliciently clothed,
there must be extra loss of heat, and a
reaction upon the constitution. If
there is waste of heat during the years
of childhood, there will be a conse-
quent lowering of the processes, both
of body and brain, which will, in con-
sequence, fail to reach vigorous de-
velopment. Hence the naked legs and
arms of children, which delight the
vanity of silly mothers, are often at the
expense of health and life. Such
mothers are as really guilty and charge
able with the crime of murder as is the
Hindoo mother who throws her child
into the Ganges.
As Amatter of course, when the bod.
lily functions decline in vigor, with ad-
vancing age, the protection of clothing
becomes more necessary.
shall next take up the relations OF
exercise to health. Man was evidently
made for activity. The indolent man
deserves to be sick and die. The joint
ed skeleton, the contracting muscles,
the controlling nerves, the digesting
and circulating functions were made
for activity. Man must work or die.
This fact is engraved unpn his very
censtitution.-Green Mountain Freeman.