The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-13
DRESSED TO DEATH.

A thoughtful man who was "roughin g
it" in the mountains, whose attire there
consisted only of flannel shirt, u pair of
pantaloons, a hat, and shoes and stock
ings, who, on arising in the morning, was
sup and dressed within three minutes,
thus reflected regarding the shackles of
male dress imposed upon him in the city
by custom and fashion: How many
bandages am | required TO put on every
morning? / will commence at the feet.
Tight shoes, stockings, trousers, drawers,
undershirt, shirt, vest, coat, collar and
necktie. Shirt bosom and collar starched
as stiff as board, and about as comfort
able. How many bandages in all? Ten.
Do they add to my comfort, especially in
warm weather? Assuredly they do not.
My first move on o warm morning on
getting to the Office is to remove my coat,
and sometimes my collar and necktie.
why should wear at all garments which
are so uncomfortable? Again. Do these
ten bandages in which custom says |
must daily envelop myself conduce to
my health and strength? l think not.
Because, dressing as l do now in loose
trousers, loose shirt, and neck and throat
uncollared, l do certainly experience a
vigor and freedom of motion unknown in
my city garb. Perspiration passes off
quickly and does not oblige me to wear
all day sodden, wet piece of linen in
the shape Of shirt. / think my skin
has better chance to act, and as am
told there are thousands and thousands
of minute lungs in the skin which both
absorb live elements and throw off dead
matter, it strikes me that the garb pre-
scribed by custom is not at all calculated
to assist nature in the machinery of the
cuticie.
Regarding my feet, l find them far
more comfortable in a pair of canvas
slippers, and if you please without stock.
ings, than in my city CATERS. can now
easily wash them as many times a day as
l do my hands, and l find they need
washing as many times. 1t strikes me
that these feet of mine have all theil
lives, Or rather during. all my life, beer
too much swaddled and cramped. Lool
at them now? They are sore and out o
shape with corns and bunions. Wha
has done this? Shoe shackles, leathe
fashion and the shoemaker. What life
long barbarous treatment Of two sucl
useful members of society! l believe nov
that our modern swathed up, bandaged
tight lifting style of male attire is a fruit
tul cause of bodily weakness, and c
diseases dire coming through such weak
ness, which diseases doctors dignity an
render the origin more obscure by givin
them learned and Latin names. | d
not, through one or another bodily di:
comforts, heed the demands of nature
When am overheated, feverish, and OF
of sorts generally, it is in many cases
call from the body that I take off til
bandages and wear less of them. Do
obey? No. Usually take a glass (
beer and then another. So the needles
wear, tear and abuse of my fearful an
wonderful anatomy goes on from day
day, from week to week, from Summ'
to Summer. And at last the wear al
tear and weakness attacks some particul
organ; maybe the head, the bladder, Il
kidneys, the lungs the stomach, and t
doctor comes after the damage is irl
parable and tries to bolster me up, sa
died as am with my worn out inter-
machinery by his advice and his drug
And at last 1 am dead, and an autopsy
held on me and lie finds the part til
gave way and writes about it, partly
English, partly in Latin, and feels wis
than ever. But died partly of ignora
dressing, partly Of ignorant eating, par
OF persistent breathing of bad house ma
air, partly OF other simple evils not
yet recognized as belligerent powers l;
ing constant siege to our health citade
Such were the thinkings of the man
the flannel shirt and trousers.