The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-07-12
The Choice of Clothes.

fashion should yield to the laws of
physiology in matters of dress. Pub
lie attention has been prominently
and frequently directed to certain
well-recoghized reforms in garments,
especially in those of women, which
are of indisputable Importance. The
proposed Improvements have mainly
had reference to the shape and size of
articles of apparel, and have chiefly
been designed to prevent certain
baneful constructions and compress
| sions, certain unscientific diStribu-
tions of weight, and certain imp0ai-
ments to healthy movement and
growth, which fashion has favored,
but which are obviously, in the truest
sense, unphysiological. But it must
not be forgotten that, in human dress.
intelligentfy adapted to its essential
utilities, the materials of garments
must be wisely chosen, and that the
texture and color of clothes have as
| important bearing upon the health
and happiness of their wearer as the
mere make" of his apparel. On these
points, hYgienic science has estab
lished certain definite and reliable
conclusions. Whatever else may
be said about clothes, the pri-
mary object is to protect against
hurtful variations of cold and heat.
All their other uses are either
derived from, or are subsidiary to,
their essential purpose. II utility
strictly rule, it is clear that the ma
terial, texture, thickness, and color of
| clothes must be governed in accord
ance with their bearing upon the pro-
tecting function of dress, and that
these must be specialized in conform
ity with experience to meet the ne
cessitieS of different climates, and the
requirements of various occupations.
With regard to protection against ex-
tremes Of simple cold, as distinguished
from cold winds, wool is much SUI
perior, to equal thicknesses, to either
cotton or linen. For protection
against very extreme cold, besides
wool, leather or waterproof. clothing
is useful. Wool is especially adapted
for underclothing when protection
against cold is particularly aimed at.
all underclothing should be Of this
material. Against cold, cotton and
linen, in equal thicknesses, are about
equal in protective power. For pro-
lection against cold winds, leather and
India-rubber, according to DIR. Parkes,
for equal thicknesses, take first rank =
wool the second; cotton and linen
taking the lowest places. For protec-
ton against extreme of heat, in the
form of direct solar rays, the texture
of clothes is practically immaterial
protection from this danger depends
chiefly, if not entirely. upon color.
White has the greatest protecting
power, then gray, yellow, pink, blue
and black. For hot countries white
clothing is the best next comes dress
of light gray or dust-colored shade,
like the Indian ''khakee." In the
shade, Dr. Parkes found that the pro-
tecting effect of color against heat is
not marked. Here the thickness and
the conducting power of the material
are the conditions which affect pro-
lection. With regard to the absorb
ton of perspiration, the Microscopic
properties of wollen fabrics are
well known. The water penetr;:tes
into the wooden tibres themselves and
distends them (hygroscopic water),
and also insinuates itself etween the
fibres (water of interposition). In alb
S rbent power for Watery fluids, wool
is greatly superior to either cotton or
linen; it has been found that hygro-
scopic absorption of woollen fabrics,
as compared with those of cotton and
linen, is at least double in proportion
to weight, and quadruple in proper
ton to surface. This observation ap-
plies to cotton fabrics made of cotton
fibres as ordinarily prepared. Cotton
| fabrics made of cotton fibres so
| dressed as to become absorbent" as
in those made for surgical dressings.
would probably equal, if they did not
surpaSs, wooden materials in hygrO-
scopic affinity. Amongst the subsid-
| larry functions of clothes are the
effects of various dress materials
upon the absorption of odors, and in
protection against malarial emana-
lions. These considerations respec-
lively assume especial Importance in
some occupations and in some coun-
tries. Odors probably mark the diffu-
sion of minute material particles.
Their absorption by articles of apparel
has been found to depend partly upon
color and partly upon texture Stark's
observations show that the power of
absorption of odors by dress fabrics,
so far as color alone is concerned, is
in the following order; black, blue,
red, green, yellow, white. So lar as
texture is concerned, the absorption
1 of odors has been found to be in pro-
portion to Microscopic absorption.
Wooden materials take up the odors
best. With regard to the protective
influence of various dress materials
against the effects of malarial emana-
tions, the late DR.. Parkes wrote: at
has been supposed that wearing fan
mel next to the skin lessons the risk of
malaria AS 1t is generally supposed
that the poison of malaria enters
either by the lungs or stomach, it is
difficult to see how protection to the
skin can prevent its action, except in
directly, by preventing chill in per-
sons who have already suffered from
ague; but the very great authority of
J Andrew Combe, drawn from expert
ence at Rome, is in favor of its having
some influence; and it has been used
on the west coast of Africa for this
purpose with apparently good re-
suits" British Medical journal
:. April %, 1888.