Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-03
Thousands Of Germans Now Wearing
WOODEN Clothing Only.

Wooden Clothing Only.
From the London Times
The doctrine starts with the fundamental prin-
ciple that, being animals, we shOul wear ami
mai clothing The absorption by vegetable life
OF poisonous emanation from animal life is
process not limited, it would appear, to living
plants, but continued by vegetable fiber such as
cotton linen, etc, with the difference that while
the living plant assimilates these emanatons,
the dead fiber cannot do So but exhales them
again when wetted or warmed. Thus our
Clothes, in consequence of their vegetable char
acter attract and retain those noxious princi-
pies which should, on the contrary, be thrown
off with the greatest possible promptitude. On
the other hand animal material. such as wool.
is made by nature to protect animal life, and
will not prevent. but assist the evaporation OF
| the carnations coming from the body This
can readily be proved by the sense of smell 1t
sufllces to wear clothes of pure wool through
out. and there is at once an end to the unpleas-
antness noticed In the linen underclOthing, the
cotton Innings of the coat. etc.
From these facts DR.. Gustav Jaeger. profess
sor OF zoology and physiology at Stuttgart, de-
duces his medical theory, which has won in
Vulnerable disciples in an incredibly short time
DR.. Jaeger points out that the human body is
most susceptible to disease when it contains too
large a quantity of y-ater or of fat The pres
ence in excess OF these substances can be tested
by the specific weight and the rapidity of the
nervous action. To test the nervous activity a
stop-ws tch is employed which can record the
two-thousandth part of q second. Experiments
showed in one instance that the rapidty of ac-
ton after Turkish bath increased to the ex-
tent OF - per cent.
What is now known as DR.. Jaeger's sanitary
wooden clothing is so contrived as to obyiate
these evils. The clothing consists. for men. of
tEht-fltting stocknnette undergarments made of
pure undyed WOOL fastened over the shoulder.
and OF double thickness over the breast The
coat or Jacket is double-b breasted buttOned we'll
up to the throat. contains no lining nor padding,
unless of pure wool. and is either undyed. or
treated with only uninjurious fast dyes The
same rule applies to the trOwsers while the
waistcoat is either dispensed with altogether
or 1t forms an inner lap affixed to the side of
the coat. Inside the sleeves and the trowsers
legs there is contrivance, which. fastening
tight round the limb, prevents up draughts. for
cold, rheumatism, lumbago. etc, are caught by
the sudden rush of cold air to one particular
part OF the body, and not by the gradual cooling
of the entire system. The feet are clad in pure
wooden socks, with divisions for each toe. while
the upper part of the boot is made of felt the
lower part also OF felt or of porous leather, and
the inner soles consists ofperforated leather and
layers OF felt. Thus the boot is thoroughly por-
Gus, and the feet are consequently kept as clean
and pure as the hands.
By doubly, protecting the front of the body
where the blood vessels converge these are
stimulated and, as an even Temperature
throughout Is maintained. the necessity for
great coats Is Obviated, rain or damp having
little or no effect, for in every case gradual and
even evaporation is insured While they are
the best protection against cold these clothes
are also the coolest In summer. Little or no
change need be made between winter and sum-
mer, at least in the temperate region; and means
have teen found by which this system can with
equal facility be adopted by women. Nor can a
''wOOlenine" be easily distinguished from the
''w0odenites," as the wearers OF vegetable fiber
| may be called. The substitution of q collar
made Of unstarched white cashmere for the
customary starched linen collar is the most
conspicuous feature In the dress; otherwise it
would be difficult to detect the disciples of this
system. The cashmere collar, however, is
not only most comfortable, but is preventive
Of throat disorders.
| All these precautions taken during the day
must be continued at night The bed must also
| be free from vegetable fiber The linen sheet
| must be replaced by wooden blankets or camel
| hair rugs. with white cashmere sheets if pre-
ferred. The mattress and the pillow should
also be stuffed and covered with wool; but when
thus protected the sleeper need fear neither cold
| nor change OF temperature. and is. therefore
urged to keep his window well open at night
Indeed. the possibility OF thus securing pure air
| In the bedroom without risk is one of the most
| important advantages of the system. In reward
| loT tnlS great cnaLge IN the mOde or living the
action of the skin Is so stimulated that the nox-
fous principles, the "bad humors' our forefath-
ers so often spoke about, are soon given off and
evaporated. Corpulence is reduced, the flesh
becomes firm and thoroughly hardened, -
while the acceleratiOn OF nervous action and
general improvement in the physical and men,
tai working powers is demonstrated by the stop
watch test. Then. according to DR.. Jaeger, the
body has resumed its normal condition.
| Such, briefly, is the reform in clothing ap-
L ,v-f.A NypA rnA 1,,<h n
mans, not few Prussians and some English
men, and which has been introduced in our
midst at the South Kensington International
Health exhibition. and by the opening of de-
pot in Fore street, where articles Of every de-
scrption in connection with the system are to
| be seen.