The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-12
UNDERCLOTHING.
Its Hygienic Uses and Hints the Materials
to Use for Shirts and Drawers.

TO use IOr Sn1rCS ana drawers.
w. A. Hammond. M. D., in New York Journal
In the first place. may say that in our climate
some kind of underclothing should be worn by
man, woman and child all the year round, sum-
mer as we'll as winter, although, of course, it
should vary in character with the season. There
are doubtless many who wear nothing of the sort
winter and summer, and who have thus far es-
capped all i'll consequence or at least think they
have In all probability, however, they
are deceiving themselves They may not
yet have suffered serious inconvenience
from their neglect to properly clothe themselves,
but they are quite certainly, though the
process goes on slowly, weakening their resist
ing powers, and are hence rendering themselves
less capable of bearing up against the attacks
which morbid influences are constantly making.
Every year finds them more apt to suffer from
slight ailments, each one of which deblitates
the system; advancing age makes them more
susceptible, and at last pneumonia, pIeurisy
dysentery or some other serious disease strikes
them down. The changes in our climate are so
sudden and severe as to require all the vital
strength of the organism to combat them, and
ii the body be not properly protected the danger
is increased Even with all the care that can be
exercised the barriers often broken down.
There are many men and women within my
personal knowledge who cannot even for a sim
gle day omit their customary wooden shirts or
drawers without contracting cough or becom-
ing subject to rheumatic or nuralgic palms, One
of these is gentleman holding high Office
dislikes the sensation of wool next to his skim
and has repeatedly tried to harden himself to
the point of being able to dispense with the
thick flannel shirt that his wife insists uoon his
wearing AS often, however, as he has made
the attempt he has as often been obliged,
after few hours abstinence, to return to
the disagreeable garment, for q gentle re-
minder comes to him in the form of a slight
stitch in his side while he is shifting the fresh
morning air on his way to his Office By the
time that ne has few hlOckc vyba
upon foot or in his carriage, it is most painful
for him to breathe, and the suffering goes on in
creasing until he is forced to go home and put on
the protecting shirt, very much to his wife's de-
light at the fulflment of her predictions
Silk is not the best material with which to
make underclothes so far as concerns their
health preserving qualities, whatever may be its
advantages so far as beauty and immediate
comfort are concerned. The chief object of
underclothing is the retention of the natural
heat OF the body In such a way that low
temperatures and sudden changes will not affect
the surface. Several years ago l performed
some experiments which went to show beyond
any doubt that silk is below wool in its power 10
prevent the loss of heat from the body, and very
little superior to cotton. Indeed, nothing is in
this respect preferable to wool. and of this ma
terial all underclothing meant for winter use
should be made. In summer a mixture of wool
and cotton, called meTino, may be worm but
even in very hot weather silk is not desirable,
for 1T is not such ready absorber of the perspi-
ration as wool, and allows the body to be kept in
q state not very remote from that known as par
boiled. Wool. however, taking up, as
it does, the moisture from the
body, exposes it to the atmosphere, it
is evaporated, and the process being cooling
one, keeps the skin from becoming overheated
No Undertaking should ever be so thick as to
prevent free passage of the cutaneous excretons
and the atmospheric air. The SKIN requires
ventilation as we'll as do the lungs. Chamois-
skin under garments perforated OF upper
forated are denominations
A notion exists that red is particularly ad-
vantageous color to give to the undershirts and
drawers worn in very cold weather. There is
no foundation in fact for such an idea. 1t has
been said that the dye stuff used for the purpose
OF producing the color in question is more irri-
tatlng to the skin Than the other substances
employed, but even if this were true-and am
strongly inclined to question The correctness
Of the statement--it would be no reason