Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-10-29

can be exercised the barriers are often
broken down.
There are many men and women
within my personal KNOWLEDGE who
cannot even for single day omit
their customary woollen1 shirts or
drawers without contracting cough
or becoming subject to rheumatic or
neuralgic pains. One of these is a
gentleman holding a high Office IN
der the government of the United
States. He dislikes theSsensaticn of
wool next 10 his skin, and has repeat
eddy tried to harden himself to the
point of being able to dispense with
the thick flannel shirt that his wife
insists on his wearing. As often, how
ever, as he has made the attempt he
has been obliged after few hours
abstinence to return to the disagree>
able garment, For a gentle reminder
comes to him in the form of slight
stitch in his side while he is shifting
the fresh morning air on his way to
his Office. By the time he has gone q
few blocks, whether on foot or in his
carriage, it is painful for him to
breathe, and the suffering goes on in
creasing till he is forced TO go home
and put on the protecting shirt, very
much to his wife's delight at the full
filment of her predictions.
MATERIAL TO BE USED.
There is a widely prevalent idea
that silk is the best substance from
which to make underclothing, and |
have known many poor girls to stint
themselves in the necessaries of life
IN order to save enough money to pur.
chase silk under garments. But silk
is not the best material with which to
make underclothes so far as concerns
their health. preserving qualities what
ever may be its advantages so far as
beauty and immediate comfort are
concerned. The chief object of un
derclothing is the retention of the nat
ural heat of the body ia such way
that low temperatures and sudden
changes Will not affect the surface.
Several years ago | performed some
experiments which went to- show be-
yond doHbt that silk is below wool
IN its power to prevent the loss Of
heat from the body and very little
superior to cotton. Indeed, nothing
IN this respect is preferable to wool,
and OF this material all underclothing
meant for winter use should be made.
Ia summer a mixture of wool ana cot
ton called merino may be worn, but
even in very hot weather silk is not
desirable, for it is not such a ready
absorber of the perspirstion as is wool,
and hence allows The body to be kept
IN state not very remote from that
known as parboiled. Wool, however,
taking up, as it does, the moisture
from the body, exposes it to the action
of the atmosphere, it is evaporated,
and the process being cooling one,
keeps the skin from becoming over
heated.
Rabbit skins, cushions of various
kinds and the SO called protectors"
worn over the chest are horrible af-
fairs, as they prevent the escape Of the
excretions from the skin and hence
facilitate the collection of dirt as well
as impeding the proper exercise of one
of the most important functions Of
the body. have frequently seen per
sons-men aud women divest them~
selves of halfSa-dozen layers OF skins
and pads before l could get at the
naked chest to examine it with the
stethescope. The odor was disgust
ing and the effect upon the organs
they We're supposed to protect Ger
tainly deleterious. No underclothing
should ever be so thick as to prevent
the free passage of the cutane@us exs
cretlons and the atmospheric air. The
skin. equres ventilation as we'll as do
the lungs. Chamois~skln under gar
ments, perforated" or unperforated,
are denominations.
COLOR OF UNDERCLOTHING.
A notion exists that red is partic>
ularly advantageous color to give to
the understands and drawers worn in
very cold weather There is no foun-
dation IN fact for such an idea. 1t
has been said that the dye stuff used
for the purpose of producing the color
ia question is more irritating to the
skin than the other substances en-
ployed, but, even if this were true
and | am strongly inclined to question
the correctness of the statement-it
would be no reason for using red -col
ored undergarments in preference to
brown or white. 1t is not irritation
of the skin that is wanted when we
put on usderclothing, but pro.
lection from cold and sudden vicissi>
tudes OF temperature. When it is
necessary to lrritate the skin IL is bet.
ter to make use of a mustard plaster
or blister and not to divert the cloth
ing from its proper objects. Under
clothing should be made of white MAJ
terials. Theoretically, black would
be preferable for winter use, as is a
letter non conductor of heat and a
better absorber of moisture than any
other color, other things being equal ;
but it would probably be difficult to
got people TO clothe themselves ia
clothing of this colcr or to find the
necessary articles in the shops. What.