The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-01-08
UNDERCLOTHING.
Its Hysisnic Uses and Hints on the Mate
rial In Use,

health that are completely mis-
understood by the average man and
woman than the subject of under
clothing. AS now is the time at which
it is important to begin to exercise
special are to avoid taking cold it
will not be out of place for me to say
a few words IN this important ques-
ton to the readers who want to know
what is right in regard to the care OF
their health, and yet perhaps do not
know exactly what to do.
In the first place, ! may say that in
our climate some kind OF un-
derclothing should be worn by man,
woman and child all the year round,
summer as well us winter-though, OF
course, it should vary in character
with the season. There are. doubt
less, many who wear nothing of the
sort, winter or summer. and who have
thus far escaped allill consequences, or
atleast think theyhave. In all proba-
bility, however, they are d~ecciving
themselves. They may not yet have
suffered any serious Inconvenience
from their neglect to properly clothe
themselves, but they are quite GER
certainly, even 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 in
i~luences are constantly making.
Every year finds them more apt to
suffer from slight ailments; each one
of which debilitates the system; aid.
vancing age makes them more sus-
ceptible, and at last pneumonia, pleu-
risy, dysentery Or some other serious
disease strikes them down. The
changes in III climate are SO sudden
and eve as to require all the vital
strength OF the organism to combat
them. and ii the body be not properly
protected the danger is greatly in
creased. Even with all the care that
can be exercised the barriers are often
broekn down.
There are many men and women
within my personal knowledge who
cannot ever for q single day omit
their customary wooden shirts or
drawers without contracting q cough
or becoming subject to rheumatic or
neuralgic pains. One of these is q
gentleman holding Il high Office under
the government OF the United States.
He dislikes the sensation ofwool next
to his skin, and has repeatedly tried
TO harden himself to the point OF be-
ing able to dispense with the thick
flannel shirt that h;% wife insists on
his wearing. AS often, however, as he
has made the attempt he has been
I, obliged after u few hours abstinence
to return to the disagreeablegarmcnt,
for q gentle reminder ONE to him in
the form OF q slight stitch in his side
while he is smiling the fresh morning
air on his way to his Office. By the
time he has zone few blocks, whether
: on foot orin his carriage, it is painful
for him to breathe, and the suffering
goes on increasing till he is forced to
go home and put on the protecting
> shirt, very much to his wife's delight
; atthe fultillment OF her predictions.
+ 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 lie i'll
order to save enough money to pur.
chase silk undergraduates. But silk is
not the best material with which to
make underclothes so far as concerns
~ ~ I 't7t III It6'IiN w iGl
ever man be it's advantages so far rs
beauty and immediate comfort are
5 concerned. The chief object of under.
i: clothing is the retention ofthenatural
heat OF the body in such a way that
, low temperatures and sudden changes
will o affect the surface. Several
/, ments which went to show beyond n
lo,,It Mo \ Gill -, hollow, ,,,~ ~, So
power to prevent the loss ofheatfron
the body and very little superior tc
cotton. Indeed, nothing is III this re
spect preferable to wool, and Of this
material all underclothing meant fol
winter use should be made. In sum
mer a mixture OF wool and cotton
!, called merino, may be worn, but ever
! in very hot weather silk is not
desirable for it is not such a ready
absorber of the perspiration as i.
~ wool, and hence allows the body tt
. be kept in astatenot very remotefron
that known Us parboiled. Wool, how
y ever, taking up as itdoes,th moisture
e from the body, exposes it to the ac
j. ton OF the atmosphere, it is evapor
ated, and the process being u ,oolin
one, keeps the skin from b~econlin
OFeflelJeu.
e Rabbit skins, cushions OF variou
kinds and the so-called protectors,
;, worn over the chest are horrible al
= fairs, as they prevent theescape 9th
eXcretions from the skin and henc
facilitate the collection OF dirt as wei
y as impeding the proper exercise Dion
\ OF the most approximations of tn
- body. have frequently seen person
: men and women-divest themselve
!. OF n hall a dozen layers of skins an
= pads before l could get at the make
a chest to examine it with the stetht
- scope. The odor was disgusting an
y the effect upon the organs they wer
y supposed to protect certainly delete
=, rious. No underclothing should eve
- be SO thick as to prevent the free pas
-, sage of the cutaneous excretions an
y the atmospheric air. The skin II
: ouires ventilation rs well as do tn
> lungs. Chamois skin undergnrments
- perforated" or unperforated, al
= denominations.
y Anotion existsthat red is n parti(
~ ularly advantageous color to give t
e. the undershirts and drawers worn i
very cold weather. There is no -four
"a dation in fact for such an idea. ]
- has been said that thedye stuffused fo
y the purpose OF producing the color j
IL question is more irritating to the ski
10 10 than the other substances employed
a but, even if this were true-and ! al
VI strongly inclined toquestion the Co
rectness OF the statement-it woul
:. be no reason for using red-colored III
=, dergarments in preference to brow
:" or white. 1t is not irritation OF til
skin that is wanted when we put o
Undertaking, but protection frc'