The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-03-09
OVERCOATS.

OF ancient customs goes to show that
heat production within the body has
much to do with the tissue changes
concerned in muscular activity and
with healthy digestion. 1t is conserved
by warm and moderate, wasted in
evaporation by excessive, clothing.
Finally, by a simple nervous reaction, 1t
is increased after the contact of exter-
nal cold. 1t follows from these obser-
vatlons that if we be so clad with com
Portable underclothing that surface per-
splratlon is not formed in excess and is
rapidly removed, one great cause of
of chill-sudden evaporation-is done
away with. Outer cold, then, provided
1t Is not too severe, only touches, as it
were, the spring of the heat making
metabolism, and, exciting an elastic re-
bound in the chain of vasor-motor f.
bers, awakens that oxidative action by
which every tissue is made to yield its
share of heat to the body. This brac-
ing influence is lost wholly or partly to
those who are too heavily clothed, and
in its place we may have dangerous
excess of surface heat. 1t is for this
reason that we have before protested,
as we now do, against the indiscrimi-
nate use of the thick and heavy over
coat. We would rather see men in
fairly robust condition, especially if
young, clad warmly next the skin, and
wearing either light top coat or none
at all. There can be no doubt that the
habitat use of great-coats is indirectly
accountable for the chills which they
ale intended to prevent. Were the
overcoat worn continuously, it might
attain its object. Its intermittent
use, even when ample undercloth-
ing is worn, affords no solid guarantee
of safety, but rather the reverse. The
man of sedentary habits has especial
need to remember this. He emerges
daily from warm breakfast room
clothed in his ordinary winter garments.
with probably wooden underwear, and
over all the heavy ulster or top coat.
After short walk he finds that the
sense of warmth he began with is more
than maintained. He arrives at his
office or place of bushes, and off goes
the overcoat, though the air of the
newly opened room is as cold as that
without, and draughty in addition. Dur
ing the day perhaps he travels to and
from adjacent business houses wearing
only his house clothing. The overcoat IS
laid aside till closing time reminds him
of the journey home. The fire.
quent result is that somehow, between
the hours of his departure and re-
turn, he is chilled. No doubt he
would run as great risk if, lightly clad,
he were to face the rigor of a winter
day. In this case, however, exercise
and habit might do much to develop
the power of endurance, and there
would, at all events, be less danger of
sudden cold acting upon freely per-
spring surface. Wooden underclothing
represents state OF healthy comfort
intermediate between these extremes,
and more resistant to chill than either.
In commencing its use, however, we
do not assert that the influence of age
and constitution is to be overlooked.
Youth can oppose a power of resist
ance to depressing agencies which does
not reside in the worn-out nerve CEN
tiers of ripper age. Similarly, that elias
tic reaction which characterizes the ner-
vous and sanguine types is not to be
looked for in the lax tissues of the
lymphatic. The weaker physique nat
urally calls for fuller protection than
the stronger; and any rule requiring
the disuse of the overcoat should allow
of reasonable exceptions in favor OF the
old and constitutionally feeble. I'm
usual severity of weather, especially if
associated with night air and the loss
of sleep which this implies, is another
condition which might we'll constitute
an exception. In such case we are
compelled to add some form of over
coat to the ordinary amount of cloth
ing. Some parts of the body-for ex-
ample, the chest, throat, and teet-are
certainly more susceptible to cold than
others. As useful safeguard, cold or
tepid bathing of such parts is in meri
ted favor. The custom so common
with many persons, especially women,
of walking out in thin-soled boots often
plays an important part in catching
cold. The progress of time and of ra-
tional thought may Ee expected to
bring in more comfortable arrange
ment by clothing the foot in woolen
hosiery and stouter boot.-Lancet.