The National tribune., 1890-07-31
CHAPTER LXXyII.
SUMMER coMPLAINTs-(c ontinued).

CHAPTER LXXVII.
SUMMER COMPLAINTs-( continued.
The comparative study of military statistics
proves that out Of 20 ounces of lead fired in
battle, 10 will on the average miss their mark {;
but rs the crippled old trooper remarked " that
good news can't much help fellow who has
got bullet in his leg; and it may not be a
much better consolation to be informed that
out Of 600 known species Of mammals only two
or three are subject to the misery of perspira-
ton. More comfort hoWayer, can be derived
from the fact that excessive sweat, as a conse-
quence of atmospheric heat is by no means an
unavoidable affection.
Warm weather. indeed considerably increases
the activity Of the perspiratiOn glands, but Ma
ture has abundantly provided for such emer-
gencies in way that would make sun warmth
no ways incompatible with comfort-at least
under the ATTITUDES of the temperate zoue-un-
less those expedients are neutralized by artif-
ciai c0ntriyances. Under a good microscope
every square inch of the human skin can be
seen to be crossed and re-crossed with net
work OF tiny burrows, and each furrow dotted
with minute orifces resembling the small
pores in fne-grained cedar wood. Each of
those openings constitute the aperture of per-
SEPARATION glands of which the surface Of the
entire body has been estimated to contain more
than 100000. The body of animals in a state
OF nature secretes by means Of these glands not
only supertiuOu5 moisture. -but other refuse
matter OF the organism, such rs urea and chic
ride OF sodium. Under normal circumstances
tho fluid part Of those secretions evanOrates in
the moment of its contact with the outer air.
In other words, it passes OF in gaseous form
without being condensed into visible and trOub-
lesome drops of moisture. The texture of close
woven clothes checks those exhalations and
gradually so saturates the inclosed air with
condensed moisture that the wearer OF the pre-
posterous tegumeut feels as wet as after drench-
ing rain. The orifccs of the INSTRUCTED pores
become elogged with moisture, aud in its strug-
gle for relief the organism doubles the activity
Of the unobstructed glands Of the forehead,
neck and hands.
Henee the phenomenon Of excessive perspi-
ration, secreted in streams By a temperature
that leaves the skin of dog, cat or q monkey
perfectly dry. The main cause Of the trouble
however is, after all, not the freight of our ar
titicial cover, but its imperviOusuess to gaseous
exhalations. A bear, a sheep or q woolly Ger
man poodle may be encumbored with larger
weight OF teguments per square foot than a
dandy IN his sweltering gala dress but their
shaggy coat OF hair permits the free passage of
gases which starched shirts and padded coats
convert into uncomfortable moisture Future
generations Will solve the problem of making
loose woven apparel answer the requirements
Of decency. but in the meantime the lovers Of
comfort and common sense might ut least risk
the imputatlon of nOnconformity 70 the by
laws OF fashion by selecting the thinnest and
lightest dress fabrics thatean possibly be made
TO pass muster on public promenade.
Flannel underwear is a gratuitOus aggraya-
tion of the Midsummer martyrdom imposed by
etiquet and stuify dwelling houses, and the
very principle of its introduction is founded
on strange failacy.
Flannel" we are informed, increases the
excretions of the skin and thus rids the organ
ism of all sorts of Impurities" The truth is
that wooden undergarments make the exhala-
tions of the system more risible by condensing
them from the gaseous to the fluid form. After
being once saturated with moisture a flannel
undershirt, so far from promoting, actually
checks pcrspratOn aud its removal on a swell
tering Midsummer day is felt rs an unspeakable
relieI-as deliverauce from an unnatural aud
distressing encumbrance.
The long-liyed Orientals prize linen above
all other garments, aud mention as an extreme
instance of misery the prcdicament of the poor
Bedouins who have to wear TUNES of wool or
camei-hair cloth. An ideal process of manu-
featuring Summer cloth would perhaps be the
plan of making the texture of the fabric as
loose as mOsquito.bar gauze, but connect each
intersection OF threads with long, fine fbers
that could be brushed smooth in a way to pre-
sent a uniform, unbroken surface like glossy
fur. A jacket of that material would be unex-
ceptionable from point of decOrum (if not of
fashion), but at the same time would no more
obstruct the exhalatiOn of the skin than the
natural hairy coat of our neyer-sweatng fellow
creatures
In the larger cities of Spanish America, the
police enforce the apron regulation" by pre-
venting the native half breeds from visiting
the market with a swarm of children in the
costume of Adam. Boys in their teens, couse-
queutly, are Obliged to wear clothes somewhat
resembling those of their civilized country
men, aud, indeed, appear 10 BIO little, If ut ALL
incommOded by that necessity, since they can
be seen romping like apes in the full glare of
the tropical sun, yet OH examination prove to
be quite free from any appreciable symptoms
of peTspiratiOn. The secret of their immunity
is the plan OF cutting both their breeehes and
tho sleeves of their thin jackets aS short as
compatible with the purpose OF the police
regulations. They run about baTelegged from
the knee down. and bare-armed from the
elbow. thus making at least One-half of the
cuticle surface cooperate in the performance
of the work which our fashions impose ON the
face and hands alone
Sudorifie food often aggravates the conse-
queuces of those fashions 10 an almost unbear-
able degree. Tea scaiding-hot soup aud greasy
Viands in Midsummer are as outrageous viola
tions Of Natures instinct revealed health laws
rs wOuid be diet of snOWballs and icewater
in blizzard time; and hospital nurses know
that, other things being equal, Observation-Disclosures
suffer moro in hot weather than total-abstain.
ers. There are days whom the temperature of
the outdoor air-eyen in the shade-far ex-
ceeds that of the human organism; the Their
mometer rises above blood heat" and i'm the
glare of the sun may climb up 10 or 20 degrees
above fever.heat. IN such weather the system
needs all its resisting power as sorely as in an
ice-stOrm, and beer aud brandy drinkers are
more liable to snn-strokes, cohgestive ehilIs,
brain fevers, etc, because alcohol, in all its
forms, tends to depress the vital vigOr of the
organism.
1t has also been observed that diet of
strongly-salted viands is apt to increase the
oppressiveness of sultry weather Chloride
of sodium" one of the main products of per-