The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-17
light CLOTHING.
The Many Evil Effects Resulting from
This Cause.

|
This Cause.
! The more loosely clothing fits the
less it conducts heat, because a layer
of air is interposed between it and
the body-and air is an exceedingly
bad conductor of heat. This protect
ing layer of air enables the body in
wintersto keep its normal temperature
the more easily, because the heat given
off at the surface of the body passes
| slowly through it; whereas if the cloth
ing fit too closely to the skin heat is
dissipate with much greater rapidity.
In summer time, on the other hand,
the air in which we move is not so
warm as the objects upon which the
suns rays fall directly, and so the sur
face of clothes may become much hot
| ter than the air surrounding them.
The advantage of the layer of the air
is obvious also in this case. Therefore
we see that in hot and in cold weather,
too, tightly-fitting clothing defeats the
first and great object of wearing
clothes, and tends to exhaust the bod
lily strength and make it unfit for work.
Again, the clothing must be SO con-
structed as not to interfere with the
freedom of the IN ovement of any part
of the body; otherwise the due per-
Torrance of some function is inter-
fered with, so that injury results. A
small foot may be desirable possess
sion, but it is useless to attempt to OBJ
tain it by the compression of the foot
by too small pair of boots Freedom
of movement is at once impaired, and
graceful, easy walking is a sheer i'm
possibility The victim of tight boots
is self revealed by the ungainly gait
a much more conspicuous infirmity
than large foot. In addition to the
discomfort necessarily experienced,
permanent injury may be caused to
the structures of the foot. Deformity
of the toe results, and one particular
deformity, known as hammer toe, - is
often thus produced, the pressure of
the boot causing the toes to override
one another. The great toe becomes
turned outwards, the ball becomes I'M
duly prominent, and walking becomes
difficult. commoner result of a tight
shoe is the formation of corns. When
ever any part of the body is subjected
to intermittent pressure, thickening of
the tissues occurs at that spot and a
corn is the result, which is capable of
causing extreme pain, especially if
slightly inhamed. The i'll effects of
tight shoes are sometimes increased by
having the heel (Which is generally
much too high placed almost under
the middle of the foot, and the climax
of absurdity is reached by making the
front of the shoe point sharply. By this
type of shoe improving toe nail-a
most painful condition-is often pro-
duced.
The corset is also very frequently
worn too tight. AS a means of sup
port the corset is doubtless of use, but
worn too tightly it presses down the
diaphragm and it interferes with the
organs of digestion and circulation.
1t is notorious how frequently very
tightly-laced ladies suffer from chronic
indigestion. How often do they faint
in church and other places where the
heat may be eXcessive Nor is the
effect of tight clothing confined to
such complaints. The bones and organs
suffer from this influence, and after
death they are found to be deeply
grooved, corresponding to the points
of pressure, and greatly displaced. 1
have no doubt whatever but that many
of the nervous complaints from which
women suffer originate in this way.
Nor are men altogether free from
this fault of tight lacing. Many wear
tight belts, especially when about to
engage in violent exercise Rupture
may thus be caused.
Tight cravats are also injurious the
neck should be loosely clothed Tight
carriers interfere with the flow of blood
through the veins, and tendency to
varicose veins results. How great the
influence of tight clothing is is shown
by comparison of the frequency with
which soldiers and sailors suffer from
diseases of the great blood vessels.
Pressure of clothing from its weight
may also act injuriously. The full
flowing long skirts are suspended from
the waist which is thus tightly COM
pressed.
Lastly tight gloves may cause much
discomfort. There is no more painful
sensation than that produced by wear
ing tightly-ftting pair of gloves on a
cold day.-Casselrs Magazine.