The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-01-08
COLDS DUE TO FLANNELs.
Now Comes "a Physician Who Says Heavy
Monlen underwear L. RI

Now Comes physician Who Says Heavy
Wooden Underwear Is Bad.
A physician who has given much
thought to the hygiene OF clothing has
come TO the conclusion that many
deaths are caused by heavy wooden n
delclothing.
1t can be proved that tiannels are often
the cause OF severe colds. To have a cold
is to be in diseased condition and that
means loss of vitality and shortening
of life. 1t may even mean sudden death.
One can easily demonstrate in ones
own person on u small scale the i'll Ell
fects of excessive flannels. md your
hand in thick wooden bandages and
leave it in that condition for night. In
the morning you will find it damp and
habby, the pores all open. Lit is in the
most susceptible condition for catching
cold. If the whole body were brought
to the same state the result would be
disastrous.
That the whole body is often brought
to nearly similar condition is certain.
The majority of people during the win
ter incase themselves in heavy, tight
wooden or flannel garments. These
provoke perspiration and do not abb
sorb it. The result is that the wearer's
skin is hot, damp and highly suscepti
BILE to the infiammatory effects of cold.
a slightly lowered temperature can
hardly fail to bring on cold.
Heavy wooden Undertaking is able
to do all the more harm because it has
the weight of ancient domestic tradi
tion. Few people dare to be wiser than
their grandmothers. Wooden under
ulothing, according to modern expert
ence, should be as light as is consistent
with comfort. There are many persons
who go through the winter healthily
in cotton underwear and these are
probably the most fortunate class of
the population. But the warmth-pre-
serving qualities of wool are not to
be ignored.
One of its great properties is that
it is a bad conductor of heat. The
heat of the body, therefore, is not
given out by it. Ii also does not stick
to the skin and does not absorb per-
SEPARATION freely. This is a quality of
doubtful value. While it is agreeable
not to have your underclothing glued
! to your skin 1t is injurious to carry a
deposit of moisture which may become
cold and do harm in all parts of the
body.
The object, therefore, should be to
wear Undertaking which does not
cause excessive perspiration. 1t should
be light and loose. Wool is apparently
the best material for the majority of
the people.
The subject of colds receives too lit
tie attention. Many people are resigned
to the perpetual possession of them
They should be regarded as disease
dangerous, offensive and unclean. Pat
emit medicine advertisements print elo-
quent descriptions of their final eff
fects. These remarks are applicable
/ to those who have neglected themselves
too long and are fit subjects for the
hospital or prolonged medical treat
ment. Wise attention to clothing and
the general health is more valuable
than all remedies and treatment.
Colds are probably the chief cause
/ of Illness and disease among human
beings. They give little trouble to
animals. who wear no clothing. Argu-
ing from these facts, some enthusiasts
would say that the less clothing you
wear and the more You expose yourself
the healthier you will be.
But a state Of civilization of consider.
able antiquity has made it necessary for
man to preserve his natural heat by
artificial means. II is not permissible
TO abandon clothing entirely in this
country. Nor is II advisable to wear as
little as the public authorities will per-
NIT during an American winter.
Neither warm clothing or artificial
heat will satisfactorily replace the
atural heat of the body. To preserve
this should be the first aim of all who
wish TO avoid colds. Good food, fresh
air and exercise are obviously the
principal means.
I'm the care of the body the skin
should take an important place. As
far as colds are concerned IL Is all i'm
portant, because they rarely occur I'M
less the skin Is in n certain condition.
When the pores of the skin are opened
the cold air enters where II Is not want
ed and causes an inflammation. In
cold weather the pores should be closed.
Cold water Is an excellent vehicle for
closing the pores. The weight Of ex-
perience seems TO prove that II Is bet
ter TO use warm water first. Much de-
Ponds on the individual constitution.
The warm water cleanses and softens
the skin and relieves the body Of SUPER
huous moisture. the frequent source
Of colds. Following this. the cold wa
ter viii close the pores and put the
tkin In a sound. normal condition. No
one should stay in cold water long
enough 70 feel discomfort N. Y.