Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04
THE UNDERCLorHr>G QUESTION.
WI nat the Doctors Think About an
Important Matter
From the New York Sun.


The individual opinions of the doctors
whom the proprietor interviewed on the sub
ject were guided by their specialties. A
lung specialist advised woolens Of VARYING
weight the year around A skin disease
expert denounced overheating Of the blood
by too much weight Of clothing in warm
weather. A nerve specialist proved salts
factorily that the irritation from wooden OF
hannel material against the skin was ex-
tremely injurious to persons of highly
nervous temperament. 4 man who has
large practice among consump;ives held
that the slight irritation from this cause
i was healthfui and an aid 10 circulation.
An authority on the human stomach de-
clared that mankind was suffering wholly
unnecessary pangs because il would not
wear an extra thickness of flannel across
Its abdomen. physician whose word is
law in the matter Of the condition Of ath-
letes was positive that New Workers are de
generating physically because they protect
themselves too daintily from extremes OF
weather. Another NJ. d. considered a man
safe who kept his chest and back well pro-
tected, while still another believed wet
feet TO be the cause of most OF the ills that
flesh is heir to. And SO it went until the re-
porter finally came upon general prac-
utioner who had no particular specially
but large practice and experience, and
who spoke thus:
1T all depends on the individual A
young and hearty man who has good blood
circulation and who keeps in good con1i-
ton may wear one weight of underclorh-
ing throughout the year without harm.
thousands of men in this city do il. On
the other hand, man who is a little out
of condition needs a barrier between him
self and a cold atmosphere, which shall be
non-cOnuuctOr OF heat, and woOllen goods
are an excellent non-conductor. You see,
we have to keep the body at an even tenn
perature of 9Sl2, and when man il out
doors with the thermometer below freezing
he fpS nffog4f Of hf41f
undcrclothes act a barrier 10 that radia-
ton, whereas cotton, which is a good con-
ductor, doesn't provide much OF a barrier.
Wool is the natural protection of all ami
mails. A physically rugged man, however
Will keep up bis own bodily temperature
even in very cold weather, by the energy
of the human machine. People who can't
wear WOO, next to the skin, who think
they can't can wear light cotton
goods beneath it. Woven silk is good,
but too expensive for general use. OF
linen undertaking L know nothing
L have heard of pleated linen being used
in arctic regions as supplementary to fan
nels, but whether IT is efficaciuus or not
l have never heard. The overheating of
houses and buildings creates false condi-
lions and is very trying to the system. A
man who is baked in an atmosphere of 81
degrees or more all DAY finds himself
shivering when he encounters an outside
temperature that ought only make him feel
brisk. In winter the jump from 50 degrees
to say Is degrees that one frequently
, makes from one side Of a door to the other
is a pretty severe test. In that season 1
am an advocate of the overcoat if a man
VIII use it reasonably and take Sc of at
once upon entering a heated room To keen
1t on and steam oneself into a perspiration
Is worse than wearing no overcoat
In general, l should say that a man
should be guided by his own feelings in
the matter of underciothes, so long as he
Is in good health. If he feels the need Of
heavy WOO ems let him wear them; the fact
that he does feel it is evidence of the need
On the other hand the fact that he can
get around comfortably in all temperatures
wearing summer underclothes means that
ne doesn't need heavier ones, and he might
even harm himse by wearing them The
most dangerous thing OF all is quick
changes from light to heavy, and back 10
hight again. That is the nearest L can come
| TO general rlI1a-''