The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-10-11

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A large majority of my patients, /
verify believe, do not expose their
whole bodies to the air once from
September to June. Now, that is
ridiculous. 1t would be suicidal for
a person who wasn't used to it to
take off all his clothes and 1oiter
around in room at ordinary temper
ature, but the thing may be done by
degrees, and the body needs an air
bath at least once day, if the skin
i is to do its duty by the blood and
nerves. For the same reason the skin
must have its daily water bath. !
favor the cold plunge for few persons.
1 think the warm tub bath should be
used sparingly, but sponge bath,
followed by vigorous friction, every
body should have it once day.
Cold water is preferable, but that,
like the air bath, may be mater of
education. Bathe one portion of the
body in tepid water, keeping the rest
of the body covered. AS the shock
lessons with habit, bare more of the
body at one time. When you are
hardened to exposure to the air and
tepid water, gradually lower the tenn
perature of the water until you are
taking sponge bath in cold water.
That word sponge bath is a misno-
mer. I hate sponges. They are germ
and filth carriers. Use your hands,
or, better, rough wash rag that
will create friction and can be boiled
between baths. Don't use one wash
rag for a week as some people do.
The thoughtless uncleanliness of de-
cent people is beyond my comprehen-
sion.
Take the matter of underwear.
That's right in line with the cold cure
we are discussing. Nine persons out
of ten wear soiled underwear next the
skin. l admit that laundry bills
would keep many, save plutocrats,
from changing every day, which is
the ideal course, but at least under
wear may be well ventilated between
wearings. Iadvise keeping two suits
going at once. Wear suit one day.
Put it where it will be we'll ventilated
in fresh air the next day and don a
second suit. Alternate the two suits
until both are soiled. Then have
new deal. The rule will be worth
money to you-but be sure to hang
the suit you are not wearing out in
the fresh air. Don't tuck it away in
dark closet.
while we are talking about un-
derwear, wool is unquestionably more
conducive to warmth than anything
one can wear, but there is absolutely
no sense in wearing fannels as thick
as board. If all wool irritates the
skin too much, lightweight silk and
wool mixture is quite as good. In
case a person simply will not wear
any wool, silk is the next best thing ;
but most of the physicians will,
think, agree with me that silk and
wool is an excellent underwear mix
ture. Cotton and linen are good con-
ductors of heat. They take the ami
NAL heat which the body produces
by great effort and carry it away from
the body as fast as it is pumped up.
Wool, being poor conductor, allows
the body to preserve its warmth for
its own purpose.
Recently in several northern cities
a most sensible plan has been adopted
for the policemen. In winter po-
liceman, instead of putting on under
wear a foot thick, wears two suits of
very lightweight woolen underwear.
The idea is based on scientific fact and
has worked most successfully. The
two light, loose suits allow the air to
circulate freely and make thorough
skin ventilation a possibility with
greatly increased cold resistance as
result. myself have adopted the idea
and find it admirable. I can't say
enough against the clinging, tight
fitting, ribbed underwear that seem
SO dear to womankind and is sinfully
put upon many children. 1t is op-
posed to all rules of health and man
kind