The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-05-23

The Problem Is one Of Training the
Skin and Muscles to En-
durance


'ltwould be a good thing for humanity
4 the men Of science would figure out
some system by which maEkind could be
protected against changes in the
weather. said writer in the New Or
leans sTimes-Democrat, and am moved
to make this reflection by an article
which recently appeared in a medical
magazine on the subject Of How Not to
Mind the Weather, and comments on
the same in the Literary Digest The
idea is advanced that it is possible to
harden the skin SO that one win not be SO
susceptible to cold The writer de-
writer declares 'sensibility to cold If
largely matter Of education.
There are thousands Of people living in
savage state who wear very little
clothing and yet are wonderfully hardy
The natives Of Terra del E'uego-a
country as cold as this--live without
fixed habitation, having only the poor
est kind Of little huts. and TIE people
are exposed to the weather without COW
ering- Travellers report that all the pro-
lection from the weather that native
Of this bleak country needs in order
TO make him comfortable is board or
bush behind which he can be shell
tered from the wind and sleet.
.'The case Of the savage is cited and
Me writer remarks that it is well worth |
while to inquire what It is that makes
the savage SO hardy Continuing, he
says: The muscles Of the skin need |
a gymnastic training that will educate
them to contract vigorously on the !
slightest contact with cold, shutting the
blood out Of the skin SO quickly that the
precious body heat will not be lost.
You notice that when the skin is closed /
there is a 'goosefesh' appearance This
Is due to the contraction Of the little
muscles of the skin. The contraction
of these muscles congresses the blood /
vessels OF the skin and shuts out the
blood the skin Is hardened and thick
ened and becomes better nonconductor.
maintaining the body temperature It
is BY repeated applications Of cold that
the skin muscles are educated to con-
tract rapidly upon exposure to cold. For
this reason the daily cold bath is an ex-
eellent measure for the prevention Of
colds
THE usual effect Of a draught Of cold
air upon the back Of the neck is cold
and a sore throat Many years ago DR..
an eminent French
physician. devised a means by which
sore throat from this cause might be pre-
vented BY blowing upon the back Of
he neck with pair Of bellows. fncreas-
ng the time each day. he trained his pa
tents until they could endure this
reatment for half an hour without in
ury. 1t is not necessary to be exposed
Q draught Of air on the back Of the :
'eck in order to obtain this result BY
means OF the cold bath, the wet-sheet
uh. the shower bath, towel friction
tc.. the skin may Be educated to con-
ract on the slightest increase of cold.
Many people sneeze and take
old upon the least exposure to a dranght
{ cold air The remedy for this is not
? Try 70 keep away from the draughts.
" 70 make oneself proof against them. 2
Is only necessary to accustom oneself
tile BY little TO contact with cold air.
nd II seems to me that there Is much
this theory AT any rate. the drift
in the right direction and men whose
usiness Il Is to look after humanity's
aalth would do well to study a little
lore along this iine"