The Tupelo journal., 1906-02-23

or Woolen-Linen Underwear Most
Hygienic and Comfortable-A Por-
Garment Protects Better from
Heat and Cold Than a Garment OF
Solid Material - Wooden Under
wear Makes Restless Children
Up-to-Date Medical Men Advo-
cate Linen-Mesh Underwear.
After careful investigation, l find l
must class silk as | did wool, a fabric
not to be recommended as underwear.
1t, however, has n advantage over
wool, it can be thoroughly cleansed by
washing. Silk, too, is a non-conductor
of heat; but, like wool, it also retains
the moisture to a degree that is detri-
mental to the wearer 1t has, indeed,
many things in common with DOL.
The protective feature of any under
wear is always dependent upon it's air.
holding qualities tits porosity), at the
same time having the power of readily
conducting moisture. The silken gar
ment is too closely woven and is lack
ing in the moisture-conducting quail
ty; hence it retains the heat OF the
body, to a great degree, as long as the
wearer does not perspire, but when
p~erspiration takes place and the un-
derwear becomes damp, on account OF
its evaporative quality 1t then becomes
a conductor of heat to such an extent
as to be detrimental. The silk, in the
meantime. is slow to dry and the rapid
heat elimination is thus prolonged;
conditions is a good protector, becomes
for the time being the exact opposite,
Silk is also a good ~insulatOr, but only
that portion of the body need be in
sulated which forms a direct circuit
with the earth-the feet. Can errone-
Gus theory prevails that we get our
magnetic strength from the earth.)
When silk is worm next to the body,
and the person wearing it is exposed
to a draught while the silk holds mois-
.ture. a rapid abstraction of heat takes
place, the body becomes chilled and
the usual result, a "cold," is likely to
follow. 1t is a matter of daily obser-
walton that those who wear wool or
silk are much more prone to catch
cold" than those who wear other fab
.rics-cotton or linen.
Cotton Underwear.
Cotton u~nderclothing does not meet
all the requirements, yet it is more
or less preferable to either wool OF
silk. While it does not give up mois-
,ture as freely as it should to make ii
purely a hyglenic underwear, it is a
much better absorbent than either wool
ior silk and is, therefore, to be recon-
,mended in preference to either-for
winter as well as for summer The fact
that you will not as readily become
,overheated with cotton as with WOO
or silk is very greatly in its favor; fol-
.overheating, as has been shown, means
reaction and reaction under such con.
,ditions results in less resisting force.
I am strongly of the opinion that
better than wool, better than silk, bet
ter than cotton, as far az the health
of the human body is concerned, would
ibe no underwear at all. But, in con
sequence of the unhygienic condition
caused by the body coming in contact
with the clothing which admits of nc
regular change, | can truly say, after
years of experience, better than any
;of the foregoing, more hygienic and
producing the best physical condition
is the wearing of linen mesh, summer
and winter.
1t resolves itself into this-what is
most needed and most to be commend
ed in the way of underwear is a fabric
that will take up the moisture most
quickly and give it up most rapidly
What is it? Linen.
Linen Underwear.
You need take no ones word for this
but can satisfy yourself as to the cor
irectness of my theory by making the
following tests, viz: % Take a piece
each of wooden, silken, cotton and liner
.oughly, place them in the sun or all
to dry. Note the difference in the time
required and you will find it to bs
the exact reverse of the order given
thus favoring linen. (2) Wash the
hands and face and then use wooden
silken, cotton and linen, respectively
in lieu of the ordinary towel. Agar
you will declare in favor of linen. Ths
proofs in these two tests are conclu
sive.
You can now readily determine how
each of these fabrics. when used al
undergarments, absorb and evaporatt
the moisture of the body. If you wan
to get health and keep health you will
take the advice of that greatest of al
law-givers and ~hygienists. Moses
whose laws provided especially fol
cleanliness and who recognized the
purity and healthfulness of linen un
derwear and the very reverse of wool
en-. They shall be clothed with liner
garments, and no wool shall come apor
them. They shall not giro
themselves with anything that causetf
sweat" (Ezekial 44:17,18.)
1t will thus be seen that the wearins
of linen is not a new idea. AS a fabri.
to be worn next to the skin it is the
oldest known, ~antedating, as it does
the Christian era. The newness, Of
Improvement is in its form (meshed,
and preparation.
Any porous garment, of whatever
material. is warmer in winter and cool
err in summer than the same fabric il
close, or solid material. Even a loose
ly knitted wooden shawl will keep on,
much warmer than a smooth n con
tanning the same amount OF wool. Thu
protective feature Of any clothing de
ponds upon its air-holding capacity o.