The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-03
THE UNDERWEAR QUESTION.
The Cotton and Linen Fetish an
Example Of Backward Evolution
-Nonogenarian Sustained by
the Wool Producers.

linen fabrics in the place of it, and Civ
ing philosophy, law, and reason for the
truth of my position, (Which does not
require "a learned, able, and scholarly
gentleman" when we consider the
knowledge of our school boys), see
nothing left of the subject for future ar
gument. 1t is unnecessary to recapitu-
late from my former communications.
They have not been refuted, and cannot
be, for those arguments are irrefutable,
and our would-be philosopher of cotton
and linen has no ground to stand upon
in the language of our forensic neigh
bors, he is "ruled out of court"
However much the doctrine of evolu-
ton and development has operated and
is operating, to advance the practice of
medicine to a more and more scientific
basis, certainly this fad or fetish OF our
cotton or linen philosopher is far from
being one of the factors in the process,
and may be called dtarism. or a phe-
nomenon of reversion, or backward evo-
luton, lobster-like, toward lower prim-
tive condition and it is up to the Presi-
dent of the Wayne County Medical So
ciety to suggest to its members the dis
cussion of this very important subject mt
their meetings. For ours is not tropi-
cal climate, and for sixty years, to my
own certain knowledge, we have advo-
Gated the wearing of woollens for the
,l,tl ,f 81;
ren and now feel that this new gospel
of linen or cotton to supplant it is
rgerousinnovation encroachment and
trespass upon firmly established hy-
gienic doctrine. Physicians, as children
of Esculapius, also kneel to our sister
the Goddess Hygeia and recognize pre-
ventive medicine as of the utmost i'm
portance.
Every animal in'the North Temperate
and North Frigid zones has winter and
a summer garment provided by nature,
except the human animal; and for the
latter, art must supply the defect. 1t
has done so, and will continue to do so,
by the very wise and well-established
provision of wool in the winter season,
and cotton or linen in summer. Who
ever interferes, unnaturally, by clipping
an animal unseasonably, or by dressing
the body of person to conflict with
natural laws, should be handed over to
the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals. Why the fighting blood Of
our cotton, linen and literary friend can
find qualification in so bold an endeavor
to propagate the personal idiosyncrasy
OF his own anatomical architecture, is
undiscernible. Even a sheep would re-
sent it. What the bumptious editor says
of wool is uninteresting; but what would
the sheep, the bearer of the wool, if it
were articuate, say of him?
Who does not remember the tabled
colloquy of the Boy and the Sheep, in
the nursery of our kidhood la Balaam
and his ASS?
Boy:
Lazy sheep. pray tell me why
In the pleasant field you lie.
Eating grass and daisies white
From the morning until night?
Everything can something do
But what kind OF use are you ?"
SHEEP:
Nay, my little master, nay!
Do not serve me 50, pray.
Don't you see the wool that grows
on my back to make you clothes?
Cold and very cold you'd get
If did not give you it,"
But true, it seems pleasant thing
To nip the daisies in the spring" etc.
The faithful teleologist, or seeker af-
ter fitness or design in Nature, admires
the wisdom of higher power, or Provi-
dence in designing sheep, upon which
the residents of these hyperborean re-
gions are to depend for their winter
garments but without descanting upon
that postulate, we will give credit to the
Birdsalls, of Seelyvlle, as public ben
efactors for manufacturing what the
sheep affords into an indispensable
staple and, in passing, may be men,
toned the Messrs. Menner & Co., who
deal in made-up woollens of different
grades and weights, from the fine soft
worsteds, up to the domestics of the
Birdsalls.
| am not in the interest of either OF
these gentlemen, but in the interest OF
all the people of Wayne county. Es.
pecially the matrons, their kiddies, and
adolescents. The interest may be ex.
tended to the blue jackets, marines, and
sailors of our navy; the boys in khaki
and blue of our army, and the armies
and navies of the world.
Our editor IN hOlatar IN his untanah hlf
position, brings to his aid couple o
physicians of another and much mildel
cline than ours, who would be Obliged
to dress as our physicians do if they were
subjected to like exposures.
Samples of the stuff our editor is boom
ing come to us through the mails, along
with the other samples and circulars
recommending proprietary or patented
articles. They find q place in the waste