The Detroit times., 1912-03-12
PERSONAL HYGIENE MAKING
FOR POWER AND HEALTH
BY LEONARD K. HIRsHsgRo, A. O.. N. o.

or all the living things and delicate
mecnanisms In our possession. the
one most valuable. yet enjoyed by the
poorest OF ns, Is the human body.
Every child, girl, boy, youth, man
and woman Is sole proprietor OF his
own body. IL Is his for veal or woe.
Scarcely do We realize taht like a
steam engine, motor-boat, or locomo-
tive, the human machinery is afflict-
ed with three great troubles. These
are inherent or intrinsic defects OF
the parts or tissues, neglectful cir
cumspection, and unfayorable sur
roundings.
Such maladies as arise from inner
Iited susceptibility TO tuberculosis,
mental disease OF heart weakness.
when recognized early, can be cured
by procedures known to modern
prophylaxis.
Sanitary science today inaugurates
such exercises, baths and foods as
will tend to strengthen natural vital
ity. When age creeps upon us, this
vital resistance to disease becomes
SO much weaker that all efforts to
bolster up the bodily forces will be
null and void.
More delicate even than a watch We
too often subject our frail parts, with
the physical vices OF overeating. lazi-
ness, voluntary insomnia and fatigue.
These lead TO bodily disintegration
and disease.
IL the environs, bad air, soil, water.
drainage, rainfall, foods, temperature
and insanitary domestic animals pre-
vail In a neighborhood, IL malignant
contagious diseases are rife, serious
disorders OF health will sooner or
later ensue.
To maintain state OF hygienic
equilibrium the body must be in har.
mony with its environment. Should
1t find itself in an unfavorable place
knowledge and power must be
sought to so alter the conditions as
to make for health.
The first application Of this intui-
ton of self-preservation, was employ
ed by the cave-men and cliff dwellers'
To protect themselves from the
grosser diseases of external physical
injury, primitive dwellings were built
Then later came WigMams, hnts,
tents, cabins, boats, canals, towers
castles. fortresses, houses, windows
candles, gas, electricity, hospitals
baths and hotels. Afterwards drain
age, plumbing, laundrying, steriliza
ton, sewers, cement, fly and mos
quito destruction, boulevards, public
parks, recreation centefs, outdoor
schools and vacuum sweepers ap
peared, only TO be followed by vac
cination to prevent typhoid and small
pox.
Thus has the great science OF pre-
vention proved itself pounds better
than the curative science.
No less important to personal san
itation is the regulation of the tenn
perature OF the skin. Usually and fol
the most part this is a function OF the
clothes we wear.
Any fabric OF open texture, which
when warmed by the skin, allows
I cold air to replace the warm, chills
the body. Any garment which min
imizes the passage of air through It
protects the body with warmth. Thus
newspapers, heavy furs and leather
ducking coats are especially warm.
Frocks that have lots OF air re
tanned In the mesh do not conduct
heat from the body. Wool Is such 9
material because of the stiffness and
elasticity OF the fibers. Cotton goods
have much smaller air cells. Linens
| have air-spaces even larger.
Gaping threads and air spaces In
some cloths, may prove the undoing