The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-22
SUMMER COMFORT
BOARD of Health Bulletinl

It's a problem not confined to the
people of Florida, for to the citizens
of the Peninsular State, the heat of
summer is not so serious a matter as
it is in that tier of states Just north
of the almost forgotten Mason and
Dixon Line. In those less favored
communities it sometimes becomes a
matter of life or death. In Florida it
is merely a question of inconvenience.
During the present season almost two
hundred deaths were occasioned by
high temperature in one shot spell"
in Chicago, more than have oc-
Cured from the same cause In Flor
ida in twenty or fifty years, probably
more than during the entire history
of the state.
And so in this far southern part Of
the United States, the heat of the
summer months is not a thing to be
worried about, for it is not dangerous
to human lift or health, and the mat
ter of being comfortable is the weigh
test problem to be considered in con-
nection with the weather.
The normal temperature of the hui
man body is 98.6 degrees, summer and
winter, and the work of the heat
equalizing functions Of the body is to
maintain this degree as closely as
possibly. The natural variations from
it are slight and depend mainly upon
individual pecularities, upon the hour
of the day or night, the effects Of eat
ing and drinking and few more or
less indefinite causes, but any marked
variations from it are likely to be fol-
fowoed by serious results.
Personal comfort depends much up
on the rapidity Of evaporation Of nat
ural moisture from the surface of the
skin. Such evaporation is slow IL the
surrounding air is chargerd with hui
nudity If the atmosphere is dry,
perspiration is absorbed more quickly
from the skin with a corresponding
increase Of comfort. The draft from
a rapidly maving electric fan Is re-
viving because it quickly removes the
surface moisture, replacing it with
drier air, even though it does not re-
duce the temperature Of the atmos-
phere.
The matter Of personal comfort,
therefore, depends largely upon the
kind and weight of clothing and
whether the fabric has the tendency
to promote the proper and normal
evaporation of surface moisture, or to
retard it. 1t is essential that the
clothing shall be of such material as
to permit as nearly as possible such
normal evaporation, and this brings
UP the question of clothing fabrics
best adapted to warm climates.
Cotton and linen are best because
the heat and moisture of the body
more easily pass through them to the
outer air. In colder weather, be.
cause of this same degree of conduc.
tivity, they are poor protection for
they admit the colder air from the
uotside. These fabrics lose absorbed
moisture quickly by evaporation; that
is, they dry quickly. Wool and silk
absorb moisture less quickly and they
give it off, or dry, more quickly.
The conclusion follows that cotton
and linen are best adapted to sum
mer wear in southern climates, and
THAT as few layers of these materials
as are necessary, should be worn, to
secure the greatest degree of com
fort through evaporation of the sur
face moisture of the skin.
Summer diet-the kind and quaint
ty of food and drink-has much, very
much, to do with bodily comfort
Some foods are heat producers, that
is what they are for. You don't need
as much meat in summer as you dc
Tor think you do) in winter Eat
| fruits and vegetables in preference
and don't make experiments with your
diet in summer. If you want to take
chances, try it in cold weather wher
the body is better able to withstant
shocks and surprises.
Remember that water cooled will