Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-10-20
HOW TO BE HEALTHY
BY L. Duncan Buckley, NJ. ID.

The skin is the largest and one
of the most important excreting
organs OF the body. While i,
serves admirably as a covering OF
the frame, and gives symmetry
and beauty and protection to the
tissues beneath, it is continually
performing a great service in reg
ulating the body temperature, and
with the kidneys and lungs serves
to remove water and excretory
substances from the system.
The total number of the sweat
glands has been estimated at oven
2,000,000 with total length, wher
uncoiled of about two and one
half miles. The average person in
health gives off through the skin
about two pints of fluid daily. Thai
such perspiration is necessary is
proved by the fact that when ami
mails have been covered with var
nish, death takes place. The story
is told of a child covered with gold
leaf to represent an angel at the
coronation of Pope Leo \, who
died in a few hours. The checking
of this insensible perspiration by
cold inviting serious disease.
The skin is composed Of two
layers, the corium, derma or true
skin which makes the leather OF
commerce, and the epi-dermis, OF
outer scaly layer, which is contin.
ually shed and replaced from be-
low. The derma contains the
sweat and oil glands, also blood
vessels and nerves. which latter
give the sense OF touch. The cpl
dermis protects the soft tissues be-
low, and when whole prevents in
jury from pus organizations and
poisons. In vaccination this cpl
dermis is scratched to allow the
virus to be absorbed.
The hair and nails are similar
epidermal structures which grow
from their roots as they are GU
or plucked out. In health the
hairs are so firmly attached thai
the scalp has been torn off acct
dentally by them, but in disease
they may fall by a touch. on the
face they cannot be destroyed hy
the advertised depilatories, bul
may be made to cease by electrolo'
sis, destroying the deep-seated hail
papilla, at the hands Of a skillfu
operator.
The hygiene of the skin is i'm.
portant, but harm can often be
done by injurious manipulation. The
Turkish and Russian baths act like
cathartic to the skin, but then
value in purifying the system is
greatly overestimated by the pub.
lie. They are being advised less
and less by educated and thinking
physicians. .......
Ordinary bathing is also very
frequently over done. Proper clean
ing is certainly desirable, but those
who have been in the extreme
arctic regions report that tol
seven months they have not taker
bath, or hardly removed theiI
clothing, and yet have been II
perfect health. Baths cannot cure
skin diseases, and often aggravat(
them greatly. The cold bath SUITS
some people, and, in health, il
there is good reaction with fric'
ton, seems to act as n tonic, but
there are many who believe thai
they cause congestion of internal
organs and are not really desira-
Bile. ..~..y-
Nor is II thought that warn
baths should be taken too fire.
quently, and except under certain
conditions, the daily hot bath tends
to weaken rather than Strengthen
the system. The old-fashioneu
weekly bath served our forefath'
ers well.
Soaps are not curative of skin
diseases, and often their excessive
and injudicious use does harm
[Medicated soaps are a delusion.
Cosmetics. as a rule, do not dc
the harm commonly charged. Ac-
tors continually use them and dc
NOT seem to be injured, as they sell
dom apply for treatment. ....s
Clothing is an important item
in connection with the hygiene OF
the skin. Experience seems to
show that wool next to the healthy
skin allows of it's best action, az
though with many some OF the
modern mesh garments seem t u
serve very we'll. 1t is questionaptt
il silk is the best substance loi
underclothes. Care should be tax
en-, both as to the weight and quar-
|ity of under and outer gar
ments, with change OF seasons
and weather, to prevent chiiilhs
and checking of ''insensible per-
SEPARATION" in order to keep in per-
feet health. 49,,
Undoubtedly very much disease
of the kidneys and other organs !
melted by carelessness along THESE
lines.