The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1922-03-24
THE HEALTH CENTER
Conducted by Viola Hahn, Public
Health Nurse
The Growing Child

The Growing Child
A series of articles presented to
the readers of this paper by the
United States Public Health Ser
vice. the Maryland State Board OF
Health and the County Health
Officer.
Keeping the Skin Healthy.
The skin is one of the principal
organs of excretion. The BODY III
its life activity is constantly forming
waste products somewhat as a nre
forms ashes in the process OF burn
ing. The kidneys and the liver, the
lungs and the skin, all play part IN
getting these wastes out OF the ,sys-
tenn. In the case of the skin there
are millions of little pockets calico
the sweat glands, which have TINS
work to do, for the sweat is watery
extract of the waste products OF tnS
body.
Another of the very important
things which the skin does for us Is
to help regulate the body tempera-
ture. It does this by automatic
changes in the size OF the ploou
vessels of the skin and by changes
in the amount Of sweat. When 1t is
hot outside, the blood vessels ex.
rand and carry large amount OF
blood through the skin to be cooleo
off while the sweat is discharged
freely and cools the body by lts
evaporation. When it is cool the
blood vessels contract and keep the
blood in the inner part of the body
while the sweat glands cease to as
charge moisture in visible form.
Clothing should be warm enough
to protect the body from undue
chill. but if it is too warm it makes
one dull and sleepy and weakens
the machinery for temperature
regulation in the skin. People VINO
bundle up too warmly catch coio
more often than those who dress toe
lightly, although the body must al
ways be protected from sudden cnlils
end cold to which it is unaccustom-
cd. Wooden clothes are good foi
cold weather because they are
norous and hold a good deal OF ar
which is a poor conductor of heat
and because they take up moisture
readily and thus protect the BODY
from chill after exercise has maze
the sweat flow. Cotton clothing Is
cooler and softer to wear next the
skin and is better for warm weather
Bathing is necessary, first OF all
to remove dirt from outside and to
wash off the waste materials de-
nosited on the skin by the evapor-
alton of the sweat, which soon pro-
duce an unpleasant body smell II
they are not removed. 1t has aiso'
however, an important influence
upon the heat regulating machinery
of the skin.
Warm baths increase the size OF
the blood vessels in the skin ana
draw the blood away from the brain
making one feel comfortably sleepy
This is why warm bath is usually
taken at bedtime.
cold Saith, on the other hand
contracts the skin blood vessels ano
drives the blood to the brain ano
makes one feel alert and keen. Colo
bathing is a powerful tonic to the
skin. since it trains the blood vessels
to respond quickly to changes IN
temperature. People who take cold
baths regularly are likely to be
harder and much less subject TO
colds than others. 1t should be re-
membered, however, that some peo-
pie do not bear cold baths we'll.
In the matter of bathing, as In
that of clothing, we must remember
that the body should be stimulated
by cold, but not chilled too much.
A cold bath should be followed by a
reaction, the blood vessels of the
skin charging again and the skin
becoming warm and glowing. Brisk
rubbing with a rough towel helps to
secure this reaction. If no re-
action follows, the bath is too cold
or too prolonged or the physical
condition is such that cold baths are
inadvisable.