Evening star., 1932-08-17

What is so rare as day in June?'
asked Lowell.
Then, II ever, he intimated, come
perfect days, but he might as we'll have
said, and probably it would have beer
nearer the truth, that perfect day
arrives whenever certain atmospheric
conditions are attained
These may occur in August as vel
as in June, or July, or September
They are two. in number:
/. A temperature of about 80 degrees
2. A relative humidity of 55 degrees
There are your ingredients for what
the poets and mankind in general cal
"a perfect day"
Perfection, it will be seen, means
scarcely more than agreeable air con-
ditions
The temperature is right, the amount
of water saturation is right, from the
average human standpoint.
This rightnesS, we may believe, Is
according to an American standard.
Residents of the British Isles perhaps
would find a lower temperature. with =
higher hygrometric reading nearer to
their own skins desire.
1t is the trusty old integument OF
humanity which decides, in the last
analysis, whether a day is to be calico
perfect" or otherwise.
This covering of skin, aided by an
other covering Of clothing, Is what
actually passes upon the merits of tn;
day.
Birth, habits, constitution, nutrition
environment, states of mind, these anc
other factors have something to do with
the state of the skin, decidedly.
Yet some people are born thin
skinned" and never get over it.
Try though they may to tougher
themselves, the skin remains a physi'
cally tender member, which reacts
| quickly to the slightest changes IN the
weather.
One does not have to be rheumatic
in any degree, to feel the changes.
1t is said that certain of the ole
Romans, in the heydey of the empire
became so finicky, as relating to theil
skins, that they required rose leaves IL
| their beds, and even complained O
them.
This Is where we get our expression
"a bed of roses" perhaps.
Maybe the sophisticated Romans wer'
not quite as silly as they are pictured
! but had enough sense to be honest abou
! their feelings.
Much bathing, even in cold water
| does tend to make the skin clearer ane
more sensitive ITO changes.
There is scarcely anything which s
person owning such skin can Go tt
| harden it. and he might as well make
up his mind to it.
One of his compensations for beine
I, 'thin-skinned," in physical sense, /!
! that he will be able to detect mere
quickly than most the perfect days
as they come around.
He is not held in leash by stray bit!
of facts which pass as wisdom such a!
| the curious belief, which still survive.
| in the minds of thousands of persons
that 70 degrees is the ideal temperature
That idea arose in a day when II
degrees was difficult to attain indoors
due to lack of central heating or t.
| inefficient types of such heating
The household which could boast o.
| clear 10 degrees was doing about a.
we'll es could be expected. and no Won
der the members thereof felt satisfied
that the result was perfect"
And 1t must be remembered thai
practically every one in those days wore
heavy underwear" as it was called
which was really heavy, especially il
comparison with the lighter types in ust
today by city folk.
When these two facts are taken into
consideration, it is no wonder thai
thousands of human beings came to fee
that the best which could be secured
| i. e., 10 degrees-was the Theoretical
best, too.
Once this theoretical acceptance hat
grip on minds, it had no trouble a
all in keeping it, because there is {
certain type of human being who like
| nothing quite SO well as authority, anG
who never thinks once of questioning