A LADY DOCTOR ON MEN'S CLOTHING.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 1933, 17 February 1888, Page 5

A LADY DOCTOR ON MEN'S CLOTHING.

On a recent evening the fourth of the present sßrieß of health lectures was delivered in the Eree Church Assembly Hall, Edinburgh, by Dr Alice J. S. Ker, The subject was " Clothing." There was a large attendance, and the chair "was occupied by Mr J. R. Findlay. Miss Ker, who was cordially received pointed out that too much clothing might cause cold just as well, and perhaps more quickly, than too little. She then spoke of the advantage of woollen garments in comparison with those of linen or calico, and gave a warning in passing against poisonous dyes. Speakng of male attire, she said, while there ,the. evils were not so pressing, they must acknowledge men's dress was not hygienically perfect. It was said by its advocates to be at least convenient, and gave the greatest possible ease in journeying about. She called this m question, for if a man required to do a greater amount of exercise than usual ie had recourse to a different form of clothing for the lower limbs, knickerbockers being, for instance, preferred for long walks, shooting, or wheeling. If such a dress was more easy, why should it not be always worn 1 She also criticised men's coats, some having a frout and no back, others a back and no front ; spoke disparagingly of their dress shirts, which left the breast to be protected by linen stuck together by starch ; and remarked that no part cf a man's attire was much more uncomfortable and irrational than a masher collar, (Laughter.) She did not see why collars should not be made of white flannel if a soft unstarched ruffle was objected to. It seemed a judgment on the fashion of removing hair from the face that they found it remove itself so easily from the head. SJie attributed baldness in men to the practise of wearing close, hard, felt hats ; light open caps and straw bats preserved the hair much longer. The subject of boots was then dealt with, and to the amusement of the audience the lecturer showed the outJine of a healthful foot on the board, and above it the outline of a shoe which was intended to cover it. She said that a shoe should have broad heels no higher tban the front part of the sole. The sole should be cut across the toes, and straight up the side next the big toe. High stiff leather boots did not form good supports to children with weak legß ; if supports were needed there should be surgical splints. (Applause.) The Chairman, in moving a vote of thanks, to the lecturer, said that as far as his experience went it was a female delusion that men admired very small waists. (Laughter and applause.) His opinion was that men preferred a medium size of waist, and that if he was asked for a standard he would say the waist acceptable to men was the waifit which was easily encompassed by aft arm. (Laughter.) He thought men had very much emancipated themselves from the tyranny of fashion under which women yet laboured. ("OV'from the ladies.) Whatever might, be said, they did not go chopping and changing, lifting a waistcoat Tip and down in the way women idibtically did with their dresses, under, a rule which came they , did not know from whence, which- disappeared they did not know where, but which was conformed to as if it J were the law^and testament 6s long as it lasted. , '