DRESS AND HEALTH

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVII, Issue 10018, 6 March 1929, Page 3

DRESS AND HEALTH

SCANTINESS A DANCER. The present-day dress of women is condemned by Professor Geheimrat Rubner ,one of the leading physiologists of Germany. He points out that its disastrous and unhygienic effect is indicated by the fact that the mortality rates for women between the ages of twenty to twenty-six are increasing all over the world, particularly as relates to tuberculosis. He feels that tho light clothing and the resultant chilling of the body, associated with loss of body weight became of the craze for slcndcrisation are the primary factors. Indeed, he says that if these youthful forma, which are nothing but skin and bones, were clothed in rags everybody would bo shucked at the terrible social conditions. The clothing of women, including shoes, weighed formerly from two and one-half to three kilograms, oh from five to six pounds. These figures have lung since been left behind. Modern clothing weighs less than a pound, and even winter clothing weighs three and one-half to four pounds. However, there is no longer, according to Professor Rubner, any such thing as winter clothing, except for the outside coat. In fact, Professor Rubner considers especially unhygienic the fact that underwear has diminished so rapidly that the outer garment, which is a single piece, and in some cases too infrequently washed, Serves constantly as a direct covering' for, and is in contact with, the skin.