DRESSES AND DISEASE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1507, 17 January 1901, Page 27

DRESSES AND DISEASE

Attention has already been called, by a leader in the ••Tunes, to the most unpleasant but— very important suojeet c-x -die dissemination of vubexcalosis, in ail its fatal forms, by the trailing skirts which are worn by many women. In the leader of kdrxd October the writer rails against the tyranny of fashion m many of its aspects and at all times, satirising with unsparing pen the fellies that accompany its reign, but at the same time unconsciously showing the influence of tin 3 tyranny upon himself by advocating in his own leader what lie terms the common sense shown in “the retention cf the topper," and asking the question as to whether Presiuout'-Kru-ger would have attained his ascendancy, u, instead of a- chimney pot, lie ha-u worn a colonial hat. With regard to the '.agarics of female fashions, tne writer (says the “Queen / regards them as too inscrutable for discussion; ndvertheies, he immediately proceeds to discuss them, and inquires whether the rapid changes are due to the proverbial fickleness of the sex or to the exigencies or the millinery and dressmaking trades, admitting that the changes are endless, and often opposed to common sense, as instanced in the costly skirts which trailed in the mud and dust. The discussion thus begun was followed b3 T a letter obviously from a well-informed medical man, who, after alluding to the abortive attempts winch have been made from tune to time to reintroduce the odious, offensive and - indecent fashion of the crinoline. recounted at iengtn the dangers of tne trailing skirt. The writer calls attention to the reports which so often appear in the columns of the daily papers on the ravages of consumption, and on the efforts to combat the disorder, aim states that “sensible women ought to recognise the connection between street expectoration, trailing (skirts and the spread of this fatal disease.” He goes on to state, truly, that- the mud-stained and dusty skirt tail, laden with disease germs must be brushed by a maid servant, that is’ to say, by persons predisposed to infection by an indoor life, which tends to develop the condition in winch this disease may be readily contracted, Re sayc« that doubtless the filthy skirt is often brushed in the neighbourhood l of food, and that it is necessary that some ladies cf influence and position should be induced to take up the matter and obtain information and support from medical authorities. Looked at abstractly and without any reference to custom or fashion, no practice in the world could be regarded as more dirty and offensive than that which dictates that a woman shall walk about with a skirt trailing in the nameless abominations of the streets. It is difficult for . a man who thinks of the matter to conceive how it is possible that any cleanly and decently-minded woman could possibly do so, but it has become the custom, and the votaries of fashion will continue to obey the absurd and. loathsome dictates as long as the fashion exists. It is . useless to. attemnt to reason against it, because fashion and reason have not the remotest connection with one another. It is now perfectly well known that tubercular disease arises from the dissemination cf minute living organisms or bacilli. These are readily diffused, and if inhaled, even by healthy persons, are able to produce the disease:, and are almost certain to do so in thosethat are predisposed to consumption or tuberculosis in any Term. No mere ready mode could possibly be devised than the collection of these bacilli from the street pavements and their dissemination in the atmosphere of a house into which the clothes are taken. So thoroughly recognised! is the dissemination of tuberculosis from this cause, that in the lifts of our electric railways and in. our tramcars and omnibuses, especially those run by the London County Council, notices are placed requesting that the filthy habit of spitting should not be indulged in. This is obviously not merely dictated a desire for decent cleanliness, but to' prevent the dissemination cf the disease, the value of the recently introduced practice of treating consumption in the open air is due to the inhaling of an atmosphere free from bacilli. . It is' as difficult to- account for the prevalence of the trailing skirt as for any other fashionable folly. _ It is sometimes asserted to be maintained by the vanity of a woman, who wishes to show that expense is to- her no object, and that she can afford to drag costly silks and laces in the gutter, and the argument that iz is more graceful than a, short skirt is generally advanced iiy its favour. But it is obvious chat mrei enths of the women who v eer these i; ai'jrig drer-ses do so from no otiier nv rive than that it is the fashion, which ■ ney are box rff 1 o follow.