HEALTH COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 39

HEALTH COLUMN.

Hints on Winter Dress.

Without going so far as to say that every article of a man's apparel ought to be woollen, it is an undisputed fact that this material is the best suited for underclothing, either in winter or summer. And the reasons are not far to seek. Neither linen nor cotton is capable of the body from external heat in summer, nor of conserving the warmth of the body in winter, because, being good conductors of heat, they permit it to permeate. Wool, on the other hand, is a non-conductor ; and there is little doubt that the death rate in this country would be greatly reduced, and the wards of hospitals for diseases of the chest less crowded, were woollen garments to be worn by young and old.

Another thing may be said in favour of woollen underclothing— it keeps up the healthful action of the skin far bettor than any other material can.

Hear what an eminent authority remarks on this subject : — " During perspiration the evaporation from the surface of the body is necessary to reduce the heat generated by exercise. When the exercise is finished, the evaporation still goes on to such an extent as to chill the frame. When dry woollen clothing is put on after exertion, the vapour from the surface of the body i 3 condensed in the wool, and gives out again the large amount of heat which had become latent when the water was vapourised. Therefore a woollen covering from this cause alone at once feels warm when used during sweating. In the case of cotton or linen the perspiration passes through them and evaporates from the external surface, without condensation ; the loss) of heat then continues. This makes it plain why dry woollen clothes are so useful after exertion."

We all of us know that a certain amount of daily exercise, carried almost to the boundary line of fatigue, is necessary to maintain the body in health. But the perspiration engendered by this exercise forms no small amount of the good that accrues from the practice, matter being thus carried away by the pores which, if retained, would keep the blood impure, and cause extra work to both liver and kidneys. Overmuch exercise in winter may notwithstanding render the perspiration too profuse, and there is a double danger in this, for it not only weakens the body but increases the risk of taking a chill.

Hats should be light, soft, or yielding, and very well ventilated, for every medical man admits that the head should be kept cool. The little Scotch glengarry now almost universally used as a fatigue cap by soldiers has many advantages for either summer or winter wear. Being made of the best wool, it is cool or warm as the case may be, and it never blows off. Shoes and stockings ought to be strong, but not so much as to render the feet damp, for this is unwholesome. Goloshes for the same reason should be avoided.

The neck should never be too much covered in those who are healthy. But if driving against the wind, by all means let a woollen comforter be worn.

As for the outer clothing of men during winter, I have little more to say than that it should be light and warm, and of the best woollen material that can be bought. Here again the rule holds good that the dearest is the cheapest in the long run. Shoddy cloth and twills should give place to soft tweeds and honest serges. Greys and heather mixtures are more satisfactory than black cloth, and keep longer clean.

If braces must be worn, they should be thin and elastic, but a belt is far more healthy, and better still is the American plan of simply having a buckle and strap behind the trousers.

The best of all storm coverings or topcoats is a Highland plaid. For travelling by train nothing beats an ulster or Inverness cape, for either lady or gentleman.

Although it does not strictly belong to my subject, I may be forgiven for reminding my readers that illness may be oaused or weakness induced by lying in the cold nights of winter under too great a top-hamper of clothes. The blankets should be light and warm ; even nightdresses and sheets should be of wool ; but nothing should be so thick as to cause sweating. The insensible perspiration goes on at night, but the visible should not. Infants Jand children often have their constitutions quite ruined from the over-zealousness of the mother, who errs in half-smothering them in bed-clothes. — A Family Doctor, in Cassell's Magazine.

The medicinal virtues of the apple are being sounded on all sides in Europe. It is said to neutralise the evil effects of eating too much meat, and the German chemists state that it is richer than any other fruit or vegetable in phosphorus, an element that is useful in renewing the essential nervous matter of the brain and spinal cord.