HOW TO AVOID TAKING COLD.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 27, 4 July 1891, Page 128

HOW TO AVOID TAKING COLD.

It requires a good deal of intelligence and care to avoid sickness arising from sudden variations of temperature. Unless great care is taken to keep the body at something like an even temperature mischief is very apt to result, and a good deal of it comes from the injudicious use of outer clothing. Some have prejudices against overshoes, especially goloshes, and yet in slushy days nothing but goloshes will keep the feet dry. Others get by being too indolent to remove their goloshes when in doors, so that their feet perspire and subsequently become chilled. The common-sense rule is to wear goloshes when they are needed, and not to begrudge the time and trouble necessary to take them off when they are not needed. Overcoats and wraps, while conducive to comfort and health, are also the cause of much illness arising from perspiration and chills. The sensible course is to have garments suitable to various degrees of temperature, and to be careful to wear them at suitable times. One who has much walking to do needs less clothing than one who rides. People do themselves much harm by wearing heavy outer garments in the house. Mett are too lazy to take off' their overcoats, and women, for various reasons, keep on their furs in church or theatre. The tesult is that when they go out they get chilled, and start on tLc high road to bronchitis or pnemonia. Too much care cannot be taken to accommodate the clothing to the temperature to take off'outer clothing at once upon entering the house, unless the house happens to be as cold as out of doors.

The changes of temperature ate so sudden that both comfort and health are promoted by the (Kissession and use of garments of various thicknesses as they may be required.

There are warm days in winter when the heaviest winter clothing is not only uncomfortable but unhealthy, because of the danger of excessive perspiration and subsequent chills. Outer garments should be made so as to be easily removed. Ladies have heretofore experienced much inconvenience from overheating in furs and heavy wraps at the beginning and end of the season, but fashion has lately come to the rescue with short coats and capes for the milder wintry weather. Many pei sons suffer inconvenience and illness from wearing too heavy underclothing. The safer course is to put on extra clothing from the outside, so that it may be readily removed as occasion required. A good deal of sickness comes in the winter from injudicious dressing for social events. Both men and women put on evening costumes which are less warm than those they habitually wear during the day. Then they fail to make up the difference in their outside wraps, and when they emerge from heated rooms after an evening’s dancing they have laid the foundation for all sorts of pulmonary troubles. Medical men agree almost unanimously that flanne underwear is almost absolutely essential to health. Those who wear it daily should change it at night. It is better to wear just enough clothing to keep the body comfortably warm under all circumstances, and to spare no pains to adjust the clothing to the circumstances with promptness. There is an old proverb that a man who sitswith bis back to a draught sits with his face to the grave. Any one who is in a perspiring state and sits in a draught in that state may be certain to pay the penalty in a very short time in pains and aches. Unless carefully used, heavyouter garments will be responsible for much sickness.