HYGIENE OF THE SKIN.
657. The sensibility of the skin, and the activity of the oil and
perspiratory glands, are modified by the condition of the cuticle, the
temperature of the skin and body, the purity and warmth of the air,
and the character of the light to which the body is exposed. Thus, to
maintain a healthy action of every part of this membrane, attention
should be given to _Clothing_, _Bathing_, _Light_, and _Air_.
658. CLOTHING, in itself, does not bestow heat, but is chiefly useful
in preventing the escape of heat from the body, and in defending it
from the temperature of the atmosphere. In selecting and applying
clothing to our persons, the following suggestions should be
observed.
659. _The material for clothing should be a bad conductor of heat_;
that is, it should have little tendency to conduct or remove heat from
the body. This depends mainly on the property possessed by the
material in retaining atmospheric air in its meshes.
660. _The material for clothing should not possess the property of
absorbing and retaining moisture._ Dampness, or moisture, renders
apparel a good conductor of heat; beside, if the perspired fluid, and
the saline material it holds in solution, are readily absorbed by the
clothing, they become sources of irritation to the skin with which
the apparel comes in contact.
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657-716. Give the hygiene of the skin. 657. What influences modify the
action of the oil and perspiratory glands? To what must attention be
given to maintain a healthy action of the skin? 658. What is said in
regard to the clothing? 659. Mention a property that the material for
clothing should possess. 660. What property in the selection of
clothing should we avoid? Why?
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661. _Furs_ contain a greater amount of air in their meshes, than any
other article, and they absorb no moisture; consequently, as an
article of dress, they are best adapted to those who are exposed to
great vicissitudes of heat and cold.
662. _Woollen cloth_ retains more air in its meshes than any other
article except furs and eider down, and it absorbs but very little
moisture. These properties, together with its comparative cheapness,
render it a good article of apparel for all classes of persons. The
only objection to its general use is, the disturbance of the
electricity of the system, and the irritation to delicate skins from
the roughness of its fibres.
_Observation._ Flannels are not only beneficial, during the cold
season, in preventing colds and rheumatism, but they are of great
utility in the warm season, in shielding the system from the chills at
evening, that induce disease of the alimentary canal. Their general
use among children and delicate females, would be a preventive of the
"season complaints" prevalent in the months of August and September.
663. _Cotton_ contains less air in its meshes than woollen, but much
more than linen. In texture, it is smoother than wool, and less liable
to irritate the skin. This fabric absorbs moisture in a small degree.
In all respects, it is well adapted for garments worn next the skin.
When woollen flannels irritate the skin, they may be lined with
cotton.
664. _Silk_ is not as good a conductor of heat as cotton, nor does it
absorb moisture to any considerable degree; its texture is smooth, and
does not irritate the skin; consequently, when the garment of this
fabric has sufficient body or thickness, it is a good article for
clothing. The greatest objection to its use is the disturbance of the
electricity of the system, and its high price.
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661. Give the properties of fur. As an article of dress, to whom are
they best adapted? 662. Give the properties of woollen cloth. Is this
a good article for clothing? What objection? What are the advantages
of wearing flannels? 663. What are the qualities of cotton as an
article of dress? 664. Of silk?
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665. _Linen_ is not only a good conductor of heat, and consequently
a poor article of apparel, but it likewise absorbs the fluids
carried from the system by the agency of the oil and perspiratory
glands. When garments are made of this material, the body is not
surrounded by a layer of air, but by one of moisture. This still
further increases its power to conduct heat from the system,
rendering it a very objectionable article of apparel, even in warm
weather and in hot climates, where the dress is usually thin.
666. _Clothing differs in its power of radiating heat._ This is
influenced by the color; those articles that radiate heat freely also
absorb it readily. A black surface is a good radiator, while a white
surface is not, because it reflects the calorific rays. It is obvious
that those colors which render the transmission of external heat
difficult, must impede the transmission of caloric from the body. Thus
it is manifest, that light-colored apparel is best adapted for every
season and every climate.
_Observation._ Coach-drivers are practically aware, that in cold
weather, light-colored over-coats are warmest, except when they are
exposed to the direct rays of the sun, or when seated before a
warm fire. On the other hand, when the temperature is elevated,
light-colored apparel is coolest, because the sun's rays are then
reflected.
667. _The clothing should be of a porous character._ The skin is not
only an important agent in separating from the blood those impurities
that otherwise would oppress the system and occasion death, but it
exercises great influence upon the system, by receiving oxygen through
its tissues, and giving back carbonic acid in return. Consequently,
the apparel should be made of a material that will permit free
transpiration from the skin, and likewise convey the excreted fluids
from the surface.
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665. What is said of linen as an article of apparel? 666. Why is
light-colored apparel best adapted for every season? What is said of
the apparel of coach-drivers? 667. Why should we wear porous
clothing?
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668. The necessity for this is illustrated in wearing India rubber
over-shoes. If they are worn over boots ten or twelve hours, not only
the hose, but the boots will be moist from retained perspiration, and
the residual matter left in contact with the skin may be reconveyed
into the system by absorption, causing headache and other diseases.
Cotton and woollen fabrics are not only bad conductors of heat, but
are also porous; for these reasons, they are well adapted to transmit
the excretions of the skin.
669. _The clothing should be not only porous, but fitted loosely._ The
garments should retain a layer of air between them and the body. Every
one is practically aware that a loose dress is much warmer than one
which fits closely; that a loose glove is warmer than a tight one; and
that a loose boot or shoe affords greater warmth than one of smaller
dimensions. The explanation is obvious; the loose dress encloses a
thin layer of air, which the tight dress is incapable of doing; and
what is required, is, that the dress should be closed at the upper
part, to prevent the dispersion of the warm air, by the ventilating
current which would be established from below.
_Observation._ As the purpose of additional garments is to maintain a
series of strata of warm air within our clothing, we should, in going
from a warm room into the cold air, put on our defensive coverings
some little time previous, in order that the layers of air which we
carry with us may be sufficiently warmed by the heat of the room, and
not borrowed from the body on exposure to the cold.
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668. How is the necessity of porous clothing illustrated? 669. Why
should we wear loose garments? What is the use of additional garments
when going from a warm to a cold air? When should they be put on?
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670. _The clothing should be suited to the temperature of the
atmosphere and the condition of the individual._ The invariable rule
should be, to wear enough to maintain an equal and healthy action of
the skin. Care should be taken, however, that the action of the
cutaneous vessels is not inordinately increased, as this would
debilitate, not only the skin, but the internal organs of the system,
as the stomach and lungs.
671. No rule as to the quantity of clothing can be given, as the
demand will vary with different individuals. The following are among
the most prominent causes of this variation: Those persons who have
large, active brains, full chests, well developed lungs, breathe an
adequate amount of pure air, and take sufficient food to supply the
wants of the system, require less clothing than those of an opposite
character, because more heat is generated in the system.
672. _The child and the aged person require more clothing than the
vigorous adult._ "Should we judge from observation, the inference
would be, that children require less clothing than adults. This is an
error, for the temperature in infancy is not only lower than in
manhood, but the power of creating heat is feebler. The same remarks
are applicable to those persons who have outlived the energies of
adult life."
_Observation._ The system of "hardening" children, by an inadequate
supply of clothing, and keeping them uncomfortably cold throughout the
whole day, is inhuman, as well as unprofitable. It operates upon the
child somewhat like the long-continued chill upon a certain portion of
the farmer's herd, that are kept shivering under the thatched shed,
retarding the growth of their systems, which require more food to
satisfy the keen cravings of hunger than when they are comfortably
sheltered. To make the boy robust and active, he must have nutritious
food at stated hours, and free exercise in the open air, and his
system must be guarded from chills by a due amount of apparel.
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670. What should be the invariable rule in reference to the amount of
clothing that should be worn? What precaution should be observed? 671.
What are some of the causes of the variation of the demand for
clothing? 672. Why do the child and aged person require more clothing
than the vigorous adult? What is said of the system of hardening
children?
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673. _More clothing is needed when a vital organ is diseased._ It may
be observed that in consumption, dyspepsia, and even in headache, the
skin is pale and the extremities cold, because less heat is generated.
Thus persons affected with these complaints, when exposed to cold air,
need more clothing than those individuals whose organs are not
diseased, and the functions of which are properly performed.
674. _More clothing is required in the evening, than during the day._
In the evening we have less vital energy, and therefore less heat is
generated in the system, than in the early part of the day; beside,
the atmosphere is damp, the skin has become moist from free
perspiration, and heat, in consequence, is rapidly removed from the
system. For this reason, when returning from crowded assemblies, we
should be provided with an extra garment.
_Observations._ 1st. If there is a chill upon the system after having
arrived home, warmth should be restored as speedily as possible. This
can be done by friction with warm flannels, and by using the warm or
vapor bath. By this procedure, the pernicious effects of the chill
will be prevented before any disease is fixed upon the system. Is it
not the duty of the parent and the guardian to learn these facts, and
to see that they are not only learned, but reduced to practice?
2d. The farmer and industrious mechanic would be freed from many a
rheumatic pain, if, while resting from their labors at evening, or
taking the ordinary meal after hard toil, they would put on an extra
garment. The coat might not feel so agreeable for the first few
minutes, but it would ultimately conduce to health and longevity.
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673. Why do dyspeptic and consumptive persons require more clothing
than those who have healthy vital organs? 674. Why do we need more
clothing in the evening than during the day? How can the pernicious
effects of a chill be prevented? Give the 2d observation.
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675. _The person of active habits requires less clothing than one of
sedentary employments._ Exercise increases the circulation of the
blood, which is always attended by the disengagement of a greater
quantity of heat; consequently, an increase of warmth is felt
throughout the system. We likewise need more clothing while riding,
than when we are walking; because the exercise of the former is less
than that of the latter. The same is true when resting in the field or
shop, after laborious exercise.
_Observation._ We need a greater amount of clothing while asleep, than
during the day; as not only the action of the body, but that of the
brain, during sleep, is suspended.
676. _Less clothing is required when the cutaneous surface is clean._
A film of impurities obstructs the perspiratory ducts, and diminishes
the action of their glands; consequently, less heat is generated. For
this reason, the hands or feet when clean are less liable to become
chilled or frozen.
677. _The sensitiveness of the skin to the influence of cold, is much
modified by habit._ A person who has been habituated to the
temperature of a warm room, or warm climate, suffers more when exposed
to cold, than an individual who has been accustomed to colder air.
Thus a person who labors or studies in a warm room, should wear more
clothing when exposed to the air, while walking or riding, than an
individual who labors in a cooler atmosphere. Not only is the
sensibility of the skin increased by a warm atmosphere, but the
activity of the digestive, respiratory, and nervous systems, in
generating heat, is much diminished. This is an additional reason why
an increased amount of clothing is demanded during exposure to cold
air. In all cases where practicable the heat of the system should be
maintained by exercise, in preference to the use of fur or flannel.
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675. Why does the person of active habits require less clothing than
one of sedentary employments? 676. Why do we need less clothing when
the skin is clean? 677. Show the effect of habit on the sensitiveness
of the skin.
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678. _Those parts of the skin usually covered, uniformly need that
protection._ The power of generating heat is diminished, and the
impressibility to cold is increased, on those portions of the skin
usually clothed. If a person wears the dress high and close about the
neck, he suffers from exposure to a cold atmosphere if a dress is worn
that is not as high or more open. As a general rule, it is preferable
that those parts of the system, as the larynx, be exposed that are not
uniformly protected by clothing.
679. _The clothing should be kept clean._ No article of apparel is
entirely free from absorption; even wool and cotton possess it in a
small degree. They take up a portion of the transpired fluids which
contain saline and animal matter, and thus the fibres of the garments
become covered with the cutaneous excretions. We are practically aware
of the retention of these secretions from the soiled appearance of
those garments worn next the skin, which are so covered as to preclude
the particles of dust from lodging upon them.
680. The porosity of the clothing is lessened when soiled, and its
power of conducting heat from the system in consequence, is increased.
The residual matter with which the clothing is coated is brought in
contact with the skin, which causes irritation, and not unfrequently
re-absorption of the elements, thrown off from the system through this
avenue. Hence warmth, cleanliness, and health require that the
clothing, particularly the garments worn next to the skin, should be
frequently and thoroughly washed. This should not be forgotten in
regard to children, for their blood circulates with greater rapidity
than that of adults, and a proportionably greater amount of waste
matter is thrown off from their systems.
681. _The under-garments worn during the day should not be worn at
night, or the reverse._ When under-garments are worn several
successive days or nights, they should not be put in drawers, or hung
up in a close closet, as soon as taken from the body, but should be
exposed to a current of air.
682. _Occupied beds should be thoroughly aired in the morning._ The
excretions from the skin are most abundant during the hours of
sleep; and if the sheets and blankets, together with the bed, are
not aired every morning, by being so arranged that both surfaces
may be exposed to the air, the materials eliminated from the skin will
be retained in the meshes of the bed-clothing, and may be conveyed
into the system of the next occupant, by absorption. Oftentimes
diseases of a disagreeable nature are contracted in this way. This
fact should be instilled into every mother's and daughter's mind.
_Observation._ Bed-linen should not be put on a bed when it is not
sufficiently dried, or contains moisture from the excretions of the
skin, nor should beds or bedding be slept in, that have remained in a
damp room that has not been occupied for many weeks, unless the
dampness is removed from the bed-linen by a warming-pan, or in some
other way.
683. _Changes of dress, from thick to thin, should always be made in
the morning._ At this time the vital powers are usually in full play.
Many a young lady has laid the foundation of a fatal disease, by
disregarding this rule, in exchanging the thick dress, with woollen
stockings, for the flimsy dress and hose of silk or cotton, which are
considered suitable for the ball-room or party. Sudden changes in
wearing-apparel, as well as in food and general habits, are attended
with hazard; and this is proportionate to the weakness or exhaustion
of the system when the change is made.
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681. Should the garments worn during the day be worn at night? 682.
What is said respecting the cleanliness of beds and bedding? Why
should not bed-linen that is damp be slept in? 683. When should change
of dress from thick to thin be made? Why?
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684. _When the clothing has become wet, it is best to change it
immediately._ The skin should then be rubbed with a dry crash towel,
until reaction, indicated by redness, is produced. If the garments are
not changed, the person should exercise moderately, so that sufficient
heat may continue to be generated in the system to dry the clothing
and skin without a chill. Sitting in a cool shade, or current of air,
should, by all means, be avoided; as colds are not contracted by free
and excessive exercise, but by injudicious management after such
exercise.
_Observation._ When an individual has been thrown into a profuse
perspiration by violent exercise, though the skin and clothing may
become wet, he feels no inconvenience from the dampness, as long as he
continues that amount of exercise for the reason that the circulation
of the blood being increased heat is generated in sufficient quantity
to replace the amount abstracted from the system in evaporating the
free perspiration; but as soon as the exercise is discontinued, the
increased circulation subsides, and with it the extra amount of
generated heat. This accounts for the chill we experience, when the
damp clothing is permitted to dry on the body, after the cessation of
exercise.
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684. What suggestion when the clothing has become wet? What should be
done if the garments are not changed? What causes the chill that is
experienced when damp clothing is permitted to dry on the body?
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