190 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



ments. Those important secretory organs, the 

 liver and kidneys, become greatly embarrassed with 

 additional burdens thrown upon them, and a gen- 

 eral feverishness pervades the body. This is dis- 

 ease, and the cause of it must be removed, either 

 by bathing the entire surface with water, or by ex- 

 citing the little glands to unusual activity so as to 

 force a passage through the obstructions. If one 

 pint of liquid material, containing one ounce of 

 solid excreta, is thrown out upon the surface of the 

 body and into the clothing every day, it is evident 

 that some care is needed to keep the body .clean 

 and the ducts in working condition. In civilized 

 society, this need is recognized, and frequent bath- 

 ing is resorted to by large numbers of both sexes. 

 The question, " How often should the body of 

 persons in health be bathed ? " is an important one, 

 'and great difference of opinion exists with regard 

 to it. There is no doubt, however, that bathing, 

 like all other good things, may be abused, and the 

 good we seek from it changed into evil. Many 

 people have been injured by too frequent bathing. 

 As a rule, we regard once a week as often enough 

 for all purposes of cleanliness in persons of seden- 

 tary habits, and once in two weeks for those who 

 are engaged in more active in-door pursuits. For 

 those who are at work in the open air, like farmers 

 and some mechanics, the health does not seem to 

 suffer if bathing is resorted to only at quite long 



