2OO Life and Health 



highly injurious to health. The surface of the body thus 

 chilled may be small, yet there is a grave risk of serious, 

 if not of fatal, disease. No harm may be done, even with 

 clothing wet with water or damp with perspiration, so long 

 as exercise is maintained, but the failure to change into 

 dry garments as soon as the body is at rest is fraught with 

 danger. 



Woolen comforters, scarfs, and fur mufflers, so com- 

 monly worn around the neck, are more likely to produce 

 throat troubles than to have any useful effect. 

 (k 306. Bad Effects of wearing tightly fitting Clothing. 

 The injury to health caused by tight lacing is due to the 

 compression and displacement of various organs by the 

 pressure exerted on them. Thus the lungs and the heart 

 may be compressed, causing short breath on exertion, pal- 

 pitation of the heart, and other distressing symptoms. The 

 stomach, the liver, and other abdominal organs are often 

 displaced, causing dyspepsia and all its attendant evils. 



The use of tight elastic bands on the arms or below the 

 knee is often injurious. They obstruct the local venous 

 circulation and are a fruitful source of cold hands or feet 

 and of enlarged or varicose veins. 



The compression of the scalp by a tight-fitting hat 

 often interferes with the local circulation and may cause 

 headache, neuralgia, or baldnesss. The compression of 

 the abdomen by a tight belt may interfere with the 

 descent of the diaphragm. 



Tightly fitting boots and shoes often cause corns, bunions, 

 and ingrowing nails. Boots too narrow in front crowd the 

 toes together, make them overlap, and render walking diffi- 

 cult and painful. High-heeled boots throw the weight of 

 the body forwards, so that the body rests too much on the 

 toes instead of on the heels. 



