152 



Wearing Flannel. 



Vol. VII. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Wearing Flannel. 



Health to the farmer, as to all others, is 

 a consideration of theirs* importance. But 

 we find him more careless on this point than 

 almost any other class, probably because his 

 habits and pursuits, best entitle him, by the 

 immutable laws of nature, to the largest 

 share of its blessings. Active exercise in 

 the open air, frugal regimen, and the absence 

 of many causes of mental disquietude, are all 

 favorable to the maintenance of health. Still 

 there are many errors unwittingly commit- 

 ted, which if corrected upon true physiolo- 

 gical principles, would tend to the lessening 

 of human ill. With a view to correct one 

 or two errors which I conceive to exist, I beg 

 leave to suggest a few hints respecting the 

 necessity, and proper mode of wearing flan- 

 nel. 



Flannel, I consider, should be worn at all 

 times; and that wearing it promotes indivi- 

 dual comfort. In this latitude, it is probable 

 that to the majority of persons, its use the 

 year round, would be more agreeable than 

 otherwise, if the texture of the material 

 be changed to correspond with the season. 

 Many, however, will prefer discarding it in 

 summer, and this may at any time be done 

 with impunity, by others than invalids. 



The idea of flannel rendering its wearer 

 effeminate, has been prejudicial to its free 

 use, and to health. The covering of all ani- 

 mals, except our own species, is adapted to 

 their necessities, sufficient at all times to 

 afford them protection from the ordinary vi- 

 cissitudes of the weather. That we require 

 clothing all agree ; let us therefore imitate 

 nature, by using a sufficiency to gratify our 

 feelings of comfort, and the opposite of ef- 

 feminacy will be the consequence. 



Another false impression exists, of the dan- 

 ger of leaving it off, when it becomes de- 

 sirable to do so. When the weather is such 

 that the wearer would feel better without it, 

 no fear need be apprehended in relinquishing 

 it at any moment. So far indeed from such 

 being the case, I cannot too strongly recom- 

 mend the practice of laying it aside at night, 

 and sleeping in a cotton night shirt. The 

 primary object of wearing flannel under 

 clothing, is to preserve the body at a com- 

 fortable and uniform temperature. Wool 

 being of light weight and an imperfect con- 

 conductor of heat, is the best material to con- 

 vert into such garments, but at night it is not 

 required for the sake of warmth. An indivi- 

 dual in the interior of a close dwelling, is not 

 exposed to the same vicissitudes of cold and 

 heat, as he is when passing abroad, to and fro, 

 during the day, whilst the bed covering that 



may be at pleasure increased, affords ample 

 protection from too low a temperature ; hence 

 flannel is not necessary in bed. But leaving 

 it off for that period, conveys positive advan- 

 tages. One of the benefits of flannel, is the 

 friction it excites on the skin, determining the 

 blood to the surface and promoting a general 

 circulation of the vital fluids to the extreme 

 parts of the system. Now by wearing it 

 constantly, the cutaneous surface becomes 

 familiarized with its effect, until finally its 

 influence as a counter-irritant is gone. If 

 laid aside, however, for the night, such is not 

 the case, as all can bear witness who are in 

 the habit of doing so. Another argument in 

 favor of the practice, may be derived from its 

 cleanliness. The garment being suspended 

 in the air during the night, becomes ventila- 

 ted, and in a measure purified, and in warm 

 weather, when moist from the perspirable 

 matter, is dried. 



No fear of " catching cold" need be enter- 

 tained in adopting this plan. The timid may 

 be confidently assured, that those who wear 

 flannel during the day, and during the day 

 only, are much less obnoxious to all diseases 

 of the chest. 



Many good and sufficient proofs of the 

 general benefits of woollen next the surface, 

 might be adduced, but they are such as have 

 been frequently presented to the public. My 

 object in this brief essay, has been to draw 

 the attention of my agricultural brethren to 

 one or two points which I regard as of con- 

 siderable importance, and which though well 

 established among the intelligent of the me- 

 dical profession, are not so well known as 

 they should be, to the people at large. 



Hereafter I may take up other subjects of 

 a kindred nature. Medicus. 



Agriculture. — Rev. Mr. Choules in a 

 discourse on Agriculture, says that the first 

 book on culture as a science, was published 

 in England in the sixteenth century. The 

 first reward for an essay on Agriculture, was 

 given by the celebrated "Protector," Oliver 

 Cromwell. But the great era from which 

 all the triumphs of Agriculture now date, is 

 1793, when under the auspices of Pitt and 

 Sinclair, an Agricultural survey of England 

 was ordered, and public attention directed 

 to this important subject. Peers placed 

 their sons with practical farmers for instruc- 

 tion, Chemistry was soon called to the aid 

 of production, and agriculture took its pro- 

 per rank as the first and noblest science. 



It is said, the wheat crops of France, have 

 been almost doubled within the last thirty 

 years; and the potatoe crop, more than quad- 

 rupled within the same period. 



