366 



THE HUMAN MACHINE 



Woolen underclothes are best for wear in winter, because 

 the natural curly fiber makes them porous, and also be- 

 cause they absorb more water, and this protects the skin 

 from cooling too rapidly in case we get overheated. Most 

 colds are taken because people insist on wearing too 

 much in winter. They wear heavy underclothes and 

 heavy outer clothes, then go from a warm room to the 

 cold outdoors, and back again to warm workrooms where 

 the temperature is often higher than that of summer 

 heat. The better rule is to wear a medium-weight under- 

 wear in winter and heavier outside clothes, which can be 

 changed as one goes into different temperatures. 



Bathing and the Skin. Since the skin is such an im- 

 portant organ for heat regulation and for getting rid of 

 wastes as well, it goes without saying that we should take 

 good care of it. Bathing keeps the pores open and the 

 skin clean. In summer, when perspiration is increased, 

 baths should be more frequent than in winter. A cold 

 shower or plunge every day, both in winter and in summer, 

 is an excellent habit to accustom the skin to different 

 changes. If you find that after a rubdown the skin does 

 not glow and you feel cold and chilly, do not take the 

 baths so cold. It is always well to begin with tepid water 

 and gradually turn on colder as the bath progresses. 



Which bath should be taken in the morning and which in the evening ? Give 



your reasons. 



