wool being porous is a poor conductor of heat and also be- 

 cause it takes up moisture readily and so absorbs and holds 

 the perspiration. 



Cotton, and particularly linen, are rapid conductors of 

 _ .- , T heat and do not absorb moisture, so that 



"R ri tV ^ e Y are niore suitable for warm weather. 



It is quite as undesirable to wear clothes 

 that are too warm as to expose the body to undue chill. If 

 the skin cannot get rid of its heat fast enough as a result 

 of too heavy clothing the dull and sleepy feeling associated 

 with "bad air" results. The habit of wearing too many 

 clothes weakens the power of the system to respond quickly 

 to changes in temperature, and renders one susceptible to 

 colds. Most people wear too heavy underclothing in winter. 

 Cotton or linen underwear is generally better than woolen; 

 and up to the age of fifty or even sixty years it is wiser to 

 wear underclothing of the same weight both winter and 

 summer, relying on an overcoat for warmth when out of 

 doors and not exercising. 



The first object of bathing is to wash off the dirt and soot 

 w - which soil the body and to remove the waste 



r ih "R fh* materials deposited on the skin by per- 



spiration. Warm or tepid water is most 

 effective for cleaning the hands or body. Bathing in warm 

 water increases the size of the blood vessels in the skin and 

 draws the blood away from the brain, making one feel com- 

 fortably sleepy. This is the reason why a warm bath is 

 usually taken at bedtime. After every hot bath cold 

 water should be applied to the entire body. A cold bath, 

 on the other hand, contracts the skin blood vessels and 

 drives the blood to the internal organs and the brain, mak- 

 ing one feel alert and keen. Cold bathing is a powerful 

 tonic to the skin, since it trains these blood vessels to re- 

 spond quickly to changes in temperature. People who take 

 cold baths regularly are likely to be hardy and little subject 

 to colds. 



20 



