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166 substance which is a bad conductor of caloric will be the warmest, because it neither allows the escape of the caloric from the body nor permits any caloric to penetrate it, and consequently leaves the internal heat to concentrate on the surface of the skin; for the body is not warmed from without, but from within, and the feeling of warmth is pro­duced by preventing the heat from going off from the body. Materials will also impart a sensation of cold or heat according to the readiness with which they imbibe moisture; this is one reason why linen always feels comparatively cold to the skin.

Linen is the best article to be worn next to the skin for all persons who are predisposed to heat and irritation of the cuticle; but for others we doubt its advantages, since it predisposes the body to chills and colds, to which it would not otherwise be liable.

In a climate so variable as ours, garments made of cotton and wool are to be preferred to linen. By careful selection they may be obtained as soft and agreeable to the wearer; and they are to be pre­ferred to all other fabrics, except silk, which, from its warmth, lightness, and beauty, is more desirable than any other article from which apparel can be made.