Page:Science ofDress128.png

128 that it permits the skin to dry rapidly by absorbing moisture, and does not cling to the skin wet and clammy like cotton or linen. Wet clothes conduct heat away from the body more rapidly than dry ones do, and if two men, one wearing a flannel and one a linen shirt, after a vigorous game of lawn-tennis sat down to cool, the one wearing flannel would probably suffer no ill results, while the linen-clad hero would soon feel a sudden chill, and would speedily develop all the too familiar symptoms of cold in the head, or on, the chest, or of sore throat. By absorbing much of the perspiration woollen clothes prevent the chilling of the body which takes place when evaporation is too rapid.

But, besides wearing woollen during athletic sports, most men wear woollen vests, drawers, and socks—at any rate during the winter; yet our young girls, who are infinitely more in need of every advantage that clothes can offer, for the most part are allowed, even in the coldest weather, to wear cambric or cotton underclothing, in spite of the fact that most medical men are agreed that woollen underclothing is necessary in this climate.

My own opinion is that woollen should be worn not only in winter but in summer also, the only difference being in the thickness of the make and number of the garments, and I am led to believe this by the physiological facts which I have stated.

Woollen garments, if themselves kept clean, preserve the skin in a clean and healthy condition, keeping it warm in winter, and preventing chill in summer.