Clothing in Relation to Health

The character of the dress of a person stands so near to the character of the person who is the wearer of it that it is difficult to touch on one without introducing the other. In a word, the dress is the outward and visible skin of the creature that carries it. A charming and at the same time a very useful lecture might be written on the metaphysics of dress; but in this practical day, when the useful only is tolerated and the charming is considered superfluous - we mean, of course, in a lecture - we must let all attempt at such a combination fall to the ground. We must deal only with what is purely physical; the physical body and the physical stuff that is put on it dress - in relation to health. In studying this subject we will consider the following topics: - Dress in relation to its mechanical adaptation to the body. - Dress in relation to season. We mean the amount of clothing; that should be worn at different periods of the year according to seasonal changes, in this English climate. - Dress in respect to the admission of atmospheric air through it or beneath it to the surface of the body. - Dress in relation to the color of the material of which it is composed. - Dress in relation to the action of coloring substances which are introduced into its fabric and which come into contact with the surface of the body. - Cleanliness in dress.