Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1918 — Use Less Soap [ARTICLE]

Use Less Soap

By DR. SAMUEL G. DIXON

CbnanMioaer oi Health of Pemuybania

Tn this season and at this time when thousands of our young troops are being mobilized for the National army and are, of necessity, exposed to unusual conditions often producing nervous chills, is the wise time to economize on soap. Again, when the cost of living is so high all along the line, It will be an economy to use less soap as it is a much-abused article. It is not necessary, as so many seem to think, to have a stiff, creamy lather in order to dissolve the dirt that is filling up the pores of the skin. On the contrary, very little soap—pure soap—is required to break up the dirt and permit the water to remove it from the pores so that the glands may perform their normal duty. The pores are the openings-on the surface of the skin of the sweat glands and must be kept clear and free from either dirt, soap or any matter that would tend to interfere with their action in the elimination of perspiration. Imperfect action of the sweat glands is a source of disease, various matters accumulating in the system, which would otherwise be eliminated. Therefore, economy in soap would not only be a saving in money, but would help in saving human life, by cutting down respiratory diseases.