Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1887 — Healthy Underclothing. [ARTICLE]

Healthy Underclothing.

... In the choice of woolen underclothing Parkes says: The touch is a great guide. There should be smoothness and great softness of texture; to the eye the texture should be dose, the hairs standing out from the surface of equal length, not long and straggling. The hoavier the substance is, in a given bulk, tjie better. In the case of blankets, the softness, thickness, and closeness of the pile, the closeness of the texture and the weight of blankets are the best guides. The non-conduct-ing power of woolen fabrics lessens under continual washing; the soft fibers shrink, become harder and less absorbent. In washing woolen articles they should never be rubbed or wrung. They should be immersed iu hot soap suds, moved about and then plunged into cold water; when the soap is entirely removed they should be hung up to dry without wringing. Night dresses made of cotton aro preferable. In summer, a thinner material may be chosen; for winter use the so culled “cotton-flannel” is the most comfortable. The night dress should be long, loosely fitting and button easily about the neck. Those people who are habituated to sleeping with the arms uncovered ought in cold weather be secured against chills by, thick under flannel. All undergarments ought to be changed at night, and the undervest for night wear should be as warm as that during the day. The one removed on rising should be carefully aired with the bed clothing; during the night tlie other should hang over a chair near the window. To dress and to undress in an intensely cold room is a hardship which should, if possible, be escaped. Wood-stoves, so rapidly heated, are better for chambers than those in which coal* is burned; light kindlings soon warm them sufficiently, and the temperature quickly falls after the sleeper has enjoyed liis sponge bath and is comfortably ensconced in bed.— Boston Herald.