With regard to salt meat, it must be recollected that the brine, if it has been used several times, occasionally becomes poisonous. The evidence as to the power of dis eased meat when eaten to excite disease, is—if we except the cases in which entozoa are present—very unsatisfactory. We have the evidence of sir Samuel Baker and others that certain African tribes eat without injury meat swarming with maggots. In this country, the flesh of healthy animals, when decomposing, is sometimes eaten with impunity, and sometimes occasions severe gastric intestinal disorders. There is-reason, however, to believe that if slightly tainted meat-, poultry, or river fish be trashed in very dilute solution of Condy's fluid, previous to being cooked, all danger is removed. The occasional occurrence of a poison in sausages and even in pork pies is well known, although its nature is not clearly understood. The fresh flesh of diseased animals assur edly causes injurious effects in many cases, but not in all. In the early stage of acute inflammatory disease, the meat is not altered, and may be eaten with impunity. Whether the epidemic pleuro-pneumonia of cattle renders their flesh unfit tor use,ds an open question. (See Mapother, op. cit., pp. 217-224, who decidedly condemns its use, and Parkes, Op. cit., pp. 161-166, who quotes conflicting evidence.) The discrepancy of evidence is equally great regarding anthrax and malignant pustule. The death of sheep from splenic apoplexy or braxy, and from small-pox, renders their flesh unlit for food; while the flesh of cattle destroyed by foot-and-mouth disease and by typhoid fever has been largely used in France without injury. The detection of the adulterations of the ordinary articles of food is a very important duty in relation to hygiene; on this subject we must refer to Hassall's great work, and to our article FOOD.
The object of CLOTHING is to preserve the proper heat of the body by protecting it both from cold and heat, and thus to prevent the injurious action of sudden changes of temperature upon the skin. The most important materials of clothing are cotton, linen, wool, silk, leather, and india-rubber. Cotton, as a material of dress, wears well, does not readily absorb water, and conducts heat much less rapidly than linen, but much more rapidly than wool. From the hardness of its fibers, its surface is slightly rough, and occasionally irritates a very delicate skin. Its main advantages are cheapness and 'durability. In merino it is mixed with wool in.various proportions, and this admixture is far preferable to unmixed cotton. Linen is finer in its fibers than cotton, and hence is smoother. It possesses high conducting and bad radiating powers, so that it feels cold to the skin; moreover, it attracts moisture much more than cotton. For these rea sons, cottons and thin woolens, are much preferred to linen garments in warm climates. Silo forms an excellent underclothing, but fro:n its expense, it can never come into gen eral use. Wool is superior both to cotton and linen in being a bad conductor of heat, and a great absorber of water, which penetrates into the fibers and distends them (hydro scopic water), and also lies between them (water of interposition). " This property of hydroseopically absorbing water is," its Dr. Parkes observes, "a most important one. During perspiration. the evaporation from the surface of the body is necessary to reduce the heat which is generated by exercise. When the exercise is finished, the evaporation
still goes on, and to such an extent as to chill the frame. When dry woolen clothing is put on after exertion, the vapor from the surface of the body is condensed on the wool, and gives out again the large amount of beat which had become latent when the water was vaporized. Therefore, a woolen covering, from this cause alone, at once feels warm when used during sweating. In the ease of cotton and linen, the perspiration passes through them, and evaporates from the external surface without condensation; the loss of heat then continues. These facts make it plain why dry woolen clothes are so useful after exertion. In addition to this, the texture of wool is warmer, from its bad conducting power, and it is less easily penetrated by cold winds."—Op. cit., p. 353. Leather is used not only for shoes, boots, and leggins, but, in cold, windy countries, for coats. Leather and sheepskin coats are in common use in Turkey, Tartary, Persia', the Danubian provinces, and in Canada, where buffalo ski us are often used. For persons specially susceptible to cold, and of delicate organization, a chamois leather jacket worn over a flannel waistcoat may be recommended with advantage during the winter months. _India-rubber clothing must be used with extreme caution. From its being impenetrable to wind, and from its condensing and retaining the perspiration, it is decidedly ()bk.°• tionable; while on the other hand,•its protection against rain is a very valuable property. The council of health of the French tiny have refused to admit waterproof garments among their sold iers; and in this country i t has been prohibited among the London postmen.
lu relation to protection against heat, we have to consider the color and not the tek tore of clothing. White is the best color, then gray, yellow, pink, blue, and black, Hence, in hot countries, white or light gray clothing should be preferred.
The shape and weight of all articles of clothing should be such as to allow of the freest action of time limbs, and in no way to interfere by pressure with the processes of respiration, circulation, or digestion.. lu a complete treatise on hygiene, a discussion ou the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various articles of clothing used by both sexes would find a proper place, but our limited space totally precludes us from entering into this subject.
Attention to the ,`.3TATE OF THE SKIN is of great importance in a hygienic point of view. The perspiration and sebaceous matters which arc naturally poured out upon the surface of the body, with an intermingling of particles of detached epidermis, fragments of fibers from the dress, dirt, etc., if not removed, gradually form a crust which soon materially interferes with the due excreting action of the skin. There is little doubt that the daily use of the matutinal tub, which less than half a century ago was unheard of, and is now a matter of necessity with most healthy persons who have the means of using it, has contributed materially to harden the system against attacks of colds, rheu matism, etc. When a tub and sponge happen to be unattainable, a wet towel rubbed over the body, followed of course by a dry one, is a good substitute.