know that the body is greatly nourished by cutaneous respiration: any thing, therefore, which offers too great an impediment to that very important function must be highly injurious. Thus too much clothing has a tendency to prevent the perfect developement of the body, and to induce an unnatural thinness and flaccidity of the skin, maintaining a certain degree of emaciation, by the too great exclusion of light and air. Clothing is most favorable to the perfect and symmetrical developement of the body and to the maintenance of its health, in proportion as it is light and porous.

With regard to children therefore, in order best to preserve the health and vigour of their bodies, it is necessary to institute an appropriate system of clothing, whereby they may not be habituated to the wearing of more than is required.

The lighter shades appear to be the most appropriate for clothing on account of the great absorption of heat which the dark colours occasion; and the clothes, unless made of highly elastic material, capable, like the skin, of expanding so as to accommodate itself to the flexions of the body and limbs, should be made so as to fit loosely, otherwise, by its unequal pressure, much injury must be occasioned to the soft parts.

tion

clothing.

The European costume has the fault of not suffi- Consumpciently covering the upper and anterior part of the caused by chest which part of the body should be well pro- improper tected from the inclemency of the weather, on account of the important organs, the lungs, there situated. And it is at that part that the parietes of the chest are thinnest; the lungs therefore are

R

particularly liable to be chilled at that point; nevertheless that is generally the least protected part of the body; and it is especially there that we find the lungs most prone to become diseased. There is great reason to believe that where there is a predisposition to consumption, it is very often early developed in consequence of the insufficient covering on the upper part of the chest; and that it is so induced and established, in very many instances, where it would never otherwise have occurred. The clothing of females, like that of men, has the fault of not affording sufficient protection to the upper part of the chest; which cannot with safety, even within doors, be so much exposed as is the custom.

The habit of tightly lacing the waist, is one which is fraught with dangers to an extent which is absolutely incalculable. The contraction of the waist, occasioned by tight stays, has a tendency to cause the displacement of the abdominal viscera; and which often become diseased, apparently from the inconvenience to which they are in this way subjected.

The practice of wearing cotton and linen for external female attire, and the use of the same for curtains and such purposes is extremely dangerous, and therefore not less improper. Nature has not clothed any animal in so combustible a material. There are few elderly persons who cannot relate woeful tales of relatives or friends who have suffered from the burning of their own clothes; and our journals are constantly furnishing us with the most deplorable accounts of such accidents, which are, of course, of very frequent occurrence; and it seems as if by a providential protection, that they are not

more so. They are the frequent occasion of the most calamitous misfortunes, bereavements, and alienations of affection. By them the most graceful and amiable are speedily converted into the most ignoble and repulsive, a misery to themselves, and a grievous burden to those around them.

Every medical man of experience has shuddered before the indescribably horrible distortions arising from cutaneous indurations and contractions, consequent on such accidents. And yet the practice is universally and thoughtlessly continued, entirely without occasion; as wool and silk constitute a much more suitable and becoming clothing. They are capable of being manufactured into the most elegant and beautiful articles of dress, whilst their incombustibility is such as to preclude the danger of accidents by fire; and one would really think they might afford sufficient variety without having recourse to linen and cotton as an external covering.

Here is a striking and conspicuous illustration of the remarkable manner in which man manufactures scourges for his own flagellation; of the power which he has of averting many of the evils which surround him; and of the wonderful apathy which prevents his directing his abilities to that object.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF THE POISONOUS NATURE OF LEAD, AND THE IMPROPRIETY OF ITS USE FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.

THE poison arising from lead as used for domestic purposes is one of the most insidious and dangerous, although it is generally slow in producing its effect.

The metal, when warm, and probably in some degree even in its cold state, gives off a vapour which is very injurious to the human constitution; this becomes much more evidently poisonous when the lead is melted.

A letter from Mr. Beaumont, in the Philosophical Collections, states, that those who live near where lead ore is washed, can keep neither dogs, cats, or fowls, but that they all die in a short time. And when animals have been put into houses in which lead ore has been kept, although thoroughly cleansed and well bedded with litter, the vapour of the metal has proved fatal to them. He also states that the steam which arises during the process of smelting, renders the surrounding grass so poisonous as to be fatal to animals which eat it. Mines of copper also send forth most noxious and corrosive fumes, which attack even gold and silver, in the pockets of those in their immediate vicinity.

Vitruvius, the Roman architect, strongly protested against the use of leaden pipes for the conveyance of water. Palladius, Galen, and Aëtius also condemn the use of water which has flown over lead.

Hesiod very wisely warns us against the use of iron knives for the purpose of eating acid fruits; because the metal, by their acidity, is rapidly dissolved, and thus injuriously finds entrance into the body.

It appears that water which has been a considerable time in contact with lead, becomes impregnated with its subtle poison, which, although inappreciable by any means we can adopt, still operates injuriously on the constitutions of those who constantly drink it. All utensils into whose composition lead enters are improper for domestic use, as they render the matters they contain unwholesome, more particularly if warm.

Leaden pipes, cisterns, and pumps, are liable to become corroded with white lead, or carbonate of lead, which sometimes adheres firmly to the metal, and at others, forms a soft pulverulent mass. This carbonate of lead, if not apparently soluble in water, floats in it in the form of white particles, more especially when the water has been agitated. It is therefore necessary that leaden cisterns should be carefully kept clean; but even with all the precaution that can be used, there evidently must arise great evil from the employment of lead for those purposes. The pipes of pumps and those conveying water into cisterns, cannot be cleansed. I am informed that in some places near London, the leaden pipes of pumps will not last more than three years, before they become corroded through, so as to be rendered useless.

Our medical records abound with instances illustrative of the danger of the employment of lead for pipes, pumps, and cisterns. It is much to be re