Cellular Undergarments

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 5, 1907

Cellular Undergarments

Do you recommend cellular underwear? If so, why? I recommend porous underwear because it is necessary in order for the skin to breathe to allow a free interchange of gases. There are millions of small openings in the skin through which gases and organic impurities from the body are constantly eliminated.

Some of the wastes formed in the body are eliminated chiefly through the kidneys, others through the lungs, still others through the skin. Upon the healthy action of these eliminating organs, the health of the body largely depends. So long as the kidneys, lungs, and skin are in a healthy, active condition, there is little danger of severe illness, providing ordinary care is exercised in eating. Observing physicians have noticed that the chronic invalid always suffers with an inactive skin.

One of the essential objects of massage, hot and cold sprays, or the air and sun bath so highly recommended for invalids, is to tone up and improve skin activity. The quantity of moisture, holding in solution tissue wastes, eliminated through the pores of the skin in health by insensible perspiration amounts to

about two pounds in every twenty-four hours. When exercising, this is considerably increased. It is important that the clothing worn next the skin should be of a nature to allow free evaporation.

Retention of this moisture not only debilitates the skin and predisposes to cold, but the organic impurities contained in the moisture under the influence of heat undergo decay, forming deadly gases, which are inhaled or absorbed by the skin, and are responsible for many acute and chronic diseases. To appreciate the nature of these impurities, and what results when they are retained, it is only necessary to notice the disagreeable and putrid odor of the feet when wearing rubber boots which confine the moisture. Should the entire body be covered with rubber, instead of the feet only, the putrid gases formed would be general.

Those who are subject to colds may discover that the wearing of closely woven and impervious underwear is one of the principal causes of their frequent colds, by preventing the free evaporation of moisture. But aside from this, by favoring the retention and decomposition of organic tissue wastes, various diseases either of an acute or chronic nature may find their explanation here.

Porous clothing should always be worn next the skin, and there is none that I can recommend more highly than cellular underwear.—Australasian Good Health.