ve little
power of actually absorbing water, and hence they become wet on the
slightest addition of moisture, while on the other hand those of animal
origin have the capacity of absorbing water, and appear dry even after
the addition of this substance in considerable amounts. A person,
therefore, dressed in cotton fabrics will find after active perspiration
has begun that his clothing quickly becomes moist, while if he have on
woolen garments this will not occur. It is particularly noteworthy that
water is gradually removed by evaporation from animal fabrics, which
causes a general cooling without producing a chill; it is therefore
readily understood that woolen clothing is much to be preferred where
active exercise is being taken.

Color is also of some importance in determining the value of a fabric for
protecting the body from the sun's heat. Within recent times we have
learned a great deal respecting the wonderful penetrating power of the
invisible light rays, and we have every reason to believe that these
modify to a very considerable degree every process going on within the
body. The violet and ultra-violet rays are those that unquestionably
exert most influence, and it has been suggested that they may be broken
up and rendered innocuous by covering the body with materials having a
reddish-yellow color. It is not necessary to put these materials on the
outside where they would be conspicuous, but they may be used as lining
for hats and clothing; and there are good reasons to believe that if
their use were generally adopted suffering and actual loss of life from
overheating would be greatly reduced, particularly in warm countries.

_Work and Rest._--Very slowly the people of our country are beginning to
realize that it is quite as necessary to rest as to work, though
unfortunately in some quarters a strenuous life is urged as being only
secondary in importance to possessing a big family; that there is an
intimate association between the two there can be no doubt, since the
latter beyond peradventure would entail the former. It has ever been the
habit and misfortune of sages now and then to desert the field of their
own peculiar activities and to make incursions into unknown
regions--generally giving advice with a dogmatism and finality
proportionate to their ignorance of the subject under discussion.

As a matter of fact the average American works entirely too much, and
while he sometimes accumulates an immense f