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Skin Rendered Impervious To Its Natural Exhalations


RichardB

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Extract from a Letter from Arnold James Knight MT of Norfolk Street, Sheffield, to John Parker, Esq. M.P. circa 1833.

The working inhabitants of Sheffield are not only subjected to all the inconveniences arising from the common atmosphere of the town, but they also pass a considerable part of their time in a particular atmosphere of their own, surcharged with the additional dust and smoke raised during the various mechanical processes with which they are occupied; they are, moreover, liable to profuse perspiration, induced partly by the laborious nature of their employment, partly by being obliged to worlt hear the fire, and partly by these two causes combined; and as their body linen is not often changed, and their other clothes still less frequently, the consequeuce is, that not only do their clothes become saturated with dust, smoke and perspiration, but even their bodies are partially coated over with similar incrustations and their skin thus rendered impervious to its natural exhalations.

The importance of a free cuticular transpiration to the enjoyment of health is now so well ascertained, that there cannot be any doubt but that this obstructed perspiration must prove the prolific source of various diseases. Some of them tending to shorten life, and many of them to enbitter it. It would be difficult to trace to this cause all the diseases that may really proceed from it, but it is not impropable that it frequently gives rise to indigestion, depression of spirits, a dissatisfied state of mind, a diminution of intellectual and moral energy, cachectic diseases in general, and particularly cutaneous diseases; perhaps also to those morbid growths which are apt in the more advanced periods of life to develope themselves in the different tissues of the body.

It is desirable, then, that the working inhabitants of Sheffield should be induced to pay the utmost attention to personal cleanliness; the want of suitable accommodation in their own confined houses, will probably prevent them from generally adopting the habit of washing their bodies all over every morning, a habit so excellent that it cannot be too strongly recommeded; but if suitable river-bathing were provided, if the water were pure, and the depths properly graduated, the situation convenient yet secluded and well shaded, there is great reason to believe that the practice of river bathing would very much prevail, especially during the summer;j during which season, even at present, the rivers are crowded with bathers, although the water is often shallow, muddy, dirty and sometimes even offensive, the situations much exposed, several of them being contiguous to the most frequented thoroughfares; and the hanks dusty, without grass and without treses.

In my opinion river-bathing would conduce much to the comfort, health and happiness of the working classes in Sheffield; and I believe that if suitable accommodation were provided, they would he disposed to avail themselves of it; it would also be a great advantage to confine persons chiefly to the places appointed for such purposes, and not allow them to bathe in the more frequented districts of the town as they do at present to the great annoyance of respectable females.

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Extract from a Letter from Arnold James Knight MT of Norfolk Street, Sheffield, to John Parker, Esq. M.P. circa 1833.

The working inhabitants of Sheffield are not only subjected to all the inconveniences arising from the common atmosphere of the town, but they also pass a considerable part of their time in a particular atmosphere of their own, surcharged with the additional dust and smoke raised during the various mechanical processes with which they are occupied; they are, moreover, liable to profuse perspiration, induced partly by the laborious nature of their employment, partly by being obliged to worlt hear the fire, and partly by these two causes combined; and as their body linen is not often changed, and their other clothes still less frequently, the consequeuce is, that not only do their clothes become saturated with dust, smoke and perspiration, but even their bodies are partially coated over with similar incrustations and their skin thus rendered impervious to its natural exhalations.

The importance of a free cuticular transpiration to the enjoyment of health is now so well ascertained, that there cannot be any doubt but that this obstructed perspiration must prove the prolific source of various diseases. Some of them tending to shorten life, and many of them to enbitter it. It would be difficult to trace to this cause all the diseases that may really proceed from it, but it is not impropable that it frequently gives rise to indigestion, depression of spirits, a dissatisfied state of mind, a diminution of intellectual and moral energy, cachectic diseases in general, and particularly cutaneous diseases; perhaps also to those morbid growths which are apt in the more advanced periods of life to develope themselves in the different tissues of the body.

It is desirable, then, that the working inhabitants of Sheffield should be induced to pay the utmost attention to personal cleanliness; the want of suitable accommodation in their own confined houses, will probably prevent them from generally adopting the habit of washing their bodies all over every morning, a habit so excellent that it cannot be too strongly recommeded; but if suitable river-bathing were provided, if the water were pure, and the depths properly graduated, the situation convenient yet secluded and well shaded, there is great reason to believe that the practice of river bathing would very much prevail, especially during the summer;j during which season, even at present, the rivers are crowded with bathers, although the water is often shallow, muddy, dirty and sometimes even offensive, the situations much exposed, several of them being contiguous to the most frequented thoroughfares; and the hanks dusty, without grass and without treses.

In my opinion river-bathing would conduce much to the comfort, health and happiness of the working classes in Sheffield; and I believe that if suitable accommodation were provided, they would he disposed to avail themselves of it; it would also be a great advantage to confine persons chiefly to the places appointed for such purposes, and not allow them to bathe in the more frequented districts of the town as they do at present to the great annoyance of respectable females.

I knew a bloke who worked all his life as an engine tenter (the guy in charge of day to day maintainence of a steam engine in a factory) and he was always covered in oil which splashes off the open motionwork of the engine all the time it is running.

Although he "scrubbed up well" when he came home and had a bath he sweated oil out of his pores, if he laid down in bed the bedsheets became oil stained, as did his clothing which came into contact with oil exposed areas of his skin (shirt collars in particular)

The oil must have penetrated his skin pores quite deeply, and given it's toxicity it is probably quite remarkable that lived to be 78.

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