Infectious and contagious diseases may be conveyed by the clothing. Hence, special care must be taken that all clothing in contact with sick people is burned or properly disinfected. Children especially are susceptible to scarlet fever, diphtheria, and measles, and the greatest care must be exercised to prevent their exposure to infection through the clothing. We should never sleep in a damp bed, or between damp sheets. The vital powers are enfeebled during sleep, and there is always risk of pneumonia or rheumatism. The practice of sitting with wet feet and damp clothing is highly injurious to health. The surface of the body thus chilled may be small, yet there is a grave risk of serious, if not of fatal, disease. No harm may be done, even with clothing wet with water or damp with perspiration, so long as exercise is maintained, but the failure or inability to change into dry garments as soon as the body is at rest is fraught with danger. Woolen comforters, scarfs, and fur mufflers, so commonly worn around the neck, are more likely to produce throat troubles and local chill than to have any useful effect. Harm ensues from the fact that the extra covering induces local perspiration, which enfeebles the natural defensive power of the parts; and when the warmer covering is removed, the perspiring surface is readily chilled. Those who never bundle their throats are least liable to suffer from throat ailments. 252. Ill Effects of Wearing Tightly Fitting Clothing. The injury to health caused by tight lacing, when carried to an extreme, is due to the compression and displacement of various organs by the pressure exerted on them. Thus the lungs and the heart may be compressed, causing short breath on exertion, palpitation of the heart, and other painful and dangerous symptoms. The stomach, the liver, and other abdominal organs are often displaced, causing dyspepsia and all its attendant evils. The improper use of corsets, especially by young women, is injurious, as they interfere with the proper development of the chest and abdominal organs. The use of tight elastics below the knee is often injurious. They obstruct the local venous circulation and are a fruitful source of cold feet and of enlarged or varicose veins. Tightly fitting boots and shoes often cause corns, bunions, and ingrowing nails; on the other hand, if too loosely worn, they cause corns from friction. Boots too narrow in front crowd the toes together, make them overlap, and render walking difficult and painful. High-heeled boots throw the weight of the body forwards, so that the body rests too much on the toes instead of on the heels, as it should, thus placing an undue strain upon certain groups of muscles of the leg, in order to maintain the balance, while other groups are not sufficiently exercised. Locomotion is never easy and graceful, and a firm, even tread cannot be expected.