Health Reform, Two Centuries Views.

‎"the air bath, as Dr.Franklin calls it, is exceedingly salutary to every one in health, and almost to every invalid. If the whole skin may be considered a breathing organ, then it should not only be kept clean, but for its own health and vigor, and the health and vigor of the whole system, it should be permitted to receive the full ...and free embrace of the pure air -- in short, all the physiological and physcological properties, powers and interests of the human constitution would be better sustained, as a permanent fact, from generation to generation, by entire nudity, than by the use of any kind of clothing. Strictly speaking, therefore, all clothing is in itself considered, in some measure, an evil."

Sylvester Graham. "Bathing, Air, and Clothing," from Graham's Science of Human Life. Water Cure Journal; 1 Jun. 1847; 3, 11.

Naked After Work

It was lovely being naked after work today. I walked down to Harvey Milk Library, picked up a book asnd then walked home through the Castro naked. Going up 18th Street, two blocks from my house, a police officer in a cruiser stopped me and asked me if the police have talked with me before. I responded that they had. He asked me what they told me. I told him what their usual line is, about getting a complaint, and that they know it is not illegal but if the person wants to sign a complaint, blah, blah. He said, that is right. He indicated that a women flagged him over to complain about me and said she would be willing to sign a complaint. He then asked me were I lived. I indicated right up the street. He said he would go talk to her. I asked him if he was planning on explaining to her that what I was doing was not illegal. He said that yes he would. He left and I continued my walk home, naked.

A New Book.

Sex Among the Rabble: An Intimate History of Gender & Power in the Age of Revolution, Philadelphia, 1730-1830, by Clare A. Lyons. I am very excited to begin reading this book which I learned about in the graduate history class I have the pleasure of attending.