Where-ever primitive races abandon nakedness for clothing, at once the tendency to disease, mortality, and degeneracy notably increases, though it must be remembered that the use of clothing is commonly accompanied by the introduction of other bad habits.

"Nakedness is the only condition universal among vigorous and healthy savages; at every other point perhaps they differ," remarks Frederick Boyle in a paper ("Savages and Clothes," _Monthly Review_, Sept., 1905) in which he brings together much evidence concerning the hygienic advantages of the natural human state in which man is "all face." It is in Germany that a return towards nakedness has been most ably and thoroughly advocated, notably by Dr.H.Pudor in his _Nackt-Cultur_, and by R.Ungewitter in _Die Nacktheit_ (first published in 1905), a book which has had a very large circulation in many editions.

These writers enthusiastically advocate nakedness, not only on hygienic, but on moral and artistic grounds.

Pudor insists more especially that "nakedness, both in gymnastics and in sport, is a method of cure and a method of regeneration;" he advocates co-education in this culture of nakedness.

Although he makes large claims for nakedness--believing that all the nations which have disregarded these claims have rapidly become decadent--Pudor is less hopeful than Ungewitter of any speedy victory over the prejudices opposed to the culture of nakedness.