Why was moleskin clothing used as a punishment in mental institutions in the 1940s?

Question

Why was moleskin clothing used as a punishment in mental institutions in the 1940s?

Answer 1

Only a guess but i think it's because moleskin has quite a rough texture so it irritates the skin, it's for this reason that you will rarely see a child in moleskin clothing ("it's itchy").

Answer 2

Because it's a very strong cotton cloth

Answer 3

I would have thought that it was more of a punishment for the poor mole!

PS Alexis. How can it be cotton? It comes from an animal. Cotton is a plant!!

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