New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-03-16
From Chambers Journal
A Shoemaker. Nntinn- of fhe Feet.
March

A sboemaker's Notions Of fhe Feet.
IL going ep Regent street one day in Summer,
! three years ago IN quest Of a shoemaker We had
| the good fortune-for good fortune It is-tO fall IN
with exactly the kind Of man We wanted this was
/ Mr. James Sparkes Hall person who 10 much
sound sense on general subjects, untes the rare
skill of supplying shoes nice. easy and plant
that the feet after years OF torture are very much
surprised 10 find themselves Unexpectedly IN such
an earthly paradise. On conversing with this
clever member of the gentle craft we learned that
he was the inventor of the paaisoorIum-a material
externally resembling leather. but possessing all
the sOltness and pliancy Of cloth. Pleased with
the appearance OF this novel fabric We procured
some articles made from 1t, aud having tested them
/ by long and diligent wear, called short time ago
| at Regent street to renew the supply. On this
/ second occasion Mr. Hall mentioned that he was
engaged on a work on the feet including history
/ of boots and shoes SUCH he thought being very
desirable in the present state OF knowledge on the
subject We thought so too Mr. Hall has &C
oordingy brought out this production, the result
/ he SAYS, Of long professional study.
The Book of the Feet as the author styles his
work, is plainly but pleaslngy written volume,
and exhibits, within a small compass, the various
forms and phases which the coverings Of the feet
have assumed from the time OF Egyptian sandals
down TO this current era OF WellingtOns Butchers.
Clarences, Cambridges and Alberts. or course
much OF this matter be rendered Ineligible
only by the aid Of engravngs but the reader may
take our word for it, that in no department OF dress
has Fashion more INDUCED her whims and caprices
than in boots and shoes At one time these were
made so long in our own country that Edward w
had to enact sumPtuary laws 10 restrain the length
oil toe 10 a couple OF inches at another, they
were fashioned so broad that Mary had 10 decree a
statutory breadth OF six inches in the days Of
Venetian glory the ladies wore heels so high that
they could not walk unless between couple Of
attendants and at present the shoes of the Chi
hall 4 ha he
eravely asserted that they have no feet at all
Nor are ne yet without our fashionable absurd
ties high heels and narrow soles are the bane OF
the living generation, creating pain and expense,
and converting the free elastic natural gait OF the
human form divine into a stted and unseemly
wrieele Let us hear Mr. Hall-and he is a
practical authority-on thisheally humane and I'M
poItant subject:
For upward OF twenty years, a bootmsker, have
made the feet my study. and during that period many
thousand pairs Of feet have received my attention
have observed with minute the from the antique
well the modern instances and am obliged 70 ad
nit that much Of the pain have Witnessed much OF the
distortion of the the the top OF the feet
the bunion on the side the callotes beneath and the
growing in OF the nails between are attributable 10 the
shoemaker The feet with proper treatment might be
free from disease and pain the hands their struc
ture and adaptation to the wants and comfort OF
being naturally perfect Thiriys bones and thirty
joints have been given by the Creator TO form one OF
these members and yet man cramps cabins and confines
his beautiful arrangement OF one hundred and iortyOur
bones and ointstogeher with muscles, elastic Cart
lage lubhcsting oily fluid veins and aIteries-into
pair Of shoes or boots which instead OF protecting from
injury produce the most painful hs wei ~ Perinansnt
results. Many volumes have been written on the cause
of corDs and it has been my lot TO wade through many
OF them without gaining much for my pains have
therefore arrived the conclusion Notwithstanding all
that has been said TO the contrary that tOrns arc ~ az
eases ae result Of pessHe. ! am confirmed IN TINS |
opinion by OF the most respectable ehropedls OF
the present day-M DuTlacher gentleman VINO mas
had considerable experience In the treatment Of corns
and bunions. lie says:
Pressure and friction are unqueslionsby the preds-
posing Of although, IN some instances tey
are erroneousy supposed Re hereditary Improperly
made shoes Invariably produce pressure upon lhe niegI
of the and prominent Parts Of me ieet " Nch
opposed corresponding resistance from the bone I'M
medsley beneath consequences Of which the vessels Of
the derms are compressed between them become Injured
congesied and in short time hyperuopnied
When corns arc produced by friction and slight |
pressure they the result OF tbs shoes beng TOO large
and the leather hard 50 that by the extension OF me oot
the little toe or any prominent part constantly being
rubbed and compressed by its own action. This may /
continue ON and of for months or even years before
any Inconvenience s experienced but progressively
the cutce increases and Is either detached IRON he
derms BY serum being poured out between them, s!m
lar 10 a common blister. and new covering produced
OF the epderms hickens into layers adhering TO each
ether"
Admitting then that pressure and friction are \
the causes Of corns and other grievances Of the |
feet the only permanent remedy-ior extraction !
is a mere temporary palliatIve-mnst be the re 4
moval Of the cause by wearing sufficiently large /
and Hitting shoe
Every one" continues Mr.. Hall. who has corns |
knows and feels that the pressure is the esuseno one
knows better where the shoe pnches than he who
IN Yet few persons know why IL hurts or are aware
how the remedy should be spilled Sometimes shoe
is too large often small very often too short but
generally the wrong shape altogether. The fsult lies
not 80 much in the shoes themselves IN the lasts from
which they made there the cause Is TO be found
and there Il has been my study far many years TO apply
he remedy The best material may have been used Tor
sole and upper leather the most exquisite closing and
stabbns been put in. I'LL the work looked Like print
the may have been hrstraie but dehcien,
in the urinary and most essential partthe suitable form
of the last on which the article was 10 be moalded-the
boot or shoe would not be suitable or comfortable
covering for the foot and the unfortunate wearer ENDS
hs, he has nui his feet into the shoenakers stock-
Ergo oEs rho sACs 70 Be comfortably eo sAoAsd hdre
pIr Of lasts sdds expressly fer his ors ase Experience
have IA much 10 do with bespoke work Tor tender or
necpsr feet that no plan equal 10 tnis 10 secure
rood IT and save Inconvenience and disappointment ioI
The future The length and width are now every Gay
affairs but the Judgment OF NUNS - aHV1Ae' ''-e 49,
here is the true skill.
last fitted up to the length and width may DO or Il
NAV NOT Ii NAV do by chance or fail Of necessity out
II fitting be anything. II Is skifal sdsptsnon ol Ine
TO the true form and requirements OF the ioot
Nsnv persons have an idea that shoes are
com parative modern Innovations OF issnion' o1t ui-
mistake-strsighi lasts are modern lnvenIon So
what many persons say - Ins
are decidedly inferior 20 welEIoIuiea nsIi
pair The great evil hAs been that all rsnt @na Ell As
Of late have crooked IL was tho1eht tnAi 70 soAe
aonius the straight sss with eli rs fhulis perfect II
could be secured in rights sndle and nom one eA
IRENE as generally the in fashon me opposite
adopted. and twisted rg ot and eit aos NC ms
Ter .tiu worse II was thought nothing could De rgat
and leit but that 1hich took decided urn eno ~
CONSEQUENCE has been that for years lAss nave oeen
u ade with ugly twist inward "ncfo ~ 49, -
rso,ir,5 and on inc outside where the toes WIZ al
heir tenderness and liability to injury have required
thickness and breadth nothing has been ieiI nATs
pointed out this fault last makers thousand u"ss
have stood BY them al their work and have seen ne
Dart where wished OF all things the room 10 De en-
.ruely sliced o. or rasped away the consequence 70
he unfortunate weAreT OF shoe or BOOT raso- on '
sst necessarily beiag-mon,hs Of torture
|
Tas BOOK OF rHF FEEr. Hisfory Of Boefs saa
Sss,r With ulasgrAgioas By JANIS sfAAsts nsLL - |