The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-06-24

vi all parts OF the body, there Is not one
the clothing Of which ought to be so care
fully attended to, as the feet. The most de-
pendant part Of the system, this is the part
IN which the circulation Of the blood may be
The most readily checked; the part most ex-
posed to cold and wet, or to direct contact
with good conducting surfaces, it is the part
OF the system where such check is most
likely to take place. Goodness Of the feet
Is very common attendant on disordefed
state Of the stomach; and yet disordered
stomach is not more apt TO produce GOODNESS
oil the feet, than coldness Of the feet is apt
to produce disorder Of the stomach; and this
remark does not apply only to cases Of in
digestion, but TO many other disorders to
which man is liable. Yet do we see the
feet OF the young and the delicate clad in
thin-soled shoes, and as thin stockings, no
matter whether il is summer or winteT-tme;
no matter whether the weather is dry or
damp, or whether the temperature of the at
mosphere is warm or cold. But this is not
the whole Of the evil. These same feet are
frequently. at different times Of the same day,
differently covered as to the stoutness Of the
shoes and their soles, and very often like
wise as to the thickness OF the stockings. ]
have often found, on investigating into the
origin of cases Of disease, that it has been
common practice TO go out Of doors in the
forenoon, the feet being protected with
lamb'swool stockings, and warm and thick
ly-soled boots; and TO sit in the afternoon al
home, only having the feet covered with
silk stockings and thin satin shoes. | have
so often found this TO be the case, that il
would hardly surprise me were the practice
found to be almost universal among the fe
males Of the middle and upper ranks of so.
oiety. To this common, and sufficiently
inconsderate practice, | have traced many
cases Of .incurabls disease. To this alone,
may be ascribed many acaseof functional dis
turbance; this lays the foundation for many
Of those arrangements by which the frsl
inroad is made into the constitution, the frs
step taken in undermining the health; the
first Of that succession of changes brought
about, by which the young, and the lovely
and the healthy, are converted into the
wasted victims of consumption, or become
martyrs to other maladies as fatal, though
less common. am sufficient OF a Goth "a
wish to see thin-soled shoes altogether dis
used as articles Of dress; and would have
them replaced by shoes having a moderate
thickness Of sole, with thin layer of cork
or felt placed within the shoe, over the sole,
OF next to the foot Cork is very bad con
ductor Of heat, and is therefore to be prefer
red; if ii is not to be had, or is not liked
felt may be substituted for it. Tic ,A.su...
lightness of the cork, the remarkable thin
ness to which it may be CULTS usefulness
as a non-conductor not being essentially i'm
paired thereby--and the inappreciable ef
feet it has on the appearance of the shoe
all seem to recommend its use for this pur
pose in the strongest manner. | think thai
neither boots nor shoes should be used with
out this admirable provision against colo
feet There is sufficient objection to all
shoes made Of waterproof or impervious ma
terials they are apt to prove much too heat
ing aud relaxing, interfering with the due
escape OF the cutaneous exhalations. Thir
shoes ought only to be used for the purpose
Of dancing, and then they ought only TO BE-
worn while dancing. The invalid OF dys
peptic ought assuredly never to wear thin
shoes at other times. AS to the common
practice Of wearing thin shoes for warm
boots, and rice rersa, it is a practice that il
replele with danger, and .he.oce-A rash. and
almost culPable.-Dr. Robertson.