The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-11-02
bkr. e. G. Robbinp Lecture Last Even
ing-"Female Costume In Relation to
Health and Beauty.v

p ~-~@.sA "hN ASOautgs
Mr.. z. G. Robbins, who for four years past
has closely studied sanitary science, and
published a number Of valuable communities
tions on the subject in the city press, deliv-
cred the first of proposed course Of lectures
last evening at Smith 4 Nixoh's Hall, upon
"Female Costume in its Relation TO Health
and, Beauty" The audience, though highly
intelligent in character, was much smaller
than it should have been, manifesting de-
gree OF indifference to kind Of knowledge
which ell should possess, not encouraging to
the gentleman who has 30 earnestly pursued
his theme, and with tho most benevolent
purpose.
custom oflacing 30 prevalent among women par
tioulsxly In this country, and to the many disad-
vantages arising therefrom. The ribs were com.
pressed, and the full and proper action of tho
lungs, heart and liver impeded, causing suffer-
ing, illness and death. II was not unjust, nor
far from the truth, to state that very many
American women did not breathe abdominally,
but only from the diaphragm, all Of which led
necessarily to consumption, the most fell
destroyer Of the human race, and especially Of
the female portion, known in the present time.
Statistics Of health proved that one-ffth of
the deaths Ia the North esstern portion Of this
country, were from consumption, and that
sixty-thoussnd souls perished annually of
this disease In the United States salone--more
than the great scourge, the cholera, had ever
destroyed. $500 nEi s&l1f4t2 "
Women, not so robust nor so generally
healthy, were naturally moro subject than men
to consumption but that 50 many died Of the
disease could be attributed to no cause SO much
as to wearing tight clothes. Long before girl
had reached her teens, she or her parents be-
gan to draw in her waist that she might pre-
sent what was erroneously supposed to be q
neat and attractive figure; and before her
school days were ended, she had laid the foun-
dation of q disease she could not afterward
cure. Strange as was this infatuatioD, horri-
bic as this suicide, numerous as were the
slaughtered Of oorsets and stays, the number OF
victims, instead of decreasing, annually aug
mented. The poor and laboring classes were
comparatively free from this vice, for 1t was
truly such; but the better conditioned and culti-
waited circles Of society-.he fashionable-were
ever immolating themselves at the false and
fatal shrine of the tyrannical goddess.
The slender waists of our women were as un-
natural as they were unbecoming, as might be
earned from the Greek models the perfection
Of beauty, only obtained by following the lines
and proportions of Nature. In this degenerate
age, neither taste nor decenoy was observed in
dress, since Nature was discarded and thrust
out Of doors as If dangerous and hateful
thing instead of an angel Of comfort and love-
illness. .ttt.-,r
Two other frequent causes Of Ill health
among women were the low dressing Of the
neck, resulting in colds and consumptions
and tho hanging upon the hips of large and
heavy amounts Of clothing, engendering dis
ease of various kinds, making life painful and
miserable, and insuring early graves.
These three violations Of nature mot only
destroyed health and beauty, but prevented
women from becoming proper mothers entail
ing weakness Of constitution and disease upon
their offspring, that must affect generations still
unborn. The Lacedemoniaus were most care
full of the dress OF their women, whom they
designed to make the mothers of an unconouered
and unconquerable race; and we knew how
we'll the sanitary laws adopted at Sparta have
been observed, and how glorious had been
their fruit. Thermopyl@ and Marathon were
not won by the sickly sons Of laced and cor
seted women, but by the hardy offspring Of
nature observing and reason governed moth
ers.
At the conclusion, the lecturer exhorted all
women to lay aside the follies Of dress, to aban-
don the dictates Of a wretohed fashion, to fol-
low truth and nature, not for themselves alene,
but for posterity, for the unborn creatures, for
the future world Woman's mission was one
Of beauty, dignity and love, and she who per-
fumed 1t wisely was indeed an angel and
saint-a divinity Of her own and coming time.