Daily national Democrat., 1859-07-06
Crinoline HygienicaIly Considered.

Under this heading, communication ap-
pears in the San Juan Press, of Saturday, in
reply to some previous unfavorable remarks
of the editor towards Crinoline. The writer
is evsdently philosopher as we'll as an ad.
mirer Of the fair sex and man of decided
literary ability Indeed, these different quail
tiles or quaficati ,ns are so apparent in the
article, as to convince us that only one man
in the country could have written it, and
that man, Gen. Allen. The General has new
er appeared TO better advantage than in his
championship of the tender sex, and this
time his defense of their favorite article of
apparel, their dear, delightful crinoline their
sweet symmetrical hoops--and they are
both graceful and elegant-entitles him to
the everlasting gratitude of the fair wcarers
thereof
But here is the communication
In your last paper, am sorry to say, you
have perpetrated-in my estimation at least
r-an aesthetic and hygienic heresy On the
first page and third column, under the cap
ton Of How to take Life" among a multi
tude of beautiful truths, you have, inadvert
emily and thoughtlessly, l hope, insnuated
one ugly error With n masters hand you
show how whiskey. tobacco, and gluttony
slay their thousands of the male sex, and
how thin soles, with their multitudinous con
comitants, furnish premature modes of exit
for the souls Of the fairer and better part of
our race. 1t grieves me to perceive that.
with thin souls, against which the tender sex
cannot be too earnestly admonshed, you
have, most unwarrantnbly, as it seems to
me, included "crnoline" as one Of the causes
of premature decay and death.
They tell me you are bachelor; and thus,
perhaps having been debarred from studying
the institution of crinoline, in the concrete as
well as the abstract, you have volunteered
hasty condemnation of it, in total ignorance
of its Legitimate offices and effects. Crinoline
or, rather, the series of hoops which have
usurped its functions-must be viewed from
physiological and hygenc stand point in.
stead Of from one furnished by the pointless
jokes of unscientifc mockers, if We wish to
have right conception of its properties and
uses.
A popular writer of the last century, q
very astate philosopher, though somewhat
}
opinions, said that, "a votafess Of Fashion
would sacrifice. on the shrine of her idol.
comfort, health, honor, reputation and life
itsef!" Though an ardent adorer of woman
kind for mcr1 than forty years my experience
compels me reluctantly to confess that Sir
Richard Steele was not So far wrong in his
appreciation of fashionable women, MS some
plain thinking people might imagine. Fash
ion is an unreasoning tyrant, that pays no
respect to the laws of nature, nor to the com
fort, health, honor, reputation, or even life,
of her subjects, but demands from all and
each, blind and unthinking submission to
her capriees. Within my day, l have seen
delicate maidens at the command of this ter
rible tyrant, commit slow and torturing sui
eide, by COMPRISING their waists with stays
and corsets, crushing heart, liver and lungs
into confused and loathsome Jelly, and thus
go heroically into premature graves, rather
than wear the form that nature gave but
which fashion repudated. All this is mel
ancholy enough but, when fashion, as is
sometimes the case, does happen to coincide
with nature and the laws of health, as |
humbly opine, she has done in the matter
and article of crinoline, let us be thankful |
for the unexpected benefaction, and not class !
it among the masses of her tyranical follies
A liberal acquaintance with physiology |
and hygiene will teach us that, while the fe-
male chest should not be artifcially com
pressed, it should be carefully clothed and |
defended from the effects of a chilled atmos.
phere. The neither portion ef female struc-
ture should net be thus sedulously impris. |
oned Any sensible and well read medical |
man, who has honesty enough to speak as he |
thinks, will point TO you the demi-naked |
Scotch Highlander, as a proof in point of
what have here advanced. But all this |
involves scientific considerations which are |
more appropriate to a medical journal than |
to family newspaper, like yours and
therefore, dare not argue the subject as far |
as / wish.
A few years ago, the ladies, in compliance
with the dictates of Fashion, loaded their |
hips with burden Of petticoats that, while |
1t killed them, threatened total extinction |
of the maternal relation; and now, since |
Fashion, in of her good humored caprices, |
has substituted the light, and airy, and health
full hoops, you must needs class them among |
the artillery of Death. The hoops, as any |
sensible woman will tell you, have liberated
the sex from.a tedious and horrible martyr
dom; and sincerely hope you will reconsid-
er your attack upon them and endeavor to
regard them through the medium of an ex
panded and generous philosophy Al.
OK Sunday of last week, at Puckerville,
Amador county, Mr., Jones was stabbed and