Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-01-26

TaE PLUHER BooT-The following ex-
tracts, from the pen Of Prof. Oliver Wendell
Holmes, We take from the Atlantic Monthly,
from which very correct idea Of this great
improvement in the manufacture of boots
and shoes may be gained, 1t should be
borne in mind that Professor Holmes is not
given to pufhng inventioss that are not
of tho highest and most important order:
DR.. J. G. Plumsr, formerly of Portland,
now Of Boston, has devoted himself to the
study of the foot, and to the construction Of
last upnn which boot or shoe can be
moulded, which shall be adapted to its form
and accommodated to its action.
To do this, he begins where every sensible
man would, by contemplating the natural
foot as it appears in infancy, unspoiled as
yet by social oorruptions, In adults fortunate
enough to have escaped these destructive in
h1ences, in the grin skeleton aspect divested
of its outward disguises.
The human foot in It's natural condition
! describes two distinct srches-one longitu-
dinal, with the heel and the ball Of the foot
for its basis; the other is the transverse arch,
having its base on either side Of the foot.
A man who walks on natural surfaces with
his feet unprotected by Gny artificial defen-
ces, calls the action of these arches into full
play at every step, The longitudinal arch is
the most strikingly marked Of the two. In
some races and in certain individuals it is
much developed, so as to give the high in
step which is priced as an evidence OF good
blood. The Arab says a stream Of water can
flow under his foot without touching the SOLE
Under the conditions supposed, of naked
foot on a natural SURFACE, the arches Of the
foot will commonly maintain their integrity,
and give the noble saTage or the barsfooted
Scotch lassie the elscticity Of gait which we
admire in the children Of nature.
But az large portion Of mankind tread on
artificial hard substances, especially pave
ments, their feet are subjected to a very un-
natural amount of wear and tear. How
great this is the inhabitants Of cities are apt
to forget.
To save the feet from the effects Of violent
psFcussions and uneven surfaces, they must
be protected by thick soles, and thick soles
require strong upper leather. When the
foot is Wedged into one Of these easings-s
boot-a struggle begins between them, which
ends in a compromise. The foot becomes
more or less compressed or deformed, and
the boot more or less stretched at the points
where the counter pressure takes place.
On the part Of the foot, the effects Of this
warfare are liable to show themselves in the
thiekeniag and inflammation of the intsgu-
meuts, in displacement of the toes, and oc-
casionally in the breaking down of the
transverse or longitudinal arches. On the
part of the boot or shoe, there is q gradual
accommodation which in time fits it to the
foot almost as if It had been moulded TO it,
so that q little before it is worn out it is in
valuable, like other BILE sings, Frightening, be-
fore they take their fight.
Now, DR.. PIumer's improvements proceed
from two series Of data. First, certain theo-
retical differences from the facts above named.
Finding the arches liable to break down, he