The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-28
KEOKUK:
THURSDAY, JANUARY =.
The sealpsl an1 1lssps.

Dixon, M. D., md publishsd BY E. War
ner. No. vesey ST. N. Y, : qurterly ex
position Of the laws Of health, is ono of
the iyelisst, moat instructive and sntsr-
tanning periodicals. on our exchange list.
We copy the following editorial from the
last number as a specimen from which
our readers::may judge of the spirit of the
editor:
HOPED sKIRIs-ARx THEY HEALTHruL
There are few subjects about which |
more stupidity ill-natured remarks have
been made by thoughtless people than
that simple device for womAn's comfort
the hooped skirt. We always though.
favcrably Of hoops from early association
with that glorious race of women, our rev.
@olutionary grandmothers, when we listen.
ed TO the description Of one Of those state
ly minuets given in honor of the inaugu.
ration of General Washington as President
of the United States. Hoops were inva-
riably worn on all occasions of ceremony
It's true, We then had no omnibus or rail-
ing, and often Of worse temper, could dis
play these accomplishments, by installing
the vehicle for their own private carriage,
should any hurried or wearied pedestrian
seek a seat beside them nor was it then
customary to 60 to market or shopping in
an evening or ball dress; even on grand
occasions, the train was Iooped up on one
or 10Th e,Iaa. honc,,.a A. -o.-1-
the good sense to see that an apartment
was of limited space, and . man could
not annihilate himselffor her convenience;
but the hoops were ample, and grandly
did they become the wearers, for they
too were grand and ample women we
have seen costly brocades and the high
heeled slippers, but the hoops long since
went into the oven or great Franklin or
Ten Plate that warmed the parlor or
cooked the dinner in those primitive and
sntishoddy days. The hoops were made
of substantial hickory; and we have often
trapped rabbits on the very spot where
some of them grew. The ladies were
usually content with three circles, SO dis.
posed that they gave the most elegant and
fabrics. which unlike most of the modern
material, would stand alone without either
the wearer or the hoops.
10 those days when most of the wear
ers were no strangers 10 horses back,
and the broom or bread-trsy, those cum
ningly devised little springy circlets that
now give such IN exquisite and Venus
like curve to the tournure as it sweeps
downward and falls into the grand and
loop like folds of the skirt, were entirely
unknown. You may completely clothe
barrel with the stoutest hickory without
impairing lis excellence but we should
be 10th to waltz with partner thus ar
rayed even if our ardour in the dance
would permit us 10 ignore the contact of
the lower circl.s with our tibia and fibula,
or (breathe it softly our shins.
Truth to speak, however, dear ladies,
the smaller circles were quite unnecessary;
for women in those primitive days had
fairer chance for life and beauty. Mus
Gle and superb outline were rot consd-
cred vulgar, nor did she of the accumulated
elbows and anatomized bust and hips,
have coadjutor in the crochet.needle
and the vinegar bottle, in her malicious
ridicale Of a young woman whom nature
had formed as woman ought to be formed,
with the vital organs, breasts, pelvis,
adapted to the grand end and object of
her creation-the GROWING glory of her
sex-a family Of healthy children.
We consider the modern hooped ski,.
one of the most admirably artistic and
health giving devices of our time; and
no sensible person can fail to appreciate its
benefit to the young girl or woman; we
will give our reasons for this opinion OF
course they will be entirely professional,
for We are no man -milliner.
1t is conceded by all correct observers.
and fully recognized by our anatomists
and gymnastic teachers, that the muscles
of the thorax and its appendages, the
arms and abdomen, are not used moro
than one fourth as much by our modern
women as they are compelled 70 use those
OF the legs; nearly all ths movements
which our unfortunate young people are
Permitted to perform by the memorable
nat of Jeponlcadom are what may be call
ed passive her hands must be reyerep,lv
and lovingly folded across her chest in
order that their wilderness may not suffer
by permitting the least motion; the lungs
OF course must be kept quiet, not only be-
cause she is not allowed to walk fast
enough to require much air, but because
the position OF the arms and tie weight
OF the forearm aud hand res..ng upon The
lower ribs, will not s.aow their elevation
SO that the air can enter the lower part Of
the lungs at all ; at best, blu. sixth part
Of those iife-g giving organs are used. and
only their upper part fully inflated ; now
if the hooped skirt be hooked to the lack.
ct IN four places, at least, and not left 70
rest upon the hips. the reader will psrcsiye
that the backbone and all the muscles
which incl Sc and steady both the great
cavities of the body, and keep them ele.
gsntly erect upon the hips, must carry
both the hoops and the skirt; then these
may be made both light and elegant, or
heavy and grand as the seasons NAV re.
quire while drawers of mate;al .d.ntsa
to our severe winters, may be- 40 art;s
tioalIv adm sto1 ond