New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-28
STANDING AND WALKING.

The second OF tho course of Scientific Lee
lures before tho American Institute was delivered last
evening in the Academy Of Music by Prot Burt IL
Wilder Of Cornell University IL was vsry profusey IL
ustratod and Interesting practical experiments attested
the truth Of the lecturers statements The house was
very cold interfering seriously with the comfort OF inc
| audience Prof. Wilder said:
PROFEssoR wILDER'J ADDRESS.
LADIES AND GESTLEsE2: During the past year have
spoken four times upon the subject OF this evenings
ecturctwice In Boston. and twice before my class IN
the University. Tho first time that spoke thought
knew nearly all that there was 70 bo known sp0n the
subject of standing and walking The second and third
times discovered. to my disn,y. that Shere wsro sew
cnil points concerning which know nothing. Tho
fourth time my convictions stil greater, ard to-
night confess TO you that those points which have
investigated 10 my full satisfaction vastly tower than
those which remain 70 be studied. When. therefore,
undertake tonight 10 tell you how stand and how We
walk beg you to bear In mind that do not pretend to
tell you all OF 1t. / can imagine few
smiles. with some ncrcdullty indicated thereby
IA to there being anything abstruse or difficult
10 understand in the walking standing
OF mankind. "whyw you say. anybody can stand;
very IIottentot walk about and the beasts them
selves get the earth after their fashion, That Ia
very true but docs every Of US see and hear SO
does the most ignorant savage upon tho EARTH and yet
ladies and gentlemen mt this very day tho most learned
Psychologists In tho world disputng 60 the exact
nature and functions Of certain structures In the eye and
Everybody knows muskcto, and 1t does not Pc
qurc any very profound crud ton 20 DC bitten by
but how many OF havo any idea OF the complicated
instrument by which skin pierced. the blood drawn
and tho poison instllcd into velnsi Moreover big
now and wise think ourselves, and firm
upon our legs know are there was time,
when were just rs much human beings as now, that
We could not walk, nor oven stand. We know shat we
have gained the power TO walk and stand only by long
/ at ia NJ kIne and
knocks.
WHAT WALKING REALLY Is
Dr. Holmes says Walking ia perpetual falling with
perpetual sorccovery. 1t most complex. violent
and perious operation, which divest Of its extreme
danger only by continual practice from very early
period Of life. We find how complex 1t is when va at
tempt to analyze IT, We learn how violent It is. when
we walk against posi- or door IN e d irp and We eos
down, perhaps breaking or disocating our limbs, or
with what hcadlong violence have been hurting our
selves forward" For my part / had come 10 TINS con
| Dr. Holiness. and am convinced that If any 10 now
before should undertake TO come forward now into
my place, and tell all the rest how they stand and how
they walk, they woud In the first place offer you many
contradictory explanations o, the pnenoIneIon, anu NJ
would contradict himself as fatty "a did when dcliv
cred 1t for the second time. Now granting all this 1t Is
certain that am not here isay everything that is or
can be known respecting these two very simple
We know that we are men and not beasts but We
hardly know how much Of difference there i between
perhaps, that have an immortal soul We know that
that soul has power Of looking forward In way that
position Of the head upon the spinal column OF hlhhinh
gives to him. and him aono, that power OF eeVaht ms
ewes which animal possesses to the same degree ana
which would not be endowed with were ne ke tLc
beast, moving forward and backward upon all tours
We know that have the power OF graspng with the
hands, and OF touching every part OF the DOdy WIN te
fingers Of one the other hand which seems to vpfy
and represent I'm the bodies that freedom or VIII which
man possesses beyond all other animals and, finally
we know walk erect, and there must he certainly
something this beyond the mere fact that mans body
is balanced upon two feet and stands erect whereas all
the other animals walk or stand Ill an attitude more OF
| less inclined
THE WALKING or mEY COMPARED WITH THAT OF BRUrEs
You will notice menageres that the tallest apes are
Obliged walk upon their feet we should walk upon
the hands with the great toe standing out from the SIDE
OF the foot and the heel SO short that it has not the
power of supporting the body that our heel has Here
l. of the skeleton OF the foot of man. and you
see that the heel is long and strong that the bones form
ing the arch OF the loot are strongly put together Inc
great toe is the essential part Of the foot in standing
should nd Immediately how difficult Is 10 balance
| ourselves upon our feet because with man the
Of the body upon the feet whereas IN the g9rh he
and power whatever OF supporting the body or
ttoies of the graspng power of this hind hand OF the
ape in which respect mans foot bears no comparison TO
YOU have only to place him all fOurs. and make bin
walk like ape THE lecturer then made diagram OF
amuseneDtl The head now hangs forward as a great
weight requiring muscles which we do not possess to
H.
arranged that the knee Itself touches the ground our
thighs being much longer than the corresponding bones
that the feet may touch the ground You must not,
however forget that there was time when we all went
| in this way or attempted 20 do 50.
cannot help here aluding TO one thing although coo
lie thanked the necessity for has almost passed out oil
date-the fact that some among the human race who
have considered themselves even most rehued ana CIV
ilizcd have for various reasons, aud by various means
initiated some OF the lower animals In their attitudes
If you were hoIe to draw human head and face win
| hack of 4
belle OF the period in the position which she IL Obliged
mort this ponderous mass upon the back Of her head
There is an old saying that zone good turn deserves an
other" should change It I'm this by saying that
Come in bend proyokes another" In this nineteenth
century we have adopted what was originally the mon
key bend and not Grecian OF any olher Ahd OIL pchd
THE HUMAN FooT-rIs USES.
There ore several things To be said respecting the hui
man foot which it, Of all the parts of the body the least
noticed 1t is covered up and not exposed at all times
like the hands 1t has dcgradDgfoce inaslnuch as i
is Obliged TO support the entire body upon It, and ye
there are many things In the foot well worthy Of
sideration diagram of foot, showing the way the
bones are joined to form the arch was exhibited anC
the manner in which the body IL supported was de
scribed Now, order that should stand it is neces
sary not merely that shall be put up In an erect pc
sition-I might manufacture pole representing man
and set upright but how long do you suppose II would
maintain its position Not at ALL 1t would topple over
We do not realize the attention which Is required IRON
tbe mind 10 enable TO stand upright yet there Il
constant although unconscious, attention OF the BRAN
w,tbout which could not maintain an erect attitude
And the muscles which lie along the legs ana when may
he seen In the diagram, In constant action. II yor
will stand tptoo aud let person feel the muscles o.
the leg they viii De found in constant activity There
a movement among them-some are falling backward
and forward, yet all are so adapted to saeh Other
that we arc enabled to stand upright. When We
wish 10 lift ourselves upon tptOe, then those mus
Giles which are attached here at the heed contract VIII
greater force. In baetdancers ana tghtrope waiher'
there Is an immense development Of the Muscles OF the
calf and indeed Of the entire leg. The muscles attached
10 the end OF the heel contract the loot ltsei resting
Ipon the ground and form lever OF the second klhd
as II is called thus hOistng the body upon the toe ana
the muscles which required TO Keep the body On UP
! toe are more than dare enumerate almost
Mans foot is called plantgrade loot; mat ~ iOoI
which has the whole sole Hat upon the earth There Is
.ul.ln lAtLnl In Ii NrnA