The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-21
READING FOR WOMEN.
snssible Talk on various Subjects.
From Good He0lth.
W. rIra

From Good HeaiH.
WAISTS.
The waists with bands over the shoulders
and buttons for the attachment OF the
skirts which some ladies wear are a very
useful means of support, and when properly
made and fitted to the form they domuch
toward taking the weight of the skirts off
the waist, and their use is to be strongly
recommended !; q single waist can be made
80 as to support ell the skirts but that of
the dress, and this should be so loose as to
be supported by les own waist. Of course,
if the under waist is made 80 tight at the
bottom as to closely compress the abdomen,
it will be quite useless for the purpose
designed. Womsn's taste and ingenuity
can devise plans for making them SO neatly
that they will add to, rather than detract
from, the appearance of the form. Those
waists were much more generally worn
formerly than now, and it IS a pity that they
were ever discarded, as their continued use
would have prevented much injury to the
health of women.
THE CoRsETs.
This question of appearance brings us at
once to the consideration of %corsets, tor it is
undeniable that these articles of dress are
now worn mainly for appearance sake.
When and by whom they were devised no
one knows. 1t is said they were first intro
duced as a means of Furnishing refractory
wives, by lacing the ladies up in them, in
the days when the husbands will was abso
lutte, and women's rights were unknown. Ii
this is true, woman with her usual skill, has
converted the weapons employed against her
to her own use. For every other article of
female attire we can find some model, either
IN nature or art, however fsr-fetched the
comparison may be, but the most lively
Imagination can trace no resemblance be-
tween the corset and its use and anything
else in creation, except 10 the form of the
wasp, or in some ancient statue or Pallss,
where she is presented wearing q breast
pl ate of scales, the shape of which somewha,
resembles the modern corset; but the learned
and warlike goddess wore this for defense,
not for the production of a small waist; and,
indeed, had she secured this great desidera-
tum Of modern times she would probably
have been safe from the solicitations of
Vulcan, for the aucients, gods as well as
men, the wasp like waists of to day would
have been considered a deformity.
HOW coRsETs sHoULD BE WORN.
That corsets are always injurious. l have
notsststed, for there are cases IN which,
when they are properly moulded and
fitted to the form, they may be of great
comfort and benefit to the wesrer, such as
cases of weakness or deformity, but the mo-
nent you lace it 80 tight as to con press the
chest aud abdomen, it ceases to be of ben
eft and is productive OF in Jury. A corseI
might be constructed, nicely fitted to tbs
form, moulded at the top SO as to receive
and support the breast when necessaav, and
the lower portion SO shaped as to rest on
the hips-not the wsist-an elastic strap
should pass over the shoulders, and be
made sdj ustsble to different lengths by but
tons or buckles. Some means Of attach
ment for the skirt might be devised that
would suspend them from the %corsets, by
buttons or otherwise, and yet allow their
weight to be suspended mainly from the
shoulders by reason of the straps passing
over them. These straps should support
the corset and prevent its pressing too heavy
on the hips; and if the corset is properly
fitted to the hips, these will easily support
what little weight comes on them. Re
member there is q distinction between the
waist and hips, and that the corset is to be
so constructed that the weight of the skirts
shall fall mainly on the shoulders. When
woman will wear corsets, some improvement,
of this kind can be easily devised by the
modesto. and q single trial will be all tina. is
necessary to convince any one of their supe
riority over the old style.
COTTON"
Ladies generally are anxious for q full
graceful development of the dust" al
appearance which adds much to the beaut,
OF a woman; yet many of them Cgnorantly
of course adopt means which prevent tn.
very effect they desire to secure, by ~sllowiD.
the pressure OF tig ut corsets and thick cottol
pads on the delicate organ which mainl,
give it form, while it should be left FREE
and unrestrsined, that il may attain to al
the beauty and grace which naturally be
longs to it. Where these artificial abomina
ions will be used, let some of the light
elastic, gsuze material. now being intro
duced, be used; in preference to the ole
fashioned pile Of cotton: but the best of then
are likely to do harm. As for their de-
ceiving the other sex, flor which purpose
they are usually worn,) l am pretty SURF
that they often fail of their intention, fol-
men are not 80 verdapt in such matters as
women pay them the compliment of believ
ing they are.
OPEN NECK DRESSES.
One of the most glazing faults noticeable
in the style of dress of women, in vogue jus
now, is the open neck dress and sscque o
the past season or two, which / learn Is t
be the fashion again next season thus com
pelling women, foolish enough to adopt ii
to expose the chest to the inclemencies O
the weather at the season men protect it b,
additional clothing and chest protectors
The bad results OF this style of dress wer.
seen in the large umb Der of pulmonsr,
complaints in women, which received tn,
attention of physicians during the pas
season. Women should be warned in time
and remember that it is only q short ste]
from " a slight cold" to q merciless disease
which will cause them to regret their fool
ishness when too late.
CARTE AND BOOTS.
1t is no unjust Islander on the women o
our country, to say that their lower limb
ere wanting in the beauty snd development
of those of most other nations. The cause
of this are various. Want of exercise-to
G part that is net used decreases in size
tight, small boots, which prevent the fret
movement of the muscles, and cause &
dread of setting the foot down squareiy, ST
that their walk degenerates into more of
frightened, mincing style, than is necessary
These causes are pretty well known bu
there is another prolific source Of unshapely
limbs, viz: tight garters. Every women i:
familiar with the vivid red mark on the skin
left by the garter, after being worn in the
usual manner, even for q short time. Nov
garters never should be worn so tight. Tht
stockings should be worn long enough te
come so far up on the limb as to be easily
secured, without excessive pressure or the
Stocking supporter" now being adopted
pretty extensively, should be used. The
worst result produced by tight ligatures is