Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-04-13
Tight Lacing.

Of all the whims of fashion, no one il
more absurd or more mischieyous in itl
effects than that which condemns thC
female, under pretense of improving the
grace and beauty Of her form, to the
torture Of tight-laced corset. 1t pro
duces no benefit, real or imaginary, but
great injury, and is the offspring Of
great weakness, folly and sin, The
structure of the chest is such that il
forms a spacious arched chamber, ol
cavity, in which the heart, lungs, and
innumerable arteries, veins, valves and
muscles perform their important Office
contracting, dilating, inhaling fresh all
with one set Of cells, using part of it to
purify the venous blood, and then ex-
haling the rest through another set, re
ceiving from the veins blood which has
gone its round-ceansing it with won
derful art in few moments, and send
ING it in again by the arteries to mean
der through and renovatc continually
every part Of the frame. At every
breath the lungs dilatc and contract
at eve"y breath the heart receives a tide
Of blood into one Of its divisions, and
pours out an equal tide at another pro-
pelling it with force equal to forty or
fifty pounds weight, For all these
delicate and momentouS operations the
chambers which nature has provided
are exactly of the proper size, and the
immediate effect Of lacing is compress.
ing firmly the chest, which prevents its
free expansion in the act Of breathing,
which is very deletcrious to the geuer-
al health, for a less amount Of blood is
taken into the lungs, whereby the blood
is prevented in great measure from
undergoing that change in the lungs by
which it is adapted for the healthy nour-
ishment Of the various organs also the
hearts action is greatly impeded, violent
palpitation Of the heart is not unlrc-
quently produced, accompanied with a
sense Of vertigo, and occasionally
faintng.
In connection with the great njuIy
inflicted on the lungs, the vigor Of the
whole system becomes prosrated from
the habitual use of the corset. The
skin assumes q sallow hue, the counte.
nance a haggard and wrinkled appear
ance, and all the functions Of life are i'm
perfectly performed 1t is an establish
ed fact that nothing is better adapted
to produce the premature decay Of beau
ty and the early appearance Of old age,
than the use Of the corset. The injuries
inflicted by compression Of the vital
parts are too numerous to be here re
counted.
Remedy: The only remedy we can
recommend is, as for ardent spiritss to-
tal abstinence. As soon as you remove
the corset, the spine is weak for want of
its customary support The muscles
have lost their action from want Of prop.
er exercise. The corset must be left of
for several hours every day, and for a
longer and longer and longer time dai
ly. While off, the body must be rubbed
briskly, and as hard as it can be endured
for ten or fifteen minutes, with coarse
towel or flesh brush. The patient
should ride horseback, or walk till some.
what fatigued, keeping as erect as pos
sible. When the corset is again put on,
| it should be no tighter than absolutely
necessary to support the frame, and the
degree Of tightness should be lessened
every day-as it may readily be-while
the muscles regain their strength.
After dry rubbing for some days, ap-
ply cold water with sponge, and then
rub dry with coarse towel. Thisplan
pursued for few months or even six
weeks-will cause the wasted muscles
to swell and strengthen, so that the cor.
set may be laid aside altogether-as it
should be the moment that it can be
spared