The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-22
The Human Foot.

No part of the human body contributes
so literally to its locomotive powers as the
feet. How rarely we see the feet of our
fair sisters in the beautiful and useful form
the Creator made them. Each trotter has
twenty-six bones, most wisely and admira-
bly, fitted to each other They form a
strong and elastic base. They support the
body, however heavy it may be, and bear
it easily on its wOnted way. These many
bones vary in size in different persons, but
always, if treated fairly, retain their ma
tural form and relations to each other.
Wonderful to say, they are more beautiful
and delicate in the females of our race, as
if they were intended to be objects of ad-
miration. We rarely see them, unless it
be in the mazes of the dance, aad then
they are covered. So we must say, that
the normal female human foot makes a
right angle with the body, fiat and curved
upon its upper surface, concave and wisely
arehed below, and narrowest behind. The
number and beauty of its curves are won
derfal. 1t has no straight lines, unless
made by art.
The instep has an arch of seven bones,
the number Of perfection. These support
and protect all the adjacent parts from
compression and displacement. Attached
by ligaments to the larger bones of the
leg, or tibia, of this lower limb is the as
tralagus. So this tibia aud astralagus form
the ankle joint, SO useful in shaking the
light fantastic toe" Below this is the
heel bone, that not only supports the body
but aids in raising it as the cultivated foot
mooves quietly along. Too many ladies
do not move these lower limbs with grace.
They initiate the Indians of our plains and
forests, and throw their feet straight for
ward, as if they expected to meet obsta-
cles in their walks. Projecting the feet
slightly outward lends grace and beauty
to the lower limbs. Some of the lower
races, if not all, are marked by longer
heel, fatter calf and straightforward
movement of the feet. Grace of motion
charms the eye hardly less than the grace
of character attracts the soul.
In front of the astragalus are second
row of fine bones. They form the arch
from side to side, aud from front to rear.
This arch, or hollow of the foot, has been
long admired by all men Of thought and
science. Its elasticity gives ease and com
fort to the spinal column and all its de-
pendent parts.
In the normal state OF woman, the sec.
ond toe of each foot is the longest Of the
total row. But in civilized communities.
the length, direction and comfort of this
leading member "of the human form di.
vine" is totally disregarded. Ill-ftting
shoes change their course. They displacc
the bones and compel the several toes to
ride upon each other.
No part of the human body, unless it be
the chest, is SO much abused as those on
which it rests. A compressed and con-
tracted foot invites corns and bunions.
sufierings and pains. Let the toes be free
to move easily among themselves, and let
their common covering be so large that
they may retain the form, direction and
beauty Nature gave them. High heels
should be as indicative of low life as long
ones are. Small feet even now indicate
the smallness of mind. Let the arch so
wisely made be allowed to retain its bene-
fetal elasticity. \ compressed waist and
contracted feet form a pitiablc illustration
of human folly.
The beautiful arch Of the human foot
is flexible and yielding, SO as to adopt its
form to inequalities of service and so elias
tic as to relieve the brain from shocks in
the ordinary walks of life.
The heel was made to be the chief basis
of support. The toes were made to steady
the action Of the foot. If the balancing
of the body is changed, the whole body
suffers. The feet are distorted, the limbs
are unsteadily supported, the trunk is
thrown into an abnormal position, the spine
is very often harmed The whole process
Of walking is unnecessarily laborious. The
results are fatigue, nervous and spinal ir
ritation. Some nations consider an arched
foot mark of beauty and intelligence.
They consider that female slave under
whose foot the water cannot flow. In some
degenerate races the mental powers keep
pace with the arching of the foot. A fiat
footed race is always an inferior one.
Preserve the feet in all their curves and
beauty.