Litchfield enquirer., 1879-02-27
WHO IS TO BLAME?
BY HARRIET R. sHATTI OK.
THE DOCTORS :?


 icine and metaphysics one evening, when they were joined by young man who, as a re1orm- CT and seeker fer truth, was Weil-knoWn to them.
 This young Mr Ainslee had been req ling the communications in the Woman's Journal, from the Candid Man and his opponents, until his interest in the question of womans' dress had become reused to the point Of thorough inquiry In pursuance of this object, he had crossed the room towards the little Knot or doc- tors; and as he waited for lull in the conver sation, he resolved. before advancing any ideas of his own upon Dress reform, to get some ideas from them on the kindred subject of the health of women.
 ''Can you tell me-" he asked at last, 'why it is that young ladies are out of health-al- ways ailing-and if not downright sick, suffer- ing from headache or backache? Many of them are always languid or faint just at the time when one wants them to be lively and en- tertaining."
 '.Ah answered Doctor Short, shaking his grey curls ''the hu~lth- of American women is a sir, seems, indeed to be dying out.
 'sBut what is the trouble?' insisted Mr. Ainslee.
 1.-The troube?' echoed the old man. ''No one knows The ladies are constitutioDally so delicately framed that it impossible for them to endure; they are frail, nervous creatures, whom an over-eXertion prestrates as the frost blights prematurely early violet"
 ''I do not agree with you sir," said young Dr. Morey a late Harvard graduate, ''for l have known many young girls who were per fectly we'll until they undertook an arduous course of study think the troubles lies just herein their education. Young ladies should not be allowed to study SO much. Why, t oosA ln innl SIAD of dismay, "when 1 contemplate the possibility of their one day entering Harvard and under taking it's perilous duties, l tremble for the fu- ture of the race. A common school education amply fits woman to be a wife, and this, al- ttUvr-i. crazy people disclaim it, is as- suredly Woman's true sphere''
 'Ha, ha :" laughed Dr. Green, jolly old man who had never seen the inside of Harvard but whose reputation in medicine was of the highest, '1 used to think as you do, but that is not the trouble. The trouble is, s,"-empha- sizing each word with his big finger in the ail 1.-the trouble is, too much sitting up late nights too many late suppers, too much lying abed mornings. Of course over-study makes matters worse but early to bed and early te rise, healthful eXerclse and wholesome food are all that are needed to make our girls able to study and work as well as our boys"
 'All that may be true," replied Dr. Short, ''but do not young men also sit up late and eat unwholsome food ?"
 ''No," said Dr. Green, mot at the same age. Compare boy and girl at the age of eight cen. She is fashionable young lady, he is g schoolboy she goes to dances and parties con- tinually, and bends her energies towards attain ing that true sphere in life for which our young friend has so much admiration he is a boy; romps, plays studies moderately, and leads life of healthy exercise. For my part, I think the constitution has very little, anC originally, had nothing to do with the mat ter"
 Here little Mrs. Dr. Bacon who had so tar remained silent, spoke. ''Everybody has his hobby" said she, smiling; "but none of you have named mine, which is that Woman's s dress has more to do with her ill-health than any other one thing"
 ''There! !" exclaimed Ainsee, delighted at the turn the conversation had taken That is my belief, Mrs. Bacon; wondered if any one would mention it.
 ''TaKe almost any young lody 0f tho period, continued Mrs. Bacon, land inquire into the history of her dress. Presuming her parents were as healthy as the average, you will see a happy, jolly child, caring only for good time
 She looks the picture of health, and hel mother exclainls to admiring friends, If only could hope that May would be as we'll always And yet this same mother, perhaps, will put corsets on her little girl at the age of six, and thereby lay the foundation for years of suffer, ing add the seeds of disease for all her poster ity. It is simply horrible.
 "That is true enough, admitted Dr. Green. ''I should have included dress among my list of evils: but supposed that that must be con- sidered necessary evil. Woman will follow the fashion"
 80 far as I am concerned" drawled young Mercy, Il should hope they always would fol low the fashion. I do like to see woman dressed we'll"
 ''There, you have hit the nail on the head, flashed Mrs Bacon, ''though fear it was un intentional on your part. It is the opinion o the gentlemen that keeps women dressed so shamefully. It is natural for ladies to wish to please especially as they must do so in order to attain their ''true sphere "a and so long as gentlemen require certain fashion of dress to be followed, just so long will these abomi nable costumes be in vogue"
 ''Ah but they should be independent of oul opinions, answered Dr. Mercy.
 ''That is great deal to ask of women, sir, , replied Dr. Bacon, "when they havv always been taught dependence and it sounds espec, as desirous as the rest of us for the good opin- ion of the public"
 Dr. Mercy cringed little under this truth, but still he he held his ground, adding, Il dc not deny that we may have as much respect for woman badly dressed, but even you, Mrs. Bacon, must allow that women are the lovely bits of color in this grey world. Were they to dress as men do, one of the beauties of the world would be lost ;" saying which he looked around upon the little group with an appealing glance.
 'Well, welI," laughed Dr. Green, '1 think young Mercy must be enamored of forty five yards of pink silk trimmed with point applique and besprinkled with rose-buds. For my part love little woman at home in clean calico, just as well as when she wears her best laven- der silk and corals."
 'sBut you really think, doctor" said Ainslee, who wished to keep the conversation on one point, ''that the tight dresses have great deal to answer fOr?"
 "Yes," said Mrs Bacon More evil has arisen from that one little article, the corset. than from ages of slavery. 1 am very earnest about this, because see its effects about me everywhere 1 turn. Headache, dizziness, dyspepsia, hysteria consumption, and other of the most vital diseases are wonderfully augmented by this little corset. could write an octave volume on it's results. My first prescription to a woman, whatever her ail- ment is, is Take off your corsets,' and in every instance it has been followed by good results. 1 cannot say that my advice is always followed, but I always insist te my patient If you persist in wearing them can give you nc hope of cure. and this argument usually has the desired effect"
 ''But they are such support, you know, said Ainslee laughing.
 'Yes, :" she answered. ''but only because the muscles have become so weakened by the use of corsets that they are unable to perform their legitimate office. Remove the support, and the muscles will, after while, regain conf dence and support themselves. The universal verdict of all young ladies who have had the good sense to do away with corsets entirely, has been, I feel so much better that I would not wear them now for anything"
 ''l saw woman once who wore no corsets, sighed Dr. Mercy, land that was enough for mel"
 "Only one!" exclaimed Mrs Bacon, ''I know at least half-a-dozen of young ladies of your acquaintance who wear none, and you have never discovered it. So that objection is answered. Probably the one woman to whom you refer is very stout, and would look as badly with corsets as without them. Certain V c loo olol