New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21
A NOTED DOCTOR on W0MANS DRESS.
From The telegraph.

From The Telegraph.
Dr. Richardson delivered q lecture Yesterday az
the London Institution on Health and Dress. Inc
lecturer SAID the character OF dress sans SO cseY
to the character Of the person who wears ~ tat IL -
hard to touch the one without introducing tho
other All kinds of sympathies are, evoked DF
dress; political sympathles are on the most III
innate relationship with dress; social sympIlnlcs
are lndeXed by II artistic sympathles are P"lV w
IT. Proceeding then TO lay out tho plan OF the lecture
he begged 1t be understood that It was altoSetner
apart from his purpose to deprecate good fashion
IN dress. He thought II was the duty OF every one
to cultivate good fashion and that every woman
ought to make herself as becomngly beautiful as
she possibly could
C0rsets waist bands 0arters and tight shoes were
sDpcially denounced. The dress should be loose,
and the weight OF it should be borne by the shoul-
ders. I'm mems modern dress this was farly accom-
pshed; but in wOmen's dress dragging from the
waist there was produced such waste OF physical
power that IT women were in all respects free as
men they could never approach TO the position OF
men as active workers until they had emanclpaled
themselves from this physical bondage.
The reform lie suggested in the dress OF women
was That il should in all practical details nave Tue
same advantages. and should be IN tact the same,
with the exception of the exterior robe or gown;
The long dress for women, which even trespassed
slightly on the ground, was the most Decomlng Ior
them. This should play the same part rs lne ou'cl
coo of the man. the rest OF the dress being the same
except that it might be made of rather lighter ma
terials. The great surgeon Cline when once con-
suited by an anxious mother what she shOulu 90 10
prevent girl from becoming deiorhsa, Answered 'l
Let her have no stays, and let her run
about like the boys" lie W0uld lnuoine
this WISE rule. and would add, Let the
mothers of England clothe the glrs preciseiy ~
they cothe the boys, permitting hnlcktrbockers II
they Ike. and let them add the one distinguishing
mark of light loose flowing gown, ana the girls VIII
grow into women vigorous, as healthy ana rs
well formed in body rs their companions Oh lue
sterner SEX" In the next part OF me lecture lne
Uahtv of clothing was considered, ana the amount
at various Seasons The necessity OF sprcai care III
adapting clothing to season was illustrated from
the phvsloogcai rule first discovered by the iatt
NJ fine bodX Iudpppldp ntlH OF any VIII
of ifs own underwent two pounds OF waste ana OF IT.
crease of weight, the waste commencing toward
thc close of September and tile Increase III the !st
weeks of April. Warm clothing ought 10 Oegh IN
September or early in October and ought not 20 DC
left oil unt tine close of April. For undcreiothih2
next The skin he strongly recommended SILK, ana
win that l;,at Aeecv flannel. Thick heavy lanne!
and every material that absorbed ana Dtlu ms
watery evcletOns from the skin, were at All times
bad. Heavy clothes were bad, anu lau really 10
necessary connection with warmth. FOR outei gai
mcnt, i'm cold weather those that were llght ana
1cccv we're best, ami iurs were excellent. .,
After describing the dangers tAat occur ID colu
s.J.ous from suducn changes ofdre.S. and the m,y
dresses in which young ladies' 90 I'D anu oul t'c
hcatrd ballroom during NcieuleBt weather, lnc
lecturer touched on the ventilation oil dress ne
criticised severely the permanent WATERPROOF VINO"
smut, iip tine rain that dlstls from the body at the
same time thai It keeps out tie ram when ialis
from the clouds-a distinction with difference not
in favor of the WcaTcr of the permanent water
proof. Then lie dWclt on the color OF dress, con-
tending that The Lancet was quite rlghi I'D ststlhg
that white color was the best even III cCih weather
! while il was admittedly the best IN the Summer
season. The objection TO White was, OF course, me
readiness With Winch it showed the DIRT an 0bJcc-
non which was strictly an advantage IN Il health
point of view. but which would be met practically
by mod fyIng the color To gray. For all ORDINARY
orc.,ious hght gray ought to take the place of black
Tor outer coverings OF the body. Black was IN fact
of all cnlors the very worst, and those poor ladIes
who thought 1t necessary after bereavement 10 III,
me,se themselves Tor months IN Grape were lnceed
10 bee pitIcd. Alter the suffice II was almost the
saddeSt Of misercs inflicted by society on the al
| ready miserable.