Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-06-01
FASHIONABLE FOLLY.
HOW WOMEN INJURE THEMSELVES,

A reporter, crossing the Fulton Ferry
some days ago, was made an unwilling
listener to some feminine confidence on
backachc. As all women, and the great
er part Of their men folks are directly
or indirectly interested in the subject,
the reporter visited n man OF science
who was named by one of the young
ladies' as having cured her trouble.
"Oh, yes,' said the doctor "backache
is very common among women; more
than two.thirds Of thom snllcr from 1t.
But there is one kind of this trouble,
caused by n prevailing fashion, which
women ought not to allow themselves to
suffer from"
"Are You specialist for fashionable
backachc?'
The doctor laughed. 81 will tell you
all about it," said he. "Three years ago
q fashionable young lady called upon
and and GaTi GiY Ysth his 50 T Sr IL a'i G ta;
the pain had lately so greatly increased
that she had become frightened about
herself. She had been obliged to short
en- her promenades, so she said, was al
most incapable of dancing, and her life
was gradually becoming a burden. She
had tried everything, and taken
medicine all the time, but-and then
she broke down in such way that /
began to suspect hysteiia.
"She looked tired, and her face bore
an expression Of pain and dependency
which was not compatible with her
years-she was about 23-nor her evi-
dences of constitutional force, which |
judged to be strong ! confess was at
a loss to account for her trouble, and
close questioning gave me no indication
for treatment. / at last prescribed a
tonic-on general principles-and asked
her to call in about week. When she
appeared again, glance sufliced to
show that she was no better, and l was
much puzzled as saw her walk up and
down the Office in nervous excitement,
exclaiming that she would never get
we'll, she knew she wouldn't, etc. AS ]
looked, certain peculiarity in her walk
led me to think that there might be
some spinal trouble, and | commenced
cross. examination, which she brought
to a sudden close by saying: why,
DOCTOR several of my friends are suffer
ing Just as l am, but they are not yet SO
worn out with the pain we cannot all
have spinal complaints, can wey -.
81 thought it impossible of course
continued the doctor, "and the interview
ended by my asking her to call again
on the next day and bring one OF her
friends with her, when l would make
another effort to discover the real cause
of the trouble. I had, in fact, made up
my mind that some popularity in dress
was at the root of the difficulty. The
ladies called, and had hardly traversed
the office before l observed in patient
number two the same idiocyncrasy in
walking which 1 had seen III the first
patient. I was not long in discovering
that the real difficulty lay in the high
and tapering heels Of my patients gait
ers. Closer examination revealed the
fact that there was n difference in the
hight of the boot heels OF the two
ladies', and / found that my first patient,
who was the greater sufferer, was the
one whose CATERS possessed the higher
heels. There was nothing to do but to
prescribe slippers and wooden stockings
for week to be followed by the wear
ing of shoes having low, broad heels"
"And it was this treatment which cured
the backache ?"
"All signs of lameness disappeared
within eleven days, and my first patient
of this kind, together with many who
have followed her, regained their health
and strength. There are may physio-
logical reasons why undue elevation of
the heel must cause trouble. 1t will
suffice to say that it serves to throw for
ward the contents OF the abdominal
cavity and the strain upon the muscles,
nerves, and cords more or less connected
with or surrounding the back are sub
jected to unusual strain in resisting the
forward impulse. OF course, in such
cases, lame back is not of itself dis.
ease, but only the indication of deep
seated trouble, which is sometimes
difficult to deal with. Ladies should
be warned that this fashion in heels is
certain to bring them-sooner or later
great trouble. If they must adhere to
the prevailing style, they should take
care to wear slippers on every possible
occasion which the sacred duties they
owe to fashion may permit. That a
person may as well be out of the world
as out of the fashion is law more in
exorable in the minds of many women
than those of nature or of health. ~.