The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-17

A Fruitful Source al Back Ache md
Kindred Ills.


Kindred Ills.
Back-ache," says a prominent New
York physician, "is veryeommon among
women; more than tW-thirds of them
suffer from it. Butthere is one kind OF
this trouble, caused by a prevailing
fashion, which women ought not to al
low themselves to suffer from.
A few years ago fashionable young
lady called upon me, saying that her
back was very lame and had been so
for considerable time the pain had
lately SO greatly increased that she had
become frightened about herself. She
had been obliged to shorten her
promenades, SO she said, was almost iu-
capable of dancing, and her life was
gradually becoming burden. She had
tried everything, and taken medicine
all the time, but-and then she broke
down in such way that began to sus-
pect hysteria.
"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 evil
dences of constitutional force, which [
Judged to be strong. / confess L was
close questioning gave me no indication
for treatment. l at last prescribed a
tonic--on general principles--and asked
her to call In about a week. When she
appeared again, glance sutiiced to show
that she was no better, and L was much
puzzled as Ilsaw her walk up and down
the office in nervous excitement, eX-
claiming that she would never get well,
she knew she wouldn't, etc. AS looked,
certain peculiarly la her walk led me
to think that there might be some spinal
trouble, and / commenced cross-exam-
ination, which she brought to sudden
close 10y saying: Why, doctor, several
of my friends are suffering just as | am,
but they are not yet so worn out with
the pain; We cannot all have spinal COM
plants, can we?'
Z" / thought 1T impossible, of course,
and the interview ended by my asking
her TO call again on the next day, ana
bring one of her friends with her, when
L would make another effort TO discover
the real Cause of her trouble. l had, in
fact, made up my mind that some pecul-
iarity in dress was at the root of the
difficulty. The ladies called, and had
hardly traversed the office before OBJ
served in patient No. 2 the same idiosyn-
Grassy in walking that had seen in the
first patient. l was not long in discover
ing that the real difficulty lay in the
high and tapering heels of my patients
CATERS. Closer examination revealed
the tact that there was Il difference in
the height of the boot heels of the two
ladies, and foand 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, 10 be followed by the wear
ing Of shoes having low, broad heels.
IS 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 many phys
Biological reasons why undue eleva-
ton of the heel must cause trouble. 1t
will suffice TO say that it tends to throw
forward The contents of the abdominal
cavity, and the muscles, nerves
and cords, more or less connect
ed with, or surrounding the back, are
subjected TO unusual strain in resisting
the forward impulse. OF course, in such
cases, lame back is not of itself disease,
but only the indication of a 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
frOuble