Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-23

iact that IL causes great injury through lne
displacement OF abdominal parts, and tends
to render those kinds of exercise imprac-
ticable or Improbable which conduce 10
health. 1t is his claim that naturally
woman is healthy being, and the equal, or
very nearly so, in size and strength 10 man.
He has prosecuted his investis atoms far and
WIDE, and he finds marked physical in
.erlority only where the corset prevails. He
has inquired of numerous missionaries with
respect 10 savages, and he has used his own
eyes in respect 10 others. He finds, if any
thing, the uncorseled woman is the stronger
animal OF the two, the man being somewhat
weakened by viceF. An Indian woman is
about as tough and strong as a pony, and a
Dahomey amazon considers herself the equal
of two men. The women of the poorer classes
IN Ireland and Germany, DIR. Lewis claims,
are as healthy as The men and can do as
much hard work of the same kind. He cites
many examples of weak women restored
10 health and strength by right dressing
and living. The errors ia womsn's dress
are: II. The corset, which reduces the waist
from three to fifteen inches, and pushes the
organs within downward. 2 Unequal dis
tribution. While her chest and hips are
often overloaded, her arms and legs are SO
thinly clad that their imperfect circulation
compels congestion OF trunk and head.
3. Long, heavy skirts, which drag upon the
v
4. Tight shoes, which arrest circulation and
make walking difficult; high heels, which
Increase the difficulties in walking and so
change the center OF gravity in the body as
to produce dislocstion in the pelvic viscers.'
He quotes from professor in a prominent
medical college, who says: al am sure, with
out being able 10 demonstrate il, that ninety
per cent. OF so-called female weaknesses have
their origin in corsets and heavy skirts.
They not only depress the pelvic organs by
their pressure and weight, but weaken all OF
their normal efforts"
MRS. STANTON
is inclined to lay considerable stress on the
proposition that the health of American
women is impaired because she is denied her
mental and physical rights as compared with
those of men. The girl takes to her needle
while the boy develops his muscles and mind
in advantageous employment. Men have
diversity of callIngs adapted to their indi-
vidual predictions; most women simply
keep house, no matter what their predilec-
tions are. The world OF one is larger than
that of the other. She calls for equality, for
coeducstion OF the sexes, and a wider sphere
for women in order TO give her capacities a
fsir show, and also that she may have some
thing else TO think about than the coming
husband, and something else to do than to
dance and hirt. She must dress sensibIy and
lead fuller life in every way if she would
fal6ll her physical as we'll as other possi-
bilities.
DIR. CHADWICK
makes a combination of the two kinds of
criticism given above, though he is not 20
specifically yindictive about the corsets.
They are bad enough, however. He enters
into the physiological field rather more mi
nutely than DIR. Lewi-, and does what he
can to explode the error tina. the woman
needs rest during certain periods of the
month. When nature is not abused il takes
care of its processes, and there is no more
exhaustion at one time than another. II she
needs it, it is only because she has injured
herself. Her education is defective, accord
ing TO DIR. Chadwick, very much as Mrs.
Stanton points out. She permits our eli
mate TO confue her to the house more than
women in other civilized countries do. Her
food and drink are not what they ought to
be, and he makes the somewhat remarkable
statement that he thinks more injury is done
to women by tea, in the United States, than
TO men by alcohol. But he does not take a
very discouraging view of the situation,
and has seen 30 vast an improve
ment in their physical and men
tai vigor during the few years
over which (his) personal observation ex-
tends that (he) feels encouraged to predict
for them in the near future great pre-
eminence in physical and meItal strength
as is now universally accorded to them Tor
physical beauty" 1t is rather nice in the
doctor to say this. 1t sounds more pleasant
than the words of DIR. Lewis, 10 the effect
that "while we are so proud of our tele-
graphs, and railroad,, and grand inventions,
aud magnificent improvements, and large
corn crops, that we run our printing presses
all night to proclaim our glory to the rising
Gun. our doctors, standing in the midst OF
nation of men sucking tobacco, caution a
nation OF corseted women to go slow and lie
flat on their backs three months in the year."