The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-02-07
A Dissertation on Shoes.

ing of the hygienic congress here Col.
ziegler, who in addition to his strictly
military :ank Is also chief surgeon of
the Federal army, read an interesting
paper on shoemaking, or, rather, on the
evil effects OF badly.made shoes, with
special reference to hygiene and the
marching powers of soldiers. Among
other interesting facts Col. Zegler mem
toned that the Swiss examining sur
geons are compelled TO reject every year
eight hundred recruits strength Of
n battalion-for malformalion OF the
feet resulting from badly-tilting shoes.
The foot is in reality bow so elastic that
Mt every step 1t contracts and expands,
lengthens and shortens, and line drawn
through the center Of the great toe in
tersects the heel. But shoemakers, who
are generally utterly ignorant Of the
anatomy of the foot, do not give room
enough for the lateral extension Of the
great toe. They crib, cabin, and con-
fine it until it is forced against the other
toes. Hence arises frequent inllamma-
tons of the great toe, corns, alterations,
and sometimes veritable artcular in
flammation. Another evil which Col.
Zicger ascribcs in great measure to bad
shoeing, is llat.footedness, whereby the
arch is converted into straight line,
and prolonged walking and marching
rendered impossible. Another cau.e Of
this defect is the habit of carrying heavy
weights at an carly age; but in most in
stances, Herr Ziegler contends, perfect
shoes would restore the foot to its nor
NAL condition. The first obstacle to a
reform in the shape of shoes lies in the
fact that il would involve a great ex-
pcnse in the shape of new lasts, an ex-
pense that shoemakers are naturally
10th to incur. Fashion has also its lasts,
ard shoemakers consider themselves
bound TO conform TO the prevailing
mode. A test of perfect pair of shoes
IS that when placed together, they
should touch only at the toes and heels (;
the soles should follow the sinuo'itics of
the feet, and TO give room for their en-
pansiOn should exceed them in length
by fifteen to twenty milimctcr5. As for
military foot. gear, the Colonel eaid,
without answering the question whether
soldiers should wear shoes, "laccups,"
or "bluchcrs," that is matter of
opinion. Although the principle of the
''normal" shoe has been accepted in
Switzerland, it is so far without result,
for Swiss soldiers shoe themselves at
their own expense.
The question il, however, being taken
up by the Confederation, and a new
regulation on the subject Is about TO be
introduced. The only armies in which
the normal shoe has been adopted are
those of Germany and Italy. In 1876
the Government of Baden organized ;
shoe exhibition, in which tie Italian
model carried off the honors. Tn,
French army is shod on the old viciou
principle. The Russian shoe Is abou
rs bad rs il can he. The ordering %
this important article Of military cloth
ing should be assigned to the medica
staff. The shoeing of children is II mat
ter of great importance, and shoemakors
apprentices should be instructed in tn
theory of their calling. As further mean
toward reform, the Colonel recommend
that in all establishments controlled b.
tho State the normal shoe be mad
compulsory, that military shoemaker
be properly instructed, and that in ever,
country there should be a model sho
factory for the making of "physiologi
shoes"
After Col. Ziegler had read the pa
per, DR.. Roth, OF London, produced u
Englisl.made shoe which answered
the conditions laid down by the Swi'
surgeon, and he contended that for III
prevailing defects in foot. gear the il
difference of the medical faculty wa
quite ~ much TO blame rs the ignoranC
of the shoemaking fraternity.
DR.. jaeger. the great German authorit
on clothing and hygiene, called after
ton to the materials of which shoes ar
made. The leather in OF dinary use, h
considers, has quite rs many sins :
answer as the shoes into which il il con
ycr,ed. Instead of tanned and black
encd leather, he would have wool, fei,
md above all deerskin. Of all these h
showed specimens, switch appearc'
rational"
After discussion on the cause of fla
feet, DR.. Vallin, of Paris. admitted tina
in france shoes Tor the most part III
nbominsbly bad, and the feet Of 'hei
wearers almost invariably deforme'
The shoes worn by parisians are, hoy
ever, not quite so contrary 70 nature
, those worn by Pariiennes, whose nj
seems to be to make their feet resent
, in shape the hOofs Of horses.
In summing up, DIR. Ziegler express
:. his regret that fashion was allowed
! have so great an influence on the she
', ing of human kind, and that In this,
y sometimes In other matters, hu"bn
= should live under their wives siippo