The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-03-07
Fsmale beauty.

1t is one of the strange inconsistencies
of human nature that while perfection
and beauty of form are desideratum
which everyone desires to attain, so
many, especially of the gentler sex, per
sist in habits, particularly of dress,
which are sure to mar physical beauty
and lessen comfort and health. Indeed,
it would appear as if those who find
most pleasure in being thought beauti-
full are the ones who most outrage ma
ture by indulging the vagaries of sense /
less fashions. Not the least objection
able of the physical deformities are those
OF the foot and ankle. The short walk |
ing dresses now worn by women and
girls, reveal how general these ugly fea'
lures are. Strange that the belle who
would be proud Of pretty foot and
ankle, does the very thing that is sure 70
ruin them. DR.. Charles Roberts, + K.
@. s., late Assistant Surgeon to the VIC
| toria Hospital for Sick Children, says in
the Lancet, that the ingenuity Of an
Edison could not devise a machine 50
favorable to the production Of that de-
formity know as flat foot" as the tight
fitting, high-heeled, long-topped boot at
present worn by girls. Not only, says
| the authority, does the rigidity Of the
! front part cramp the action Of the mus
Giles, but the high heels place the foot
at such an angle with the leg that the
tendons are Of least use in supporting
the ankle-ioint, and the long tops ham
per the development Of the muscles in
i the remainder Of their course. The high
heels, moreover, push the centre of gray
i ity forward on the arch of tho foot, and
by propping up the heel give greater lever
age and greater space for the arch to fall
4 when once it gives way. In the majority
of cases the mischief would stop when
the arch reached the level of the natural
! heel but the heels of boots favor still
J greater fall, which ends in eversion Of
! the foot. 1t il difficult to understand
: how women submit to the discomfort d
E wearing high heeled boots, or can be g
I cruel as to let their daughters weai
l them. 1t is true they give fictitious
+ height to the body and disguise tn
: slighter forms of flat-foot: but, on tin
!, other hand, they exaggerate the severe
n forms, and the boots are entirely want
j, ing in proportion. How common thl
n deformity is among women they them
: selves know; but if they will insis
i, upon wearing the hideous foot gear tha
+ fashion DEGREES they must suffer tn
le evil consequences. which are grave an
&c numerous. DR.. Roberts says that th
lie origin Of 90 per cent. Of the cases 9
/, lateral curvature of the spine anon
i women, according to his experience,
,e the result Of wearing the present fasi
K ionable style Of high-heeled shoes. Fls
i foot also produces or exaggerates N
of natural disposition to knock-knee
Of girls, which in its turn adds an Unequal
Or ty in the length Of the two legs, and
Is otherwise fruitful source of deformit
m especially in growing children. III
~ discussion Of woman's dress has becon
he SO general that it Is hardly likely an
X special heed viii be given to DIR. 10
of ert's warning; but.if proud mothe
,ss would only think while they are dec
Ia ing out their girls in fashionable att
its shat they may, perhaps, be doing +
at very act that will injnre the physlc
beauty and destroy the comfort ~
health Of their offspring, there would
fewer crippled and deformed girls, a
the public exhibition of profession
yo- beauty would not be such an attract
rst as it appears to be to-day. -Philadelpi
en- Record.