Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-04
NenAxs pssna.

Ever since can remember, the
psychologist and the funny man
have had . great deal 70 say against
the way women dress. and ! con-
clude that it 10 time for dress TO
plead guilty or mot guilty = the
charges brought against her. What
can she say By way Of defense
I believe woman's dress TO be
guilty of oil that IL charged against
Il. and more too. ] believe Il to be
responsible for much Of the poverty.
ignorance, crime. misery, disease
and death that sfflict rs
In one brief article ] cannot bring
evidences to prove al the counts, and
a disease, In . measure, includes
the other, / propose 70 begin with
that.
/ shall first attack skirts, for, while
fortified by these. high heels and
corsets seem impregpsble.
Skirts. at their best, are not neat ;
they are exravsgsnf. unnecessarily
inconvenient and burdensoms, are
dangerous TO life and limb. and
afford poor protection from vet and
cold. .
Because OF uneven distribution of
weight and warmth because in vet
and muddy walking and rainy wea-
lher they expose . large surface 10
contact with vet. because they IN
terfere with q natural style Of walk
ing and substitute therefor an artificial
and constrained motion, thus calling
into play . set Of muscles poorly
adapted to the purpose and leaving
idle those intended for that ufe be-
cause. If as loose - health requires,
they swing backwards and forwards,
from side 10 side, with every step
which swing in constant strain on
the muscles supporting them be.
cause they require much care and
attention to keep them neat and in
repair, and because they are In the
way for evermore skirts are un-
healthful.
In shipwrecks, or accidents by
runaway horses, lives are often lost
which might be saved II women were
accustomed TO the free use OF their
limbs, and we're unfettered by skirts.
St. Paul exhorted women to become
keepers ut home, and % do /; unless
they can take care Of themselves
while abroad.
dare not begin about the expense
and harm to the health Of heavy
skirts loaded down with trimming.
These must be plain to all who care
TO see, 90 ! pass to the shoes and
corse.s-or tight dresses for every
function Of the body may be derang
ed by buttoning the dress snugly
around the delicately floating ribs
the strong but yielding diaphragm
and the important viscers in 1T
vicinity.
The theory that . woman naturally
breathes only with the upper part Of
her chest has gained some credence
1t 10 not strange that laymen and
doctors who have never dealt with
any but deformed women make THU
mistake; but any woman who hal
allowed her lungs free play know
that no errer could be moro absurd
In natural breathing the chest AND
abdomen are both, and ] think equal
u moved. Nature b ingenious and
persistent. She abh0rs lack Of room
FOR her operations - much - sht
abhors . vacuum. II one Of bel
naughty children put . pressure
around the waist and 20 prevents
the expansion Of the lower lungs
nature to her best ability will 10
crease the capacity Of the uppel
payts but the blood can never cir
culate - freely, nor be % thoroughly
oxygenized, nor digestion be - com
plete - II the whole lung could fully
expand.
Again, nature works against any
decrease Of the size Of the intsrna
organs BY this pressure around thu
waist, and little BY little draws then
down from their natural location 4
where they can have moro room
But are the deviations from nature
original plan made without injury
Let the great army Of feeble, nerve
less, spiritless women who furnisl
the doctor with four-hfths Of hi
adult practice answer this question
and then hear them cay, "Oh. thu
doesn't hurt me. don't lace"
| Well, It means every woman VIII,
has . taper waist, every woman witt
cannot cit down, unbutton her dress
unfasten her corset, take long, full
abdominal breath. and have corse
and dress remain in same position o
when fastened. II they move apar
II shows that there was not room
enough for the long breath Will,
they were fastened and, whethe
you feel Il or not. by 20 much q
your clothes como apart with tina
breath you have lessened your vita
folcc-your power 70 resist disease
power to think great thoughts ani
do great deeds.