The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-04-28
THE HUMPED-Up SEX.
singular Abnormal Growths Obscrycu-A
study In Morbid Anatomy.

IA
study In Morbid Anatomy.
We think the most careless man has
not failed to observe that women have
become subject TO a curious dcformity
within the last few years. The matter
is delicate one to discuss, but really
the evil is getting to be SO general that
public attention ought to be called to it
and methods of countcracting it ought
TO be considered. We alludc to the ugly
and abnormal development lust where
the dress begins to set out behind.
There is something strange about this
dcformity, inasmuch as the victims of it
do not seem in any way ashamed of it,
nor docs it appear TO affect their gcncr-
al health and spirits. Indeed there is
nothing commoncr than to meet a pretty
creature with smiling lips and sparkling
eyes tripping along rs gayly and grace
fully as Diana on the borICrS of Euro
taS; and yet when She passes, YOU arc
shocked to observe an immense hump
bobbing up and down on her back with
every movement The dear afflicted
creatures chat with each other cheer
fully, go about their shopping with he
same conscientious plEctuality rs of
oId, and even appear to take pleasure in
the society of the male sex; but while
admiring their heroic endurance we
can not help sympathizing with their
misfortune and signing over their de-
parted grace OF form. With feminine
Skill they have contrivcd Il kind of cloak
which Is cui away at the back and has
pieces hanging down at each side like
the flaps of saddle. and in such a gar
mcnt the hump puts on jaunty appear
ancc, and even suggests the possibility
that it had been developed to fit the new
fashioned cloak, but not infrcuucntlv,
when an old-fashioncd cloak or circular
Is worn, the prolubcrancc is thrust out
through the folds of the ovcrlowinp
cloth like rock among the ripplcs of Il
stream. In such cases the effect, if not
grand, is at least gloomy and peculiar.
If there be any truth in the modern
theory of evolution or in the old saving
that the back is fitted to the burden,
there may be some purpose in the dcycl-
opmcnt OF this curious hump. 1t would
certainly afford a fine rcsting-placc for
Il market basket or Il carpet bag, and Il
baby might be set aStridc of it with
great advantage: but, curioliSly enough,
the women who carry loads of any kind
in the street seem scarcely ever afflicted
with this dCformity, while those who an
pear TO be out for no otEcr purpose than
TO exhibit themselves are the most sadly
miSShapcn.
What the character of the growth is we
have had no opportunities to investigate,
but there has been not little discussion
on the subject among the scientists.
The opinion long prevailed that the
hump is mere fungoid growth, cha
otic and mcongruous bulk, but there is
now good reason TO suppose that in II
majority of eases it is highly complex
organism builtup about regular skclc-
ton, and somewhat resembling in form
and action the iointcd mechanism of q
Holsters tail. Possibly the hump of this
character is Il later development and the
fungoid growth is mere survival; but
AT any rate It's existence can not be de-
MED, rs instances have been known in
which the hump has been squeezed out
of shape in Il crowded strcct-car and re-
mnncd twisted, distorted and limp as if
ii were mere mass of shavings or old
newspapers. The fact that in such cas-
cS the woman has been known to step
out OF the car UNCONSCIOUS of injury,
may be regarded rs positive proof that
'ilS I'lIl llOl Dc NclN StllSlIlNC OF
else that it can not be vitally connected
with the person TO whom it is attached.
Professor Huxley after series of care
ful experiments declared that in twenty
five cases out of twcnty-siX he found
that the protubcrancc was not sensitive
to darning needle, and yet in every
instance he was convinced that it was
subject to the volition of the wcarcr. He
Is OF opinion that as we can know moth
ing clearly and comprchcnsivcly on the
subject, it is outside of the sphere of
scientific investigation, and that any
man who tries to find out why modern
women have this dcformity imposed up
on them might better be engaged in
twisting ropes of sand.
But the prevailing opinion seems to
be THAT something ought to be done to
rctard OF modify the unsightly growth.
For our own part we confess that our
aXicty is not confined altogether to the
evolution that has taken place. If a
single hump had been developed within
brief period, why may not another
hump be added to it in obedience to
some curious hump-producing tendency
in feminine nature? And rs result,
may it not come to pass that our women
will in time be backed like camcls? For
the production OF such monstrosities it
is clear that this is hustling world
Rochester Post EIprCSS.