The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-04-22
THE HUNIPED-UP SEX.
singular Abnormal GrOwthB Observcd---A
Study In Morbid Anatomy.

Stuuy III Morbid Anatomy.
Wo think the most careless man hns
not failed to observe that women have
become subject to II curious deformity
within tho Inst few years. Tho matter
is II delicatn ono 20 discuss, but really
tho evil is getting to be SO general that
public attention ought to be called to il
| ana methods OF countcractng it ought
TO be considered. We allutle TO tho UGLY
and abnormal development Just where
the dress begins to set out behind.
There is something strange about this
dGformity, inasmuch rs the victims of it
40 not seem in any way ashamed of it,
nor does 1t appear to affect thoir poner-
al health and spirits. Indeed there is
nothing commoncr than to mcot u pretty
creature with smiling lips and sparkling
eyes tripping along rs gayly and grace
fully as Diana on the borders of Euro
tas; and yet when she passes, YOU are
shocked to observe an Immense hump
bobbing up and down on her back with
every movement. The doar afflicted
creatures chat with oach other cheer
fully, go about their shopping with tho
same conscientious punctuality as of
OLD, and even appear to take pleasure in
the society of tho malo scx; 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 kind of cloak
which is cut away at the back and has
pieces hanging down ut each sido like
tho flaps of II saddle, and in such gar
menC tho hump puts on jaunty appear
anco, and even suggests the possibility
that it had been developed to fit tho now
fashioned cloak, but not infrequently,
when an old-fashioncd cloak or circular
is worn, the protubcrancc is thrust out
through the folds of tho oycrflowinp
cloth like a rock among the ripplcs of a
stream. In such cases the effect, if not
grand, is ut least gloomy and peculiar.
If there be any truth in the modern
theory OF evolution or in tho old saying
that the back is fitted to the burden,
there may be some purpose in tho devol-
opmcnt OF this curious hump. 1t would
certainly afford fine rosting-placc for
market basket or carpet bag. and a
baby might be set astri1e of it with
great advantage; but, curiously enough,
the women who carry loads of any kind
IN inc street seem scarcely ever afflicted
with this dcformity, while those who ap-
to exhibit themselves are the most sadly
misshapen.
What the character of the growth is wo
have had no opportunities to INVESTIGATES
but there has been not little discussion
ON the subject among the scientists.
The opinion long prevailed that tho
hump is mere fungoid growth, a. cha
otic and incongruo,is bulk, but there is
now good reason to suppose that in Il
majority Of cases it is highly complex
organism built up about Il regular skclc-
ton. and somewhat resembling in form
and action the iointcd mechanism of a
lobstcr's tail. Possibly the hump of this
character is Il later development and tho
tungoid growth is Il mere survival; but
at any rate its existence can not be de-
MED, us instances have been known i'm
which the hump has been squeezed out
OF snapc Ill Il crowded street car and re-
manned twisted, distorted and limp MS if
IT were mere mass of shavings or old
newspapers. The fact that in such cas-
es the woman has been known to step
out OF the car UNCONSCIOUS of injury,
may DC regarded rs positive proof that
else that t can not be W Wvitalily "c;5td c;o5nncctcd
with the person to whom it is attached. |
Professor Huxley after series of care
full experiments declared that in twenty
five cases out of twcnty-siX he found |
that the protnbernnac was not sensitive |
to Il darning needle, and yet in every
instance he was convinced that it was !
subject to the voltion Of tho wcarcr. lie |
is OF opinion that us wo can know moth
ing clearly and comprchensivcly 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 tho prevailing opinion seems to
be that something ought to no uonc to
rctard or modify the unsghtly growth.
For our own part we confess that our
aNiety is not confined altogether 70 the.l
evolution that has taken place. Vi q
single hump had been dcvelppaech within
a brief period. why may not another
hump be )lA+,tr TO it in obedience to
soIAlaaes>crtrious hump-producing tendency
in feminine nature? And us Il result,
may ii not come 10 pass that our women
will in time be backed Ike camelsp For
the production OF such monstrosities it
is clear that this is Il hustling world
Rochester Post ErprcSS.