Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-01-10
MEN ARE GROWING TALLER.
Influences Which Tend TO Elongation Of
the Masculine spinal Column.

Influences Which Tend to ElongAtion o.
the Masculine spinal Column.
Mr.. Edward Atkinson. of Boston, find.
time while conducting an extensive bust
ness to collect Information on great va
riety Of subjects. He has lately ascer
tained, by means of circulars addressed e
leading taiiors, the makers OF ready made
clothing, and the manufacturers Of un
derclOthes, that the men of this country
are growing taller, decade by decade. He
thinks that we shall eventually become q
nation Of giants. As yet he has elabora
ted no theory to account for this steady
increase in height. Some psychologists
however, have suggested that IL Is due tG
the large consumption Of meat in this
country. They state that people who
like the Chinese and HindoOs, subsist al
most entirely on grain and fruit are in.
variably short in stature, while flesh con
sumers. like the North American Indians,
are generally quite tall.
1t is likely that diet may have some
thing to do in influencing the height that
men attain. But il is obvious that there
are other causes that exert a much greater
influence. There are great many in
ducements held out in this country for
men to become tall. Nearly every boy
desires to gain admission to the military
or naval academy, and each learns as soon
as he can read that ii is necessary to reach
o certain standard of height in order to be
eligible. Men must also stand certain
number Of feet and inches in their stock
ings before they can attain positions ON
the police force In most cities. As premi-
ums are offered for becoming tall, 1t Ia by
no means wonderful that men and boys
should seek to add to their stature by tax
ing tn ought or taking anything that will
produce the desired result.
The introduction of the three story and
mansard roof bonnet, with roost for
birds or a vase Of flowers on the ridge
pole, has been n most important agent In
elongating the spinal column Of men.
The man who Invests 81 in tickets for
the purpose of taking his best girl to the
theatre finds that he can see nothing on
the stage unless he happens TO be very
tall. In the case OF spectacular produc-
lions this is specially aggravating. As q
consequence men who attend theatres and
operas make use OF every means that will
enable them to become tall. In some
fashionable churches the male worshiper
Of medium height has no opportunity to
see the minister or the pretty soprano
singer The Tower of Babel bonnets,
surmounted by fowls Of the air" and
"lilies Of the field" entirely obstruct his
view.
The street car also excrts great influ-
ence in causing men to become tall. They
generally give the seats to the women,
and are obliged TO stand duriag the entire
trip. As soon as boy is i2 years old.
his endeavOrs IL reach the strap attached
to the top rail commence He perseveres
in his attempt until he succeeds in &C.
complishing the difficult feat He learns
to stretch his body out in the same way
that an earth worm does in order to reach
certain place. After he has availed
himself Of all his powers OF self elouga-
tion, agencies that are not voluntary are
brought 10 work on his body. Side pres
sure is made to bear Oh il US it is on a bar
Of iron that is to DO drawn out into wire.
1t also receives numerous blows every
time the car wheels pass over an obstruc-
ton, and these produce the same effect on
his body that the blows of hammer do
on piece Of soft iron. Chicago Times