The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-02-17
Ladies' Department.
Effects of right Lacing.

There is no question whatever that
If women really understood the act
ual effects of colsets, Stays or other
close dressing, no one possessed oil
common sense would ever again
wear snything of this kind. MOI
would any intelligent man allow the
waisthand of his pantaloons to be 80
tight as TO support them withou
suspenders, or wear any belt or strap
closely buckled around the waist
There is false, nonsensial idea thai
such strap strengthens the back;
it has just tho opposite effect, ultl-
mately.-Dr. Dickinson, a discing-
uished physician of Brooklyn. has
for some time past been studying
the effects OF compres ion upon the
chest, and making careful examina
ton of a good many cases.
Among the FIRST direful effects is
the entire change of the natural
breathing, from abnormal to thoracle
or chest, respiration. Nature pro
vided that when air, so important t.
life and hea tn, is drawn natural,
into the diaphragm. that is. the cross
sheet which separates the upper
from the lower internal cavity OF the
body, sinks down, leaving room fo'
the lungs above to expand and TAX.
in air freely. To efe t this depress-
ion Of the diaphragm the abdomel
swells outward AMI thus draws til,
diaphragm down as it sinks into the
vacant space left below. When The
abdomen contracts. or draws inward
i crowds the diaphragm upwara
against the lungs and thus helps
them to expel the ar Ii there j,
the slightest pressure OF clothins
against the chest or waist, il pre-
vents 5his rising of the diaphragm
and the lungs, which are composed
of weak muscular tissue. being with
out this aid, drive out less of the air
aud less new fresh air enters. Th'
whole system by so much lacks pur-
ification from poisonous or deleter-
Gus matter, which is always being
formed in the natural process O
n9urishing the body and removing
u,ed,up matter.
Then again, the in'estines not be-
ing subjected to this motion Of tho
abdomen at every breath drawn, are
less active, and the peristaltic action
is less. Constipation and less alb
sorption necessarily occur.
DIR. Dickinson selected 81 women,
81 years of age, as nearly alike as
possible in general characteristics and
circumstances. and carefully studied
effects Of their modes OF dressing.
The average circumference Of the
waist for those without corsets, or
COMPRISING dresses. was 26a inches
The average circumference of those
wearing corsets was "a inches
With free waists could on an average
draw in and expel 1853 cubic inches
Of air in one respiration. These
with corsets could only use 1873 cub
ic inches of air in breathing, allowing
20 respirations minute, those with
cOrsets lost the benefit CT 600 cubic
inches of air a minute, or 864,000
cubic inches each "a hours. In other
words. those haying their waists un-
constrained have the benefit of 8 TAO
gallons or llS barrels of air during
each full day, ever and above what
is enjoyed by those wearing corsets
or any dress fitting tightly enough to
prevent the tree action of the waist.
These were average results obtained
by careful examination of 50 cases.
Any one having the slightest con-
ception oil the important part that
breathing or respiration has upon the
whole life and health can readily see
and appreciate the gseat difference
betwee the free waist and the com
,presse one, in health viger freedom
from headaches, tron diseases of the
lungs etc.
DIR. Dickinson found also that
there was much thinner layer OF
adipose tissue under the compressed
waist and a greatly increased deposit
of adipose just below, in short an alb
normal and deformed condition.