Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-05
CARING FOR THE FEET
Some of the Fine Points in the
Chiropodists' Art Brought 0ut.
CORNS AND BUNIONs TREATED.
Ministers, Ball-Players and Ballet-Dancers
Suffer Severely.
MANIcURIKG is BECOMING POPULAR.

Meandering down a street in the lower
end of town yesterday, ruminating on the
many ills that flesh is heir to. and upon
corns in particular, for had been the pos
SCISSOR of one of the variety called ''soft"
the past week. huge brass foot attracted
my attention. Happy thought why not
have the obnoxious corn removed?
Following directions I entered what
appeared to me private apartments,
for never had seen such luxurious parlors
used in professional capacity. was pre-
pairing to utter an apology when young
lady stepped up and said, Twill you step
downstairs, please?" My suspicious were
confirmed, but after going down short
flight of stairs, instead of turning me out in
the cold, cold world she ushered me into
little operating room just as complete III Its
appointments as the parlors were.
Once in the operating chair, she removed
my boots and stockings. "Then was the time
for disappearance" simultaneously with
her disappearance, the professor of ortho-
pedic surgery made his appearance, and as
under his skillful hands my feet resumed
their natural condition, my interest in life
and Pittsburgers in general resumed also.
By dint of innocent questions the following
is what learned:
FEET ARE GOOD BARoMETERs.
That every change in the weather affects
the feet in fact an approaching change Is
often suggested by these baremeters before
the signal observers make note of it. Con-
sequently business is brisk previous to or
after any change in the weather. In the
winter time when rubbers and overshoes are
necessities, corns and bunions -four
ish, and in the summer time, when the
warm weather induces profuse perspiration
these cartilaginous growths revel in luxury.
In all seasons of the year and in all climates
the crop is good. In this city. at this estab-
hshment, 80 people are treated on an aver
age daily; some believe that san ounce of
prevention is worth pound of cure" and
go weekly to the chiropodist to have their
feet examined, as they would to a den-
tist regarding their teeth. Others prefer to
pay for relief and suffer rather
than obey instructions and wear
common sense shoes. Among the latter
ones; the males, with few exceptions, will
wear anything and do anything rather than
suffer torture from corns.
The exceptions consist of young dudes
between the ages of 18 and % years, who
wear the toothpick shoes, with heels under
the instep, and wide trousers to assist in
making their feet look small.
MEN SWEAR, WOMEN FAINT.
Curious how the intense suffering caused
by corns affects different people. Men who
are genial and sociable under ordinary cir
cumstances are anything else but pleasant |
when their feet are out Of order. One man,
a prominent railroad official, noted for his |
chatty disposition. develops into taciturn |
and cross subject; another, usually very |
quiet, develops into talker, and blanks |
would constitute the main portion |
Of his language should I attempt to portray |
it here. As rule men swear when they go |
for treatment.
Some of them dread it as they would the |
extraction of tooth, not on account of the |
pain in this case, but because they belong to |
,he class known as ticklish. They endure |
agony while their feet are being handled, |
ind will lean back in the chair and |
yroan, while great beads of perspiration
will roll down their faces. Woman, denied |
With few emphatic words resorts to the |
I'D dodge of fainting, decidedly out of fash
on in the present age, it is true, but still |
escorted to on special occasions. 1t is not |
he pain they endure while undergoing
treatment that causes the faint, because the
reatment is an instant relief, hut it is the
esult of nervousness from past suffering.
HE RESTORED HAPPINESS.
Ill engaged in the same speciality, father
md seven sons, and the old SUPERSTITION re-
,arding the seven sons being invested with
ucky properties was embraced by a young
East End woman, who showed her apprecia-
ion in presenting him with q. handsome
pair of bronze figures for restoring to her the
owing husband of few years ago.
The husband when first married was
oval, devoted, kind, considerate one, but
Is time passed he became anything else but
loving companion. He found fault with
pertaining to his home, scolded
he children, growled at the servants, and
colded his wife, who tried in
to please him, but sue
eeded in nothing. Suspicious of
mother and fairer woman began to
axe form in her mind. She watched her
iege lord, examined his pockets in hopes
Ter suspicious, but failed to find a tell-tale
etter. About this time chubby" began to
how some signs of affection again, resumed
the old place of loving husband
nd father. Investigation proved he had
een undergoing treatment for his feet, and
With the curing of his feet the curing Of his
emper was effected.
BALLET DANCERS SUFFER.
The constant strain of the ballet dancer
n the great toe is conducive to corns there,
nd their suffering is intense. They have to
e treated every day, and sometimes during
be performance at the theater will have to
elephone for chiropodist to come and at
end to their feet between acts.
Tragedians like Booth and Modjeska who
lay in Shakespearian and historic plays
Tear sandals most of the time, and so
etain perfectly shaped, smooth feet. Base
all PLAYERS have regular pawnbrokers'
igns on their feet; that is they wear shoes
nth three heavy spikes in to assist them in
unning, and wherever the spike is in cor
esponding locality on the foot the corn ap-
ears, and such corns. great big balls-three
pixies, three corns, three balls-a pawn
roker's sign.
Ministers, as we'll as ballet dancers and
aseball players, suffer with their feet,
ome more, some less. 1t is safe to say no
ne has had, or ever will have, monopoly
n this species of corns. The ministers,
owever, suffer most with soft corns. Corns
an be born and raised in one afternoon, by
walking, or by single thread of |
ne hose rubbing a blister between the toes |
rhyme not intended, / assure you). This ,