The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-04
ALECvUsE ON TrcHr sBoEs.
Some information Respecting the De-
eeases They Cause.

EO14o ADICTnaLlO4 RESPECTING TIC Oe-
ceases They Cause.
BROOKLYN, n. Y, May 3.-The igno-
rance of many women concerning their own
bodies is something appalling. In a letter
accompanying some perfect and brilliant
German translations, the writer adds the
following postscript to her beautiful writ
tep letter. 'Isee that you are quite enthu-
siastic about all hygienic matters, and 1
should be very grateful If you will tell me,
if in your opinion snug shoe-not to put
too fine a point on ia shoe somewhat
small for the foot, should produce a chronic
headaches This may seem to you a very
silly question, and in order to acquit myself
in your eyes Of such a lack of common
sense, | will add that do not think the two
extremities, the head and the feet, have an,
thing in common with each other, But /
have a maiden aunt who is a radical on all
subjects, and who insists that the slight
cramping of my feet induces the headache
from which / suffer all the time. The fact
is have ugly feet, and only by the greatest
care can make respectable appearance in
society"
/ wish l could say this communication
capped the climax of my experience in
physiological ignorance. But it doesn't
Still it is little unusual for a woman so
talented in all intellectual directions to be
in such utter darkness in regard to her own
physical makeup. Now, l heartily wish
that those of my readers who are not aware
of the relations existing between the feet
and other parts of the body would make a
business of reading up on this subject. Five
minutes would suffice to give them genu-
inc surprise. Look for instance at the
termination and ramifications of the sciatic
nerve. Think of a constant pressure upon
this nerve, to say nothing of the other i'm
portant and very sensitive nerves of the
feet. Sufferers from acute sciatica have been
driven mad by the pain, and their agony
and insanity shave been traced in many
CAGES to tight shoes. Tight and ill-itting
shoes are one of the most common causes of
sciGtica. The sciatic nerve is not always
involved in the cases Of tight shoes. The
pressure upon other nerves. communicating
with the complicated networks. produces IL @
headache from which SO mahy suffer- The
pinching of corns and bunions which tight
shoes have produced, have been known to
develop dyspepsia and the most aggravat-
ing uterine diseases. Now, this is plain
talk but it Is as true as the gospel. If thee
was anything gained by wearing shoes too
small for the feet-if the feet really looked
better in tight boot than in boot that
fitted 1t comfortably-there would be one
compensation to the vain in the destruction
of health. But look at an enlarged Joint in
a too small shoe. Can there be anything
more hideously ugly? And no one can
cramp the feet for any length of time with
out this enlargement. The constant effort
of the foot to spread out somewhere and
obtain relief from its martyrdom of kid
brings all the nerves into unwanted, unnec-
essaTy and feverish action, and the.effect of
this action is felt in every other nerve in
the body. All the relief that can lie
had by hard squeezsng and pushing on the
part of these abominably abused organs,
will be obtained, aud so the joints will pro-
trude, and corns and buuions appear, ard
the whole physical structure be demoralizsd
in consequence. There is no help for it.
The woman who insists upon SO squeezing
her feet is always more or less of an invalip.
If could only make my friends aware that
a well-htting, comfortable shoe looks better
than too-small shoe, | should feel that
| had not lived in vain. A shoe that
accommodates the joints that have
been enlarged by means OF tight foot gear
will necessarily retain its shape. There will
be no knobs at the sides, and no swelings ON
the toes to make the feet hideous. Then, a
shoe the proper size will, after awhile,
cure or at least modify the unwholesome,
ugly and misunderstanding sores and swell
ings. A fashionable lady, with three corns
on one foot and terribly enlarged and in
hamsd joint on the other, told me that she
always bought two pairs of walking and
visiting boots week, because after third
wearing the boots became so stretched that
the impress Of her various pedal deform-
tiles were unpleasantly conspicuous. This
society belle did not even give her feet a
chance to take a little comfort from the
room they had made for themselves by the
hardest kind of hard work.
"What DO you do with the boots you dis
card?n 1 inquired, thinking there would
be a bonanza here for some working girl
whose feet were smaller than tie million
aires wife.
"Oh," she laughed, "I turn them right
over to my maid. She gives some of them
away to her friends. suppose, but the fun
of it is, her feet are full size larger than
mine, but she don't mind as long as they
look pretty" Comment is unnecessary.
For those of my readers who prefer ill
ness to large feet, l have last argument.
A foot out of proportion to the body is no
longer considered beautiful A little foot
with an arched instep on woman who
weighs $50 to 200 pounds is not mark of
distinction. Fashion now has come out
for foot that does not show enlarged Joints
and unsightly punches. n Common sense and
hygiene have come to the rescue, and fash
ion has been obliged to bend her stiff and
silly neck, and help to issue the proclama-
ton. Cramped feet have gone out
with cramped waists, and heaven be
praised, ELEANOR KIRK.