The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-18
LEFT EBs9BDNEsS
That's what we Have. Most Of Us.


Prom the Nineteenth Century
There is a popular idea that because tho
right arm is moro often used and stronger
than the left, SO the right leg Is stronger than
the lott. This is not correct; there Is evidence
that tho leftleg In most people is stronger than
the right. From the theoretical point Of
view, 1t would appear that In all manual la
Dor requiring increased use OF the right
hand the left leg is also employed
on the principle OF equilibrium In
the case Of the lower animals Except
ambulntors- camels, No. and babies, when
watkins IN al iours, the right fore limb moves
lows from this that man. using tho right arm
@6 SRSP haS S r E9Id use the Ss
exertion in walking round large circles 20 the
right than in going to the lett. This ia also
81 Which, are pass nor afhG p
IN circles to the, right in, running Again.
lost on nralrles. wander round in circles to the
right. This TACT has been attributed 10 thoir
following the course Of the sun; but this docs
skaters can perform more figures on the left
than on the right foot-or. at any rate. in COM
left foot With rope dancers 1t is usually OLE
served that the more complicated foats of pals
dancing. gyIation is chiefly to. the right. hut
few being able to reverse; In dressing. many
first, before the. right, some even going $? far
as TO state that IT. through some accident.
they should have reversed tho process they
have to remove the offending right trouser or
boot before continuing their toilet.
The rule in walking nearly all the world over
and yet keep to it. Thus iGr purposes Of or
servation on this point. a hundred men and
hundred women were selected casually from
the better educated classes. the men being
Observation-Disclosures undergrad at the university. O ana tie
women ladies' in society. and for statistical ey-
idcnce the following question was put to each
driving la n N ha latt
is there any, rule for walkingi Dividing tho
answers to this question into three classes, 4.
that is, said one keeps to tho right" lBithoss
who answered Incorrectly, one neeps to rnS
left, and tCl those who did not know. The
result was: A, 60 per cent; B. per cent. and
c. q per cent
majority OF people keep to the right in tho
streets is not because they are aware OF any
Fb ses ou b Sms sSmS GheT e +; It
the right, there must be a common origin Of
the law, reason given in England for such a
rule Is because OF the mode OF carrying arms
something to do with it's origin; but one nee Of
AfGhans. who keep to the left in order that
they may not leave their unguarded side eX-
it is maintainod that, the left tt log :" being
stronger than the rig hit, there ia always n ten
rgR and hence the orsn Of thS W Se II aW ave.
That It is more natural to large majority OF
illustrated recently in the Paris Exhibition in
the case OF the two large wooden bridges
passengers over the roadway. Here. although
Tor what reason was not apparent. tho
over the i bridges to tho left instead.
crossing the bridges the majority Of the crowd
would be seen bearing to the right, causing
Snd bsi5t ON day the e
readily, used than the opposite one. Thus
troops In England. Germany. and Franco. NJ
so is it with the left foot: and So in mounting
horses or bicycles. 1t is the left foot which $
syels 1 races and BisyclSs on 't tho Faso
being that, doing moro work with the left than
right leg. the machine more readily and agrees
So in jumping most men take of from the
left foot In football opinions differ as, to
most mon. especially In racing. swim with tho
right half OF the body downward. thus not only
half lower but also placing he chief propelling
power, namely the left leg in the most direct
Some few years ago Mr., G. H., Darwin made
some some obseryati9ns OF the following nature.
twelve years of, age; and offered q shilling to
the, boy who should walk straghtest bind
saTdust on the ground. and, after making
strides from right To lett and from lett TO right.
He states that they we're all right handel in
throwing stone but believed that two OF them
exhibited u some marx of being partly left
handed took longer strides from lott to right
than from right to lett. hoped with tho left
foot. and Iose in jumping from that leg TAX
ing them then into Il field and making them
successfully look at a stick at about forty
yards distance. he then blindfoded them
and started Thorn to walk, guiding them
straight for the first three or four PAGES the
result was that the six right handed and lett
legged boys ali diverged to the right. the two
diverged to the left.
Mr. Darwin. in his paper also mentions that,
in observations upon himself and ONE friends.
We all DIVORCED to the right. excepting one OF
us who was strongly left-handcd.
W tn respect to measurements of the limbs,
DR.. Carson ascertained tho size Of the two legs
In the skeletons OF seventy persons. with tho
following result: Ten per cent. showed right
and left limbs Of equal length. and OF these
only two cases in which the tomur and tilla
Of ono side cct9Irresp9n9ed Respectively to tho
cent. the right limb was longer than
tho left, tho average rropondernnce +
the former over tho latter in these cases
being 33 nm. In Bib per cent. tho Left was
longer than the right. and lis average uieuon-
derancc over the right was as nm. He fur
Their remarks: Tho lett limb. therefore, is
not only more frequently longer thnn the right.
but the difference between the limbs is Creator
on an average when it l. longer than wien tie
right is the larger. the greatest nrepon!Cranc9
Of the right limb being mm. whereas that o!
the left is Is NM"
he FmnreaS or g. &