The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-01-29
THE FooT's ANATOMY.
why 1t Should Be Considered In the Sc
lection of Shoes.

lection of Shoes
A skillful anatomist says that II we
wore shoes day and night our 1ee'
would become permanently and hope
lessly diseased, but the airing ana
change they get while we sleep keep
them in tolerable condition.
s'The human foot is merely nano
modified for base of structure to sup
port the body" 1t is longer anu thlcke,
and narrower than the hand. It's sollo
parts are firmer that the corresponding
parts of the hand; the movable parIs
less movable than those of the hano.
The foot has two arches; one 1roh
front to rear composed of eight oones'
and another from side to s1oe
composed of four. These arches, on ac-
! count of the cartilages interposeo
between the segments that compose
them, are flexible and give elasticity tc
the step and gracefulness to the gal1.
The largest bone in the long arch Oh
the foot is the heel bone, and to TINS IS
attached the largest tendon In the Dooy'
In this tendon the three muscles when
compose the calf of the leg and wnlcn
are of the greatest value to us IN sno
act of walking unite.
The more nearly the shoe approaches
the form of the foot the easier 1t VII! %
to walk in. High heels are nothing out
an injury, not to the foot alone, pu1 "
the whole body. They tiex the three
muscles in the calf of the leg that give
.. erectness of the body, throw the welgn'
of the body on to the ball OF the 1oot'
!. throw the knees forward, and put the
whole mechanism out Of poise. Ihls Is
we'll understood by lovers OF field Sports
9 and athletics, whose shoes have hardl.
= any heels at all.
9 The earliest form of foot cover wa
Il the simple sandal, secured to the foot D.
u thongs, and often by button, comm
l. between the first and second toes. In
u material used for shoes and sandals
u various, chiefly the skins OF animals
" Wooden shoes are much worn In Europe
u and are becoming common in this coul
l, try. The Japanese wear sandals
III straw, and South Americans, IN som
IS localities, sandals Of plated hemp. In
u. early Greeks went barefoot or wore SIN
~ ple sandals; the Romans wore buskln
~ similar to the moccasins OF the America
49, Indians. 80,
81 The skillful shoemaker or shoe-htt
should understand the anatomy OF tf
foot as we'll as the art of making shoe
~ and he should be able to tit each shoe
~ the foot that is to wear it, but probab
~ not one shoemaker in million ever q!
-. sected human foot with a view
:. learning how shoes should be made. :
- We never think of working with
y. " hands when they are gloved, and all
~; ask of a glove is that it neatly mt 7
~ -. hand when at rest. But we never thl
~ of walking any distance in unshod te
/, = and what we want of shoes is not GOV
mt ing only, but aid in locomotlon. Ma
~. a shoe is comfortable enough when
90. is sitting still that becomes excruclatl
NV when one walks in it, Room IS notgi'
tho for the play of the various muscles
erv the foot, the arches are pressed out
80 shape, the circulation is obstructed'
~ the exercise of walking, which sho
-. he delightful, becomes intolerable,
Nd the gait which should be graceful
~ easy becomes limping and awkward.
r ~nn Judging from the number OF D.
';r's shaped feet one sees when travelling
' =. the horse-cars and crossing the ferr
,ont where the feet of wayfarers are expo
~. to view there is great deal OF suffer
nSs' that is not much talked about, an
: '4 10 probably considered incurable. Blu
49,. might all or nearly all have been
80 on vented but for ill-ftting shoes. Al
,.s;1 great deal of this suffering might DC
n ,aa' caped if misshapen feet were prov
'ii with shoes fitted to them and confor
to their present necessities.-N. y.
fo