Connecticut western news., 1894-12-06
WRITING WITH BOTH HANDS.
Vertical Writing and How It Pr~vents tn
 Evn of Writers Crrsnp.

WRITING WITH BOTH HANDS.
 Vertical Writing and How It Prevents tha
 Evf1 of Writers Crsrnp.
 We have all heard of the barber who cuts hair with ambidextlous facility. Here is Mir. Jackson of West Norwood, writing to The Morning Post to urge that we should all write in the same bimanual fashion It is we'll known, he says, that scrivener's palsy or writer E cramp is caused by excessive use of the muscles engaged in the act of writing It is also generally known that the vic tims to this serious malady are drawn almost exclusively from the ranks of the obliquely writing community. Whether this results from the fact that the great majority of --our people were and are sloping writers, or, as medical and oth- CT authorities declare, from the injuri' ous effects of slanting the writing af all, it is not for us to say, but we do surely know that vertical writing is ac- tually the only hygienic system, and that it does not induce the disease above referred to, as witness the typical case where a sufferer from the cramp fully recovered after abandoning the sloping style and adopting tho upright.
 One of the best known specialists in nervous disorders writes just recently on this very question and gives as his opinion, founded on the observation and treatment of a large number of cases, that vertical writing must be used ii the disease is to be averted, or, as the alternative, ambidexteTity must be taught and acquired. Shoe upright pen manship is the only method equally adapted for both hands, this is tanta- mount to saying, Write vertically with one hand or both, but write vertically, " and writer's cramp will then become matter of history. We have here an al. most irresistible argument for the uni versal adoption of vertical writing, the acquiring of which is so wonderfully easy and simple, whatever the age or ability of the writer.
 After these preliminary observations, what about left handed penmanship? Is it desirable or necessary What are its advantages or claims? Surely the atti- tude of the The Lancet is sufficient re- ply. For, first, is it not quite true that thousands-nay, tens of thousands-of persons write for very long periods eight, ten, twelve or even fourteen hours daily-and this often for years together? Is it not also equally true that many of these persons. quite large number in the aggregate of these cler- ical machines, soon get out of order and work irregularly. while an alarmingly large proportion of them cease working altogether ata comparatively early stage utterly disabled? Now, if these failures result from oyerworked muscles, and they certainly do, it is obvious that they could be avoided if the cause of then, were removed
 Teach and practice left hand writing. and the object is reached. The clerk, ooypist or author tires his right hand. arm, etc, wearies the muscles and de. teriorates their powers, say, in the first half of the day. He then has recourse to his reserve set of muscles, and foi the remainder of his time the left side, hand and arm are put into acquisition, the right hand thus obtaining that rest which in no other condition could be secured. Or, assuming for the time be ing that both hands wrote exactly the same style, they could be alternately used several times during the day, and thus neither set of muscles would get strained or fatigued at all. Thus the first great advantage to be derived from left hand writing is the avoidance of writer cramp-an afhiction that is becoming more prevalent every year-and similar troubles, and the second advantage is reducing to a minimum the extreme weariness consequent upon long hours at the desk. Ambidexterity in hand writing should certainly be taught to the rising generation. It could not do harm, and it certainly would do great amount of good. It would not occupy more time, and the results would bs widespread and in every way beneficial -Westminster Budget One Way or Saving Cents.
 heard good story that brings out Russell Sage's laying up for rainy day hobby. It seems that Russell seldom if ever misses the directors dinner, spread every day in the Western Union build. ing, after which he is not averse to an inexpensive cigar, and just here it is not amiss to suggest that Russell should smoke tobies, which would furnish his tobacco solace for the small sum of three for five, which is just i'll his line While at the cigar stand, fishing around . his not at all fashionable costume for the requisite coin, an acquaintance ar rived and planked down 15 cents for an imported weed. The cunning old manip- ulator of the destinies of Wall street lambs saw an opportunity here to make a turn in the cigar line. Producing 8 dime, he laid it beside the acquaint- ance's l5 cents and then suggested to said acquaintance to order two for a quarter. As the brand the gentleman wanted retailed for 15 cents straight or two for quarter the foxy Russell se- cured 15 center for 10 cents. This is lesson in economy, so there's no use saying anything about the other phase of the deal -Pittsburu Dispatch