Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-07-22
CARE OF THE FEET.

ordl comfort. IL is almost 1QcO0Co1VaDlo
that in our civilized nation, in the modern
age, there are still SO many otherwise SEN
sible women who are willing to MAIN
and cripple their feet, and suffer fortunes,
for the sake Of wearing shoes just lit
tie too small, or which are. as they mag
inc, falsely, prettier or more fashionable
We see the folly of the cramping process
upon the feet of the Chinese women, but
now much more ineXcusable is it for wom-
en- Of this enlightened country?
In former times it has been the fashion
for shoes to be made with high heels,
narrow pointed toes, and all sorts of eX-
travagant shapes contrary to case ana
comfort. And as too many people have
felt it incumbent upon them to bow to
the demands of the tyrant, fashion, no
matter how unrea sonable her demands,
the result has been for succeeding gener-
atoms untold suffering in the form Of
corns, bunions and other deformities until
now it is comparatively rare to see, except
among savage nations, perfect, we'll
shaped foot. But at last a more sensible
fashion allows the wearing of various
styles of sensible shoes that are adapted
to the ease and comfort Of the wcarer,
with thick soles, wide, low heels and
plenty of room for free expansion of the
toes and muscles, and the numerous corns,
which are not only exceedingly painful
but often serious affairs, are gradually
disappearing from the feet of the sensible
ones; and the ideal foot is no longer the
cramped and tortured foot.
The celebrated anatomiSt, Prof. Hyrtl
of Vienna university, opened one Of his
lectures to his class with the singular
question: (which is the most beautiful
foot, considered from the anatomical
standpoint and then continued: 1t is
remarka BILE that there are so many dl-
vergent opinions on this subject. While
the sons of men look upon small. slen-
der and graceful foot "a lady's FOOT as an
ideal one, the anatomist utterly rejects
it as beautiful, and only the large, long
and broad foot is the ideal one in his eyes.
Even the greatest classic writer's OF an
tiquity, Horace, Catallus and others who
beauty, never mentioned in the descrip-
tons of their beloved-and, as is well
known, they had many-their small feet.
THE people belonging to the Celtic
race have small feet; the Hindoos espe-
cially have such small feet and hands
that they may be envied by many Euro
pean countesses. The native troops of
the English army in India possess in
England their own armory where peculiar
kinds of weapons are constructed for
them, and the sword hits made for them
are much to small for us to grasp with
ease. The greatest beauties of Europe,
the Italians, have really long and broad
feet"
But even if we do not care to be con-
WINGED that the ideal foot is the foot that
is long and broad. we can certainly realize
the Importance of care in selecting shoes
of the proper size for comfort as we'll as
beauty. The foot never looks pretty in
a shoe too small for it and such shoes
soon become unshapely from undue press
ure, giving anything but pretty appear
ance.
On the other hand we should not fall
into the error of buying shoes too large.
These are quite as apt to cause corns as
small ones. by rubbing certain parts of
the foot. If anyone has the misfortune
to fall into this mistake it can be rem
edied to great extent by inserting q
soft wad Of cotton batting in the toe of
the SHOE or in the part that rubs against
the foot.
The same care is necessary in buying
shoes as in buying gloves; they will last
much longer and have a better appear
ance when made Of new, good skins.
Old leather or kid is not soft and elastic,
and does not easily shape itself to the
foot or the hand. This is not only a
matter of comfort, but of economy. In
this, as in many other things, 1.-THE best
is the cheapest" and as few women,
or men either for that matter, are good
only of honest, experienced dealers, in
whom we can confde, for we cannot af-
ford risks in q matter where SO much is
involved. An uncomfortable shoe is
really a very serious matter when we
take into considera ton the pain and dis
comfort the probable deformities IN the
way of corns and bunions, the wear on
the nervous system and the unpleasant
consequences of our irritable tempers
Of n
It scarcely seems necessary to speak
of the importance Of frequent bathing
of the feet and pairing OF the nails, and
vet many are surprisingly careless IN TINS
respect Corns are simply composed of
a great number of layers OF cutcle OF
scarf skin, one above another, each sue
cessiye layer being larger than the pre-
form of a grain of Indian corn (hence
it's name). This is constantly pressing
it's point upon the tender flesh. when
the shoe presses or rubs against it, and
as this cuticle is easily dissolved to
great extent by the warm water and
soap we can see that bathing is the most
ready and harmless remedy, as we'll as
preventive.
An article in the Scientific American
speaks very sensibly as follows: Many
are careless in the keeping of the feet.
If they wash them once a week they
think they are dong well. Ihey 40
not consider that the largest pores Of the
system are located in the bottom Of the
feet, and that the most offensive matter
is discharged through these pores. They
wear stockings from the beginning to
the end of the week without change,
which become completely saturated with
offensive matter. Ill-health is generated
by such treatment Of the feet. The
pores are not repellants, but absorbents,
and this fetid matter, to a greater or
less extent, is taken back into the sys-
tenn. The feet. as we'll as the arTmpits,
should be washed every day with pure
water and stockings should not be. worn
more than a day or two at time !.
1t is we'll, also, to have two pairs as Of
after wearing one pair a few days give
them sun and "a air while the others f. ar are
for two pairs of shoe seldom pinch the
foot in the same place.
Daily friction with cold water has a
tonic effect and tends to prevent corns
and taking cold Numerous remedies
might be recommended for corns but Moth
,,ro1-,, halpfl11 1UhiIp