The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-05
AN ESSAY ON CORNS.
1T CONTAINS THE EXPERIENCE OF AN
lNoUlRlNG SUFFERER.


smphatically.
The reply was satisfactory as far as il
went, but il didn't so far enough, anC
therefore the sufferer, not being able e
rid himself Of the pain by riding al.
ways, walked and pondered.
He began TO notice, when he walked
in one direction on one side Of a street,
that one foot was affected and when
he walked in the opposite direction that
the other foot was affected. The distress
was in the foot that was toward the curb
He could not walk ahead awhile and
then walk backward TO relieve the pain,
because he thought that he might be
looked upon as crank and that such
behavior in public street would be alb
surd anyway. Then he examined his
shoes and observed that the most of the
wear was on the outer edges of the soles
and heels and that the upper leather
had begun to bulge slightly over the
worn parts of the soles. When he put
his shoes on again, he observed that the
leather where it bulged pressed on the
painful area Of each little toe.
With the results Of the observations
in mind, the sufferer proceeded, step by
step, somewhat painfully at times, to
ascertain the cause of the effect on his
shoes. He would not acknowledge that
he might be bowlegged and unable to
wear evenly the soles Of his shoes, and
nobody who met him could observe any
unusual DETECTION from the ordinary
lines Of legs He trod carefully, and,
without making himself conspicuous
tried to walk on level, so that the
pressure would be equal on the whole
surface Of each sole. His toeing was
Observation-Disclosures too much outward
nor too much inward-and at times he
succeeded in walking as his mind di-
rected, but usually the distress that he
WINGED from indicated that something
was wrong somewhere. The foot on the
curb side of the walk was generally dis.
tressed more than the other. The fit Of
his shoes was fair, and for awhile the
suffering investigator could not deter
mine the reasons for the tendency to !
bulge on the sides. He defied any one to |
prove that the bottled waters that he |
drank could have an effect on his sys- |
tenn that would tend to make him edge !
toward the gutter Such an idea ought
not to be thought Of.
Going somewhat deeper into the SUBJ
Ject, beneath the shoes and the painful
areas, the investigator gave some atten-
ton to the surfaces Oh which he walked,
and slowed away in his memory the
characteristics of localities in which he
believed he had experiences that were
painful, more painful, and most pain
full, or almost painless He noticed, for
instance, when he walked across an as
phalt pavement from one sidewalk TO
another in certain localities, that his
tread was even and that he had little
pam. The experience suggested that he
could generally have relief by walking
on asphalt pavement, but he remember
ed the arrest Of an eccentric pedestrian
who insisted on having the privilege Of
III the middle Of the street and
decided that he would not risk himself
III that direction, Notwithstanding the
relief that might be obtained. He no.
lced also that the distress was less in
some localities than in others and that
III sidewalks were not alike. He tried to
.oniine bis walks 70 the localities in
which be felt the least distress. but he
lad to go such a roundabout way to ar
ave at any particular place, especially
us place Of business, that the plan had
o DO abandoned. Besides, he never trod
perfect lCute-aIOute that throughout
Us length had surface that could be
aced without pain. AT one point or an
timer the patient investigator felt
wlnges that were almost unbearable.
Lining up the subject on the best
QUITE he could find, he devoted his at.
entlon to the spot or block where he
al the most severe twinges. That sent
I'M 20 the sidewalk, describing the ac-
ION hguratively. He did not drop ON
is Knees, although he had the impulse
D 90 that and TO howl also, but he
topped at the curb and thought awhile.
Ie inferred that his sufferings were
reater in that particular block because
ome popularity or influence presented !
SELF there. At first the tentaoles of
1ought grasped nothing definitely, but
the pain departed from the affected
not, the powers of vision took hold and
10 result was a revelation. !
AS In many great discoveries and rev.
atlons, the cause of the effect was very
mple-the sidewalk had been graded !,
ON the house line to the curb for good
ralnage, and as the incline was a few
sgrees moro there than in many places
was natural that any one walking
lere should tend slightly toward tho 4,
'rb. The friction of the soles of the :.
ices ON the sidewalk being greater :,
ian the friction of the feet on the in y
n soles of the Shoes the weight of the -
'dy caused the feet to slide sidewise a,
the shoes. The effects ON the feet :. =,
ere different, and the painful effect in :,
10 foot and then the other depended =,
the direction in which the sufferer -
aiked. When the right foot was - =
ward the curb, its small toe was
essed against the leather and tortured.
nile the left foot by maintaining a
vel, the worn edge Of the left shoe be- .,
9 about equal to the degree of the in. ~
Inc, had very light pressure ON either 81
De. Guided by the revelation. the suf. .,