Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-14
Foor BINDING IN CHINA.

In letter to the Missionary Record,
Mrs. Logan. the wife of medical mis-
sionary at n far inland station of
China. writes: Our work has brought
us into such close contact with foot
binding, and its horrors that 1 feel 1
must do something about it. If only
succeed in making you all thankful
that you live where such things are i'm
possible. In the homes of officials,
teachers and wealthy men. girls only 8
years old suffer the fortunes OF foot
binding.
They are caught and held firmly by
one woman, generally the mother,
while the grandmother holds the foot
in one hand and with the other kneads
and mashes 1t until the bones either
bend or break, so that the four smaller
toes be folded back towards the middle
Of the foot. and the heel brought for
ward SO that together they fill the
cavity and make the sole OF the foot
Alum powder is then thiclsly sprinlIled
between all the surfaces that touch
and the bandage, made OF thick cot
ton cloth, cut into three widths, Is
wound tightly around the foot to keep
1t in this shape.
The torture of the binding is much
ameliorated IL the woman who does 1t
is an adept, though the very fact that
it has been often done by them makes
them heartless and some times need
lessly cruel. I knew OF n case where
the child was resisting with all its lit
tie strength, and was screaming most
ptably the old woman said: "If you
don't stop yelling I'll twist one Of your
toes off" The child was unable to
stop, so she really did twist off one of
her toes, and as this made her scream
louder, she twisted off another on the
other foot. This made the foot smaller,
of course. Some times when the band
age is put on too tight and left un-
opened for some days. several of the
toes. will come off with its removal.
and instead of being piticd the child
is congratulated, as this insures smaller
feet than the regular binding does.
We had case not long since where
one foot was Just three inches long.
and from the other the toes had drop
ped off, leaving such an inlamed and
raw surface that it was impossible to
keep 1t bound. The child had insisted
on standing and walking, util the bent
toes had gradually Strengthened and
the foot was normal, except for the lost
toes and the ulcer in their places. You
can imagine what a sight she was. and
how awkw ardly she ambled along.
Some times in the struggle tho ankle
Is dislocated, and the foot ever after
wards turns at each step. If 1t were
only the children Of wealth and fashion
that had to go through such agony and
manning it would be sad enough, but
have seen women working in the fields
on their knees, because their poor,
aching stumps OF feet made It impossi-
BILE to stand UP. with the water half
way to their waists. 1t Is considered
here such a disgrace to have natural
feet that am frequently commiserated
betausc was not properly g treated
when a child. and frequently asked,
Are you not intending TO have your
daughters feet bound when she is 3
years old?" On my replying in my
most emphatic manner that she is not
to bear such pain as that, they often
ask, Are you not afraid that she will
never many? If we did not bind our
daughters' feet we could not get hus-
bands for them" ] tell them that IL
she doesn't marry I will be glad TO
nave her stay at home. and thai many
useful, lovely women in America are
unmarried. This Is very strange to
Inem. They have even no word to ex-
press an unmarried woman in their
Language, -Exchange.