New-York tribune., 1901-12-08
"CRIMES OF THE CORSET"
"A FRENCH PHYSICIANS VIGOROUS CRU
SADD AGAINST ITS USE BY
WOMEN UNDER THIRTY.
Paris. November 80.

Paris November 80.
In the four hundred years that have elapsed
since Catherine de Medicis introduced corsets INTO
France criticism of the article and Of the women
wearing it has not been lacking. Indeed It was
moi long after the death of Catherine when cele-
brated French savant gave public lecture IN his
dissecting room ct the Hotel Deu TO demonstrate
the grimes of which the corset was guilty Ihese
lectures raised much discussion at the uffae ana
they perhaps and not coquetry and the FEMININE
love Of change. were responsible for the loose
floating lines of the Watteau pleat, or, century
afterware, for the costumes Of the DirectoiTe.
Now another celebrated French doctor has re-
turned to the charge and. content with lectur-
ing and demonstrating The evils Of corsets, has
cone 40 far as to form bill which it is his ilten-
tion to present TO the Chamber, and which. in the
case Of its becoming law, would most enectuaiy
PUT q stop to what this doctor terms the crime OF
womanhood.'
Dr. MarechaI is a physician whose reputation
would not lead one to him Of mere sensa-
fionalisln yet the charges that he brings against
corsets in his recent lecture are perhaps more
stringent than those ever uttered before by any
member of the antf-corset brigade. DR.. Marechal
makes the astonishing assertion, and pretends to
back il I'D by statistics, that out Of hundred
Young women who wear corsets only thirty retain
perfect health
The law that DR. Marechal is endeavoring TO have
passed is divided into three articles Article for
bids any women under thirty TO wear corset OF
any desrrintfon ANY woman convicted Of doing SO
shall be punished by three months Of imprisonment
II the delincuent should be minor, her parents or
guardians as well shall be condemned TO pay a line
of from 100 to 1000 francs
Article II permits any woman over thirty 10 wear
any corset she wishes
Article III provides for the most rigorous fornah-
ties surrounding the manufacturing and sale Of
rorsets Every licensed TO sell corsets shall be
Obliged TO take the name dGGrcSs tllo age OF
every buyer and shall be subject to fine ana con-
tscation OF business in case Of an illegal sale.
Although DR.. Marechal asks that legislation SHAH
present he is by no to stop there IN his de-
Sire for dress reform He has good deal 10 say
on the subject Of high heels and pointed toes OF
tight gloves and long skirts. In snort ne cislfIls
that go.nen's dress has caused Il frghtful physical
deterioration IN the human species Hhie the
Uranium of the MerovingIan woman nad capaclty
French woman q capacity OF Only l53t cubic
eentnetres. and this loss. the doctor declares Is
Cue to the habit OF wearing heavy head9resses-,
AS 10 whether no modern French heaa
weighing only 1857 cubic centimefess x worth
more than Merovit gian Uranium Weighing some
what more is subject which the learned docpor
corsets hats wells and various oJher ITEMS OF ne
feminine wardrobe are bad, and has come to the
conclusion that if women witI not ee pc So u
discard them they should be forced TO &c SO
Dr. MarechaI is an ardent supporter or the "ofr-
en's rights movement IN france, ana yet III - 70
men and the law that he Appeals 10 prlhs me
admits that the vanity of the average woman %iii
allow her TO give Up these coquetrles, ana tilLt
she must be brought to do SO through tne inter
rention OF her old time lord and master the man
End husband
Bat II has been argued by people whose perspicu-
fly has been brought to bear on the subject that
the strongest objections to the uncorseieo Igute
cone from naan-the ordinary average man. Wheil
be shall become convinced that trig waist aIG
confined htps are not necessary TO woman 5 eoou
- appearance there is possibility that the corset
VII be done away with