Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-16
CARE OF THE FEET.
May Develop to a Fairly Normal Shape Even When Deformed
 In Proper shoes.

Feet which are developed normally, and which consequently may rightly be called beautiful, are scarcely to be found except in ancient sculpture or iD infants. The modern foot clothing made of leather does not lend itself easily to the free play of the muscles and to the full development of the structure of the foot. Nevertheless, feet may develop to fairly normal shape if from infancy care is used in the selection of shoes, says Youths Companion.
 Most deformities of the feet are de- veloped during childhood, while the bones are soft, the fragments less re- s1stant, and the muscles, together with the other foot structures, are undergo ing rapid changes in development.
 Much attention has recently been directed by the manufacturers of shoes to the natural shape of the foot before it has become deformed, as it may be observed in infants, for exam pie; so that nearly every one may be supposed to have become acquainted with the fact that the inner side of the foot, including the great toe, should exhibit nearly straight line, while the outer edge should follow strongly marked curve.
 Even the best makers of shoesdo not make all their shoes on this plan. The dictates of fashion are more powerful than those of comfort; and besides, shoes in most cases must be provided for feet already deformed Hence in an article on the feet which would be of practical use, it is necessary to state that it does not suffice to apply to the shoe dealer for shoe of the natural shape of the foot, with the belief that one must necessarily be getting what is asked for; nor is it altogether safe even to trust the eye when the shoe is actually fitted before one. The plan most likely to result in the selection of natural-shaped shoe is to pencil the outline of the child's bare foot as it is held on a sheet of paper, to cut 1t out and use it as model, to which & shoe sole, when it is laid on it, is found to conform. Every reasonable shoe deal- CT is sure to approve of such a method, and with the definite model at hand will seek to furnish what is called for. After short experience one will ob- serve that the personal study of foot" covering will yield valuable res1lts in insuring comfort and natural develop ment of the growing foot.
 The power of the foot as a sustainer of the weight of the body is readily understood. The heel, great toe and outer side of the foot form the three points of a tripod. An outward-crowd- ed great toe decreases the utility of the foot to just such degree as it is forced from it's. normal position.
 Flat foot is frequently seen in chill dren, as a result of effort made to have them toe out gracefully. Toeing in is often due to the unconscious effort to lessen the strain on the arch of the foot, produced by badly formed shoes. Few children will toe in if they wear properly shaped shoes. The exceptions are those with weak foot-arches, for whom the shoes should be made with soles thicker on the inner than on the outer edge. The weightis thus shifted to the outer edge of the foot, and the strain on the arch of the foot relieved. This makes toeing out an easy, if not an altogether natural, procedure