Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-11-02
DONT'S FOR
MOTHERS BUYING
CHllDREN'S SHOES

spend half as much serious thought
on the little tricks of creeping, stand
ing and sitting of their babies, and
tie proper fitting of the little tots
shoes, as they do on the purple and
fine linen with which the infants are
clothed, there would be fewer pedic
ailments than there are today.
There are at least three large shoe
Establishments in this city that have
recently inaugurated special depart
ments for the purpose of remedying
Pedic defects in children, so it will be
seen that the danger of too tight
or i'll fitting shoes is not altogether
an imaginary one, says the st. Louis
Republic.
Much of the trouble could be avert
ed if mothers would only take a great
er degree of interest in the subject
This is the statement of an expert:
Mothers often sacrifice the com
fort, if not the health. of their chill
dren, to their own vanity he said.
"They want to have their childrens 9
feet too small, particularly if the
child happens to be girl. The!
don't mind how broad the shoe hap
pens to be, but it must be short.
I'm fitting their children to shoes
mothers should see to it that there
is plenty of room for the little feet
to spread and grow. Too short a
shoe will plant the seeds of bunions
and dozen other more or less dis
t1essing ailments.
IF shoe is too narrow it presses
the foot together in an unnatural po-
s:tion. so that there is hollow Oh
the bottom.
This forms corr Of suction, so
that the heat, perspiration and damp
ress are held there. all of which
weaken the insSep and cause much
discomfort. Women often complain
ef their feet burning; it is just this
difficulty which causes it, and the
chances are if they dressed their feet
in broader shoes the trouble would
vanish.
Get a shoe with a soft kid vamp.
on upper, although not so =much de
Itnds On the upper as upon the sole,
which should be firm and strong, so
as to support the tender foot OF a
child
Just as soon as the baby begins
t. walk put on him Well-made. stiff
soled shoe, long enough and broad
enough to give every part Of the foat
a chance of development.
"A button is better than lace shoe,
and for this reason: A lace shoe
should be laced every hour.
.'Ycu know yourself that after wear
ing a lace shoe an hour becomes
loose and allow sthe foot to spread.
This is not good for a child. A button
loot holds the foot firm and lends
better support to the ankle.
.In these days of high heels
mothers sometimes want them put o.
their daughters too young, but, ac-
eordng to an orthopedic surgeon, up
t. the twelfth year child should wear
nothing but a spring heel. After that
heel Of from one-half to five-eighths
of an inch should be substituted. In
case the spring heel is worn too long
there is a possibility that the natural
arch of the foot will be lacking. which
lis so essential to comfort, beauty and
grace of carriage.
"These go-carts in which the child'S
feet cannot touch the foot support
are exceedingly dangerous. giving
rise to trouble with the legs and often
with the spine. Nature built man in
the way is was intended he should
be and the moment that fashion or
custom interferes there is trouble.
For instance, the body is SO construct
ed that without mans Intervention it
is perfectly poised.
"Any position that changes the
poise of the foot affects the knee
and that effects the hip, and SO the
back. So that often I have to treat
the feet for pains in the back. Man
cannot interfere with nature without
suffering the consequences.
.The dancing position which chill
dren assume when learning, with
heels together and the toes turned
fa~ out. is exceedingly bad, as It
throw the axis of the body in wrong
position. and mothers should not al
low their little ones to stand in this
very dangerous attitude"