The Washington times., 1905-07-18
HOW STENOGRADHERS CAN
HELP FIGURES AND FINGERS

Girls whose work requires That they
shall use typewriting machines many
hours of the day do not, as rule, car
ry themselves well. nor are their fingers
well shaped. Both OF these defects are
more a result of carelessness or ignof-
ance than anything else. but Ii is SO
easv to avoid them that the effort Is
worth making. 1t consists in lingering
the machine keys properly and sitting
correctly. Unless the latter is done not
only will shoulders be rounded, but af-
ter few years hips will be larger than
they should for sadentary occupation
has tendency to make women acquire
flesh about the waist.
A person should always sit so that the
tip OF the spine IS straight and not bent
under It is as a rule curved. because
persons rarely sit way back IN a chair.
Instead, they are about In the middle
OF It, and then lean the shoulders back.
This throws the weight of the body on
muscles only indirectly connected with
the spine and nearer the hips, and the
latter grow large. Al the same time
the spine ceases TO be straight. and the
result Is a poor ffure and bad carriage.
Nothing is more important to a wo-
man in any work for which she sits
as the chair back will permit This
will bring the tip of the spine into po-
sition, and if she stoops then 1t must be
from the shoulders, which is a degree
better. ANY forward movement, always
should be made from the hips. It will.
however, be easier TO sit erectiy when
the spine is properly placed, and the
round and bent look so commonly seen
viii be prevented. Every stenographer
should have one Of those chairs made
with a small sliding back fitted to a
curved brace which permits of q sup
/ port TO the back placed In the position
most needed. II one OF these Is not
provided by the Office in which one
works it is worth girls buying It.
These same chairs by the way, should
be used by all women sewing much, for
! they are great assistance in sitting
| properly In correct pose a girl can
work longer without fatigue, as the
muscles best fitted for support are Civ
/ Ing 1t.
Noticing ungIoved hands in street cars
/ at this season of the year. it is fire.
quentIy not difficult 10 tell a stenoKra-
| pher by the shape OF the nails of fore
and middle fingers and thumbs. Both
are worn down at the side from strik-
/ inc keys and spacers, and the fingers
| are also fiat at the sides. This is most
easily avoided by holding the fingers at
a little different angle. at which quite as
| rapid work can be done, but without
! bad effects. The general inclination
! seems to be to strike the keys at such
/ an angle that the nails hit This is a
result OF CurVing the fingers too much
! for if they are held a little straighter
! the blow will be struck by the finger
[ ~ -,-fE
Il saving, and worth practising to at
/ tain.
/ The way the nails are trimmed will
! also have something to do with this. II
a person has square nails IT is a mistake
/ to file them down at the side TO make
| them oval. The result will simply be a
| general fiatness. for unless the flesh
at the sides of the finger tips has some
| thing to cling TO 1t will fall away and
become broad. Doing this is most com
| mon fault OF inexperienced manicures
| and the defect IN fingers most often seen
. If the nails are naturally square trim
! them on that line. being sure to keep
| up the corners. Shapz the fingers them
! selves by pinching them at the sides
/ to train them into q taperng shape.
| which Will be greatly helped if the
finger tips are soaked f1ve minutes every
night in warm almond oil and then
bound separately snugly. but not to stop
| circulation. This persistently done for
weeks will accomplish much but 1t will
take some time.
! AS no person can keep In good physi-
cal condition without some exercise n
| girl who is chained TO a desk all day ex-
| cept Mt her luncheon hour should take
five minutes out of that to use all her
muscles and keep her circulation active.
one that will be most restful to q steno-
| grBphcr whose wrists and fingers are
tired is that OF deyltalizing her hands
and then shaking them violently. De-