The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-31
Are You "FIatfooted ?"

When new malady gets fairly into
the swim of fashion, the end of the
world, or of that feeble coney man, is
made to seem very near. A few years
ago 1t was appendicitis which held he
center of the stage and lei 10 much
worry as to the feature of civilization
until it was discovered that the death
rate was not rising, and that as ap-
pendicitis increased no other abdomi-
nal complaints diminished, so that what
had looked like a portent was found 20
be merely a matter of bookkeeping.
Just now. apparently, the rising favor
lite is f1atfoot. and the arch of the in
step is attracting an unprecedented at
tention.
AS always happens in such cases,
when a complaint becomes fasniona BILE
it spreads prodigiously. People who had
never heard of f1atfoot, except as ap-
piled to the wheels of trolley cars,
suddenly awoke to the fact that the
world about them was becoming full
of sufferers from the dread malady.
Hardly a family but contained some
body, or was interested in some body,
who was in the hands of doctors for
treatment. Each patient helped to adj
vertise the complaint and some system
of treating it. Discussion on the stand
ing of rival specialists, or, more
strictly, the specialist patronized by
rival sufferers, ragged; the odium theo-
logical is mild beside the emotions
as to the merits of doctors. Some were
for metal supports, others for leather,
others for shoes built to order on a
prescription from a surgeon, as an OPP
tician makes the glasses which the ocu-
list has prescribed. Others believed all
supports as well as all surgical treat
ment to be fallaciouS and were for ma
ture and the barefoot cure.
We need not fear quite yet that the
| imperfect walking apparatus developed
NV hn hmm In "a of
ages is giving out. Man has lost his
tail and has not yet quite got wings,
though they may come. In the mean
time the habit of walking will continue,
degenerating. AT the same time trouble
with the arch of the foot is no joking
matter to any one who has it or thinks
he has it, and the present epidemic will
| have served a good purpose if it makes
people take proper precautions. Many
experts hold that with proper shoes it
need never develop. A Danish author
ity pins his faith to a system of foot
gymnastics devised by himself, but it
is to be feared that the world at large
can never be induced to sit barefoot ev-
cry day for a few minutes twiddling its
toes for exercise. Other experts guar
antee that walking barefoot in soft
sand is infallible either as preventive
or as cure, but this preSuppoSes sea-
side residence. Some find the root of
the evil in the habit of walking with
the toes turned out, and point to the
Japanese army where this is forbidden
in order to prevent collapse of the feet.
In fact many have found in correct
habits of standing and walking the Sc
cret of prevention, laying stress upon
dividing the weight properly SO that the
outer side of the foot near the little toe
has its share to do. Among SO many
councillors each of whom probably has
a portion of the truth, it should not be
impossible for any one of reasonable
weight to avoid this new arch evil Of
society.-Springfiel Republican.