The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-18

! the Orient. this practice has not pre-
vailed to so great an extent. There
class distinctions are patiently ac-
, cepted, and the peasants at least have
the consolation of greater comfort.
Along with the long, narrow, vamp
in this country, also came the tradi-
ton that the proper, "ladylike" way
to walk was to toe out. For years we
have been admonished to turn out our
toes in standing, walking and dancing,
altho it must have been apparent that
such a posture was destructive of
proper balance. beauty of outline and
grace of action. Curiously enough,
this tradition has not only dominated
social life, the stage and the art of
dancing, but until recently it was even
held up as a pattern in our military
schools and gymnasiums. Fortunately,
in the past few years science has
awakened to the evil of this popular
misconception, and every attempt is
being made to correct it.
AS an example of how firmly rooted
this tradition had become, a story is
told of a mother who was very much
worried because her small son showed
a tendency to toe in. After trying in
took him to a doctor. and asked what
could be done about it. Thank the
Lord, madam" was the doctors ad
vice.
Walking
straight forward" is the advice of
anatomical experts today THE arms
should swing evenly at the sides. Heels
that are worn off on the outer edge
show that a person toes out. This
weakens the arches. When climbing
stairs carry yourself as in walking.
only lifting the knees. Keep the body
erect and you will find this is excel
lent exercise. AS it develops the
heart and lungs the body should be
erect to allow these organs room to
work.
In order to maintain a proper pos
ture while walking, however, you must
wear the proper kind of shoes. Some
people walk very little, especially since
the automobile has become so preva-
lent, and these people are doubtless
safe in wearing fashionable, cramped
shoes. But the person who must walk
a great deal in performing his work,
or who walks for exercise, is leopard
izing his health by wearing this type OF
shoe. In all the centuries OF shoe-
making no improvement has ever been
made on the moccasin. But the moe
casin is no longer practical because
We do not walk. as did our ancestors,
on the mould of the forests and on the
soft turf of the fields. But what we
need of a shoe resembling the moe
casin in absolute flexibility, and yet
made with a heavy sole to Wlthstanu
the shock of concrete sidewalks. Such
a SnOG
of shoe firms turnout the country, and
can be procured at moderate cost.
Painful feet should be SUFFICIENT al
eument for wearing correct shoes, but
when it is understood that many other
bodily ailments are due to uncomfort-
able Shoes there will begin to be rel
demand for foot comfort. This point
was firmly established at the recent
International Conference of Women
Doctors here, which was SO widely at
tended by male physicians. The one
woman at the conference who had
perfect feet was DIR. Tomo 1nouye of
Japan, who politely but frankly as
serted that she never would have had
them had she lived in this country and
worn our American shoes. She claims
that ailments among japanese women
have greatly increased since American
shoes have been introduced into the
country-a contention in which the
American doctors backed her up
In the opinion of a large majority
of our leading physicians, the health
of future Americans is almost as much
in the hands of our shoe manufacture
ers as in the hands of the medical
profession.