Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-04-27
Yellow Races Use the Foot.

IS nS' only an organ Of support and
/ Pr, erosion, but also of prehcnsion or
! gre ping, like the hand.
Mans foot, an essential part OF his
locomotive apparatus, sustains the
weigh; Of his body while he walks,
lis sole being we'll shaped for adapt
ton TO the inequalities OF the ground.
In the attitudes Of sitting and lying
down the foot has an altogether &C
ceSsory function, at least in the white
race, the instances where it serves for
grasping objects being quite excep-
tional.
According 10 the French Investigate VI
Lannelongue, point of departure for
/ functional transformation of the foot
IS found in its century-old adaptation
to special usages. Tha; il may better
/ respond to its duties the occidental foot
/ is enclosed in a rigid and narrow shoe
holding it mechanically in a form that
prevents its functional development.
In the Far East, on the contrary, the
.
covered only by a forked stocking, en-
abling the introduction of a thong be-
tween the first and second toes (as in
Japan, sometimes covered with a
stocking in shoe or a large cloth
slipper las in China).
Lannelongue examines the function
al notifications that the foot takes
on according to the preceding circum-
stances in the two principal attitudes
assumed by the human body in the
walking state-the crouching and the
vertical attitudes.
The crouching attitude is very fire.
quent in India, Japan, Maylasia and
even in China. 1t offers three diff
ferent positions. In one, the most or
binary, the body sits on the heels, in
the second it sits on the ground and
in the third it sits on nothing and
remains in the air.
In each of these attitudes the foot
is employed differently. Take the
case where the body sits on the ground
The lower limbs, generally, much bent,
are placed in front OF the body, the
knees form an angular protuberance
and furnish a resting place for the
arms. This is the fayorite position
for the Hindus, who sometimes sleep
in this attitude, and with the Malay and
many negroes. This position ap-
proaches very closely that habitually
taken by apes.
The authority quoted has seen,
at Toxic in a theatre box, young
man Of l6 OF II years sitting with his
feet grasping the railing as il they
were hands, the youth using his right
foot to scratch his left thigh and knee.
In the second form Of squatting the
trunk rests directly on the heels. This
is the familiar attitude of the Japa-
nese at meals and in general when at
home. The foot acquires great sup
plenes and agility which enable it TO
endure these attitudes long time.
Furthermore, the great mobility Of the
toes, particularly that of the great toe,
| fits these organs to various functions,
from those that merely balance the
body to those that enable them to
grasp objects within their reach.
Finally, there is the squatting atti
tude wherein the body rests on nothing
at all but is held in the air several
inches above the heels. This is rarer
than the other types. 1t would appear
to be a tiresome position, although
those who use it do not find it so.
In relation to the independence and
mobility of toes among orientals,
Lannelongue points out that the big
toe is separated from the others, be-
ing able to execute a slight rotary
movement, so that its upper side turns
little downward. The great toe thus
becomes, like the thumb, an organ
serving to grasp objects. Even the
little toe may also move and rotate
slightly. This has been noticed in
women VII manipulate the paddle on
sampans.
While walking the natives use their
feet to scrape together on the ground
with dexterity and precision different
objects, leaves or fruit, and they also
pursue and catch mice alive. II is,
however, in certain special occupations
that the use Of the foot is impor-
tant and renders the workmen more
skillful.
On the rivers, streams or canals,
transportation and postal facilities de-