New Britain herald., 1925-10-27
Your Health
How to Keep It,
Causes of Illness
by DIR. Hugh s. Cumming

| 'j '''' hVsI >. cumming
surgeon General United States Pub
| lie Health Service.
| The care OF the feet can be dis.
cussed under two headings-preven.
tive and corrective.
AS to the former the care OF feet
| should begin in our infancy. As a
rule, 1t Is a comparative easy matter
for an orthopeJic surgeon to correct
| congenital deformities OF the feet
without a cutting operation, IL tho
child Is brought to him In its first
year.
BY skillful manipulation which re-
suits IN the stretching Of shortened
tendons and lgaments and by mold.
! Ing the dcformed foot into the pro-
per position and shape and holding
It there by means OF plaster casts.
congenital deformities OF the feet
OF young children can very often be
cured.
Weak ankles and weak feet oc-
curing in childhood are usually dine
to general debility and lack of mug
Gle tone. Therefore the nutrition OF
the infant should be properly super
vised by physician TO see that 1t
receives the proper kind Of food.
The covering Of tho child's foot
Is important. The bones, ligaments
and cartridges in childhood are soft
and easily distorted by tight stock
ing and ill-fitting shoes. The chid's
| feet should be bare as many hours
as possible, especially when he is in
the house.
AS child begins to stand and
walk, and shoes or sandals DIRE ne
cessary in order to protect his feet.
he should be encouraged TO exercise
the toes to prevent cramping. Great
care should be taken TO select shoes
and sandals that arc roomy, soft
and flexible.
No Heels on Infants Shoes
Heels should not be worn on in
fant's or children's shoes. Nature
meant US to stand and walk in such
a position that the heels arc on the
same level as the toes.
High heels tend 10 make Us fall
forward. TO bear our weight on our
toes, to doform the arch Of the foot.
shorten the muscles on the back OF
the calf and to disturb the relations
OF our internal organs.
In localities where ground pollu-
ton Is not present, 1t is good for
children TO. walk around bare-footed
IN warm weather. or course in
places where hook worm Is prevalent
this should not be done.
Children should be taught 10 walk
with the toes pointing directly for
ward. the feet being parallel.
II is 4 fallacy to think that toejus
out Is the correct method of. walk
ing. Toeing out tends to weaken
the arches.
Exercises to Keep the feet Flexible
Certain simple exercises tend to
keep the feet flexible and in a.
healthy condition. Moving the toes
IN oil direction Is one Of them.
A good exercise for the toes is tn
try to grasp a small marble with
them. Moving the foot in all direc-
ton Is another good exercise. Ris-
Ing on the toes and heels is also eT-
cellent. These exercises can be taken
upon arising in the morning and
before retiring at night.
When nails are cut, 1t Is better
10 cut them straight across and not
TO round off the corners because by
rounding off these corners, ingroy-
ing nails are encouraged.
Persons in certain occupations.
such as walters. policemen, letter
carriers, statesmen, etc, require spe-
cial care of the feet.
Those engaged in such occupations
should battle the feet every evening
upon their return from work and
change 10 fresh shoes and stocking,
In the morning, fresh, clean, soft,
well-fitting stockings should be put
on and shoes Of sufficient length,
broad and roomy at the toes, WELL
fitting around the instep, with soft
leathar tops and low heels should be
worn.
In this way corns, callouses, bum
ions, ingrowing nails, overlapping
toes and n host Of other foot ills
would be avoided.
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