Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1875 — “Figure-Training.” [ARTICLE]

“Figure-Training.”

The following extracts are made from opinions expressed by medical men, apropos of the corset, in the Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine: First Opinion— ‘ 4 My medical experience, therefore, leads me to the following conclusions: Firstly —That, provided the corset be perfectly made, accurately fitted and gradually applied, and at the same time ample space allowed for the expansion of the chest, the waist may be laced to extreme slenderness without endangering the heart or lungs. Secondly —ln those who, having grown rapidly, perhaps, or from some other debilitating cause have a tendency to indulge in stooping and ungraceful postures, the strict application of tightly-laced corsets may be deemed indispensably necessary. Thirdly —Although the very early adoption of corsets is most effectual as a means of bringing about and establishing the exceedingly graceful proportions so much aimed at at the present time in fashionable society, yet the neglected figure of the adult may be vastly improved by such appliances—a gradually-increased tension of lace being all that is required to completely remodel the figure.” Second Opinion—“l am of opinion that moderate support -at the waist by means of stays, although causing some compression, is harmless and beneficial for ladies, and even necessary for their style of dress; hut I strongly advise all ladies when trying to 4 make the figure’ never to go be. yond the limits of comfort.” Third Opinion—“As a medical man, and not one of the old school, I feel perfectly justified in saying that ladies who are content with a moderate application of the corset may secure that most elegant female charm, a slender waist, without fear of injury to health.” Fourth Opinion: 44 So far as I have observed, tight-lacers are, as a rule, active, brisk, healthy, young people. At any rate, though no doubt extreme tigljt-lac-ing may do mischief, I have very rarely met with instances of it. I have sometimes seen decided improvements in health follow when tight-lacing has been enforced by a careful mother or governess on an awkward, round-shouldered girl.” The editor of the Magazine follows these extracts with: 44 For the future our columns will no longer be open to the discussion of the subject of so-called 4 figuretraining.’ Some of us would prefer to call

it, with Dr. Conquest, ‘improving and modeling God’s last, most beautifnl and perfect work.’ We are far from advocating a loose or untidy style of dress, and we know that corsets are not only indispensable with our present mode of costume, but that our climate would not permit us to be loosely dressed. The east wind gets up our sleeves and in at our necks as it is! Well-fitting corsets are comfortable and supporting, but tight ones are net only a torture but a folly. Look how the baby of a few weeks old protests against the bands in which he is swathed. When they are removed with what enjoyment he stretches the round limbs, first one leg, then another, then makes the acquaintance of his own little fists, which he seems to take for something good to eat, blinking contentedly all the time and reveling in his freedom. In counfries where children are permitted to be without any kind of swathing they begin to creep about and run alone at a much earlier age than they do with qs. ~Gen. Eaton, United States Commissioner of Education, estimates the child population between the ages of six and sixteen in the thirty-seven States and Territories at about 10,288,000. An army of 800,000 teachers in needed to educate this host of citizens and future freemen