An inquiry into the nature and causes of lateral deformity of the spine : in reference, more especially, to the pernicious effects of certain moral and physical influences, resulting from the modern system of female education : with practical hints for the prevention and cure of this affection / by Edward W. Duffin.

Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the nature and causes of lateral deformity of the spine : in reference, more especially, to the pernicious effects of certain moral and physical influences, resulting from the modern system of female education : with practical hints for the prevention and cure of this affection / by Edward W. Duffin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    fail to lay the foundation of many distressing com- plaints^ and not unfrequently induces a premature and painful decay in all the powers of life. We know that fruit of any kind, if confined during its growth, withers and drops off the tree before it has attained one-half its natural size ; and, figuratively speaking, this would be the case in young females, did not the relief obtained by being undressed at night, in some degree compensate for the injury sustained relaxing their stay-lace after dinner, in consequence of the uneasi- ness experienced from indigestion. It is by no means uncommon for all the symptoms of diseased heart to arise from the same source, which are speedily removed by a discontinuance of so injurious a practice. The baneful influence of tight lacing, on the form of the lungs and liver, is familiar to every one v^^ho has had an opportunity of spending a winter in the dissecting-room. These organs are often found moulded into shapes the most distant from natural; con- forming, in fact, to the unnatural configuration imparted to the chest and lower ribs, resulting from long-continued injurious pressure. How, then, can they be reasonably expected to per- form, in a proper manner, their peculiar functions, essential as these are to the preservation of perfect health ? Nay, there are not wanting instances wherein this injurious practice has been carried even to a much more serious extent. We remember reading in the Times newspaper, a few years ago, a case similar to the following, which is extracted from the Nottingham Review, for Oct. 3, 1834:— Laced to Death.—Harriet, youngest daughter of Mr. Tory, farmer, of Wisbeach, died suddenly on the 18th instant, in conse- quence, it is supposed, of being too tightly laced. A coroner's inquest on the body returned the verdict,—Died by the visitation of God.—[It should have been — Squeezed to Death.]