LECTURES TO WOMEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10653, 14 May 1895, Page 2

LECTURES TO WOMEN.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —As one who attended Dr Lomax Smith's meeting for women alone, I wish to bring before the women of Canterbury several statements made at the said meeting by the gentleman who lectured. The learned Doctor stated that in America the doctors had discovered that, through ages of corset-wearing, the women only breathed through the upper part of the lungs, whilst men—and women when still in a state of nature—breathed through the lower part of their lungs; also, that corsets pressed down, out of place, the liver and lower internal organs, thereby causing death to mother and offspring. The above statement is, I think, sufficient to make corsetwearing a penal offence. It is in vain that the tioctor thinks corsets necessary if nob tight - laced. Whilst corsets are worn at all there are always numbers who will lace them tight, or wny such a fearful, state of affairs as in America? lam surprised that the doctor advocated the wearing of anything that can have such fearful results to the human race, both in the past and future. In speaking of dress. Dr Lomax-Smith referred to the Grecian maidens, who never wore corsets, and whose drees allowed them to indulge in every form of their brothers' amusements. Everyone knows bow perfect the Greek women were in physical form and beauty. The Doctor then went on to knickers for women. Ho said they were tho correct thing for freedom of motion, warmth, and comfort, and finally wound up by preferring the skirts, ai graceful. Why should warmth, comfort and freedom of movement ba sacrificed to grace; health and fashion ? The doctor feared too much study would prevent women being efficient wives and mothers. Recent accounts of women contradict that fear. At any rate, no amount of competition in study could do half the harm to the race that is done by corset-wearing and repression of the limbs. Again, the doctor says that it devolves upon the mothers to bear and rear the coming generations, and yet education and study of a higher order are not supposed to bo good for them. Why. that very duty demands for them, if possible, an education of a higher all-round kind than would be required by man. Everyone knows that, with women as with men, there are those who are clever and intelligent, and there are also those who are incurably dull and incapable of a high educational standard. All of either sex should have equal educational advantages; some of either sex will always sink or swim. The sexes should also have equal claims to that freedom of motion, exorcism, warmth and comfort of clothing so extolled by the learned doctor. Mentally and physically women should be fitted to fill the high position designed for them, and, should that position be denied them, should thereby be enabled to earn their own living and not have to eat the bread of dependence.—l am, &c., •CINDERELLA.