THE SPRINGBOK HEEL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13499, 14 August 1907, Page 3

THE SPRINGBOK HEEL.

"Just wipes out all behind as completely as a total eclipse conceals the sun." Tho boot is one of the monstrosities of civilisation. Man was not born with a boot on his foot, and the savage to-day will have none of it. Nature never intended the heel to be jarred all day long upon a solid leather block. The anatomy of the foot itself shows a beautiful structure in the form of an arch in hinge and joint bones, set upon a thick flesh pad, which forms the bottom of the foot. Elasticity is provided in every ene of tho twenty-six bones forming the foot, an.d to jar the foot is to jar the whole nervous system. Physicians have long since declared that the concussion caused bj r the heel of the boot striking the hard pavement induces fatigue, nervous exhaustion, irritability, neuralgia, and many allied disorders. If one looks at the structure of the foot, what the doctors say becomes self-evident.. And what a treat it is to get off the hard city pavement and walk upon the soft, springy turf of the field. The resiliency of the turf wants to be placed in the heel for the city man, but how?

The heel-bone, which carries the weight of tho body, is; surmounted by the- ankle-joint, and on tins rdsts- in a socket the Tibia, or log-bone ; and any jar sustained by the heel passes upward through these to the spinal column and to the brain. Every jar to the hoel thrills through the body to the brain just as the telephone message goes from sender to receiver.

Children are never so happy as when allowed to run about bare-footed, and the Maori woman very much prefers to sling her new boots over her shoulders, while the man from the country never can understand how just one day in town makes him so tired and leg-weary. Ho is not used to the city pavements; his roads are soft and springy, turf and clay, but tha jar, jar, jar on the flags and asphalt of the town gets on his nerves at once. The city* man does not notice it. He gets somewhat accustomed to it, or thinks he does, but the doctor says otherwise. It gradually shakes the nervous system in some form or other. And the cause of it is that hard, solid leather hoel. The martyr to fashion — the society lady who wears the high heel — suffers most from nervous headache, the result of the incessant ping, ping of the heel on the hard pavement vibrating , through the body to the brain. There is nothing violent to demonstrate that this concussion is really occurring — it is one of the insidious, unseen influences which causes friction, norve wear and tear, and gradual loss of power.

Boot manufacturers have for many years racked their brains to solve tho problem to give to the heel the spring and resiliency which Nature has clearly specified that it should have. Numerous rubber heels have been patented, and considerable relief has been afford ed, but none of them have been altogether satisfactory. The rubber, when placed under the heel, has three fatal objections. It wears out rapidly. It is a source of danger through its liability to slip on greasy roads or pavements. And its stealthiness is objectionable to most people. Other rubber ideas havo proved oven less successful.

But failings point the road to success; and, avoiding the mistakes of tho past, the Springbok Heel conies upon the market as something quite original and just wipes out all behind as completely as a total eclipse conceals the sun. The Springbok Heel is something altogether different to any other rubber heel. Instead of being placed on the bottom of the heel it is let into the boot heel, and the heel of the foot sits right on this perfect air cushion. It forms a "bridge," as it were, in the heel, and the arch below it becomes an air chamber, and this furnishes a perfect pneumatic maitress upon which the, rubber heel rests. Hence the heel has the elasticity of the rubber and the resiliency of tho pneumatic tyre. And, moreover, being enclosed in the. heel, it cannot wear, nor can it cause any slip. And, again, having leather underneath it, the Springbok is "audible" and not a "silent creeper," like , other rubber heels. Thus all the faults of the old inventions are completely conquered, and the Springbok stands before the| world perfect in all points, and the embodiment of simplicity — the true test of all great patents.

Another great advantage with regard to the Springbok Heel is 'that you may utilise any hard-wearing material on the outside of the heel, such as tips, plates, nails, circuletts, etc., and thus gain the durability, whilst the Springbok never wears out in the life of a boot, thus a great saving is effected over thoi ordinary rubber heel.

Notwithstanding its immeasurable superiority over all other heels, it can be supplied at a nominal cost, and can be I'uilt into any boot. Mr H. Goodacre, of the Egmont Boot s.nd Shoe Company, New Plymouth, Is the patentee of the Springbok Heel, which he has protected in practically all parts o ; f the world. A number of public men have had the heel fitted into their boots, and shortly it will be placed upon tho market.