OUR BABIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13955, 15 July 1909, Page 7

OUR BABIES.

(By Hygeia.) Published under the auspices of the Society for the Promotion of theHealtli of AN omen and Children. It will be remembered that our correspondent, whose admirable thesis on Corsets we published last week, said ot Jjer injunction, "'Girls take them off : —"lt is a pity that the phrase cannot be sent echoing through the length and breadth of our country." It should be some satisfaction to the writer that in a country with less than a million inhabitants a hundred thousaud copies of her whole article have been scattered broadcast in a dozen, newspapers from end to end of the Dominion 111 the course of last week. JMore than this, we commence in this issue the. publication of some hundreds of thousands of additional columns which will afford ample continuation of the conclusions which were arrived at by our correspondent from Iter own personal experience. Sho spoke, by the way, mainly from the point of view of a single woman —increased efficiency and feeling of fitness; the joy of being alive and healthy; "the delightful feelin"- of it all —girls, you don't know your're alive with these things on. 1 ' hut however important for the woman herself, some of our readers may wonder why so much attention is being devoted to corsets Ui "Our Babies'" coloums. The answer is surely obvioils —anything which gravely interferes withthe health and fitness of girls and women strikes "a blow below the belt" at the baby. There is probably 110 single factor which prejudices tlio uriIxirn more than the restrictions of bodily movement and the displacement and distortion of organs brought about by the improper clothing of those who are to be mothers. Not only does this cause the unborn to be gravely injured and ofttimes ushered into the world prematurely, but it is a most important factor in reducing women to a condition of debility in which they aro unable to properly nurse their offspring.

By far the most - important ■ recent work oh the Health Sickness of Children is a German Encyclopedia in

j four largo volumes which arc publish- | cd last year, giving the conclusions arrived at by the researches of the last 10 vears—a. decade in which more has been" added to the world's knowledge in this connection than during any previous century. Writing on the precautions which should be taken with •'<- view to preventing weakness and- disease iii offspring, Dr. Bcndix, of Berlin. savs under the heading clothing:

The corset is the greatest and most serious menace to the health of the female sex. Owing to the dictates of fashion, which declare a waist beautiful only when encircled by a corset as by an armour, there develop /liter a time those- injuries and anomalies of t which the constricted chest (Schnurtlioro) is characteristic. Here, above [ are to be considered the effects of pres- > sure upon the abdominal organs, par- | ticularly upon tho liver, and the disj jjhtcement of the abdominal organs (gas-t-roptosis, enteroptosis.), with all their ! remote sequelae, such as dilatation of the digestive organs, anaemia in all j grades, poor development, and nervi/us symptoms of all' kinds. Tho earlier in life tight lacing is practised, and tho more the shape of the thorox is distorted from tlie normal, the more certain is the prolapse of the stomach, tho less the opportunity for the blood-mak-ing system to escape- disturbance, and tho more persistent and difficult to cure the consequent symptoms of disease. Children who do not wear corsets, but who wear skirt bands wliich are too tight, may develop manifestations similar to those which occur from wearing tight corsets. It is a part of the general precautions necessary for health to preserve the natural form of the chest in the young aud to guard them from the evils induced by tho wearing of corsets. But in order to get along without a corset, which lends support to the cutire upper part of tile female Jigure, incluunig breasts ami back, it is necessary that the girl's body should bo strengthened by good nourishment, plenty t,l fresh air, and particularly by exercise, such as gymnasties, tennis, rowing, walking, etc., so lliat the muscles may bu strong enough to furnish the requisite support without artificial aid. This end is fidly attained, in. my experience, when the development of the muscles of the oiiest and back is begun early. Instead cf,corsets, the girls ought to wear imderwaists which have buttons, to which the skirt aud drawers can be fastened, thus dividing the weight of the clothes between the hips and shoulders. This ri'ianner of dress docs not permit tho \Vcaring ,of heavy underclothing. If when wearing this kind of clothing it is found that there is pressure upon tlie two floating ribs (which in women is particularly harmful), the band of tlie skirt must be worn more loosely, and the garment itself should be made to rest snugly upon, and take its support from, the upper part of the haunch bones.

.~i)r Harry Campbell, one of the greatest ■ ,medical authorities in London at the present moment, writing recently on. the Causation and Prevention of Disease, said: — ' ■ " The most injurious article of modern dress is undoubtedly the corset, for without question it is responsible for a great deal of disease. Ordinary stays for adults, even when made of the" most pliable material, laced with elastic cord and worn loose, interfere with proper breathing, for they do not admit of complete inspirations. If they did, tho hand could be placed under the corset at the end of the deepest inspirations without being compressed. As a matter of fact, the thorax of all corset-wearers is distorted, the lower part being compressed and the upper part unduly expanded and mobile, so that no woman who has habitually worn stays can be employed as an undraped model."