work by their heavier and rougher character, while the thin walls and fragile internal substance of other bones show that the muscles of the arms and the legs were paralyzed or wholly useless.

m

m

m

m

BLOCKS SHOWING HOW THE VERTEBRÆ ARE HELD TOGETHER
BY LIGAMENTS AND MUSCLES

7, ligament; m, muscle

Evidently, then, active exercise leaves its mark even on the bony part of the body. Thus, without making any close examination of our own separate bones, we may know, by the exercise we give them, what their prospects are year by year.

CHAPTER VI

BONDAGE AND FREEDOM FOR THE FEET

As I looked at the small, deformed feet of our friend the Chinese lady, I easily imagined what had happened

The huge ankle shows how deformed the foot really is

to the bones that made up the bulk of the huge ankle above the shoe. No one saw this ankle. All we saw

was the dainty, handmade shoe two and a half inches long, embroidered in silk of lovely shades, and made of cloth and silk above a leather sole.

For hundreds of years Chinese custom demanded that all the women of the upper classes in the empire should hobble through life on deformed feet. Some feet were larger, some were smaller, but in certain regions the most stylish shoes were two and a half inches long. This, then, was the size of foot which the ladies wished to have. To secure it a mother began to bind the feet of

wished to have this done. Nevertheless the bandages were drawn so tight that night after night young girls have cried themselves to sleep in China because their feet in their bandages hurt them so.

Almost never, however, were the bandages left off. They were changed from time to time. But when they were put on again they were pulled ever tighter until in the course of years the child secured the foot which could never again help her by the movement of the bones which formed it. The toes had been drawn in under the foot; the heel had been drawn forward to

meet them; muscles and tendons had been kept from growing, while the bones themselves had been obliged to take strange new shapes as they fitted themselves into such space as they could get.

When I saw my friend the Chinese lady, her feet were set for life. They gave her little discomfort, and she herself now took entire charge of their binding. Until she dies, however, she must hobble through her duties and her pleasures almost as helpless as if

her feet were cut off at the ankles.
Fortunately for China, the
government has now for-
bidden foot

binding throughout the empire.

At last,

therefore, the girls of the land may sleep in comfort, and the future ladies of the Celestial Empire may walk about with such ease and grace as can only come when the entire foot is at the service of the body.

Even in other lands than China there is often lack of comfort, while very often all trace of grace is also lacking. When you see your own bare foot to-night compare its natural shape with the shape of fashionable shoes. Remember the following facts and decide what the sensible course of action is:

1. Each foot is made up of twenty-six small bones. 2. These bones are joined to each other by ligaments and muscles.

3. No foot can be in thoroughly good order, neither can it exercise itself with ease, unless each muscle, bone, and ligament is allowed to move with freedom.

4. If the arch of the foot is flattened, health is apt to suffer. Indeed, it is so serious a matter to be flat-footed that men with this handicap are refused admittance to the United States army. Test the condition of the arch of your own foot by dipping the bare sole lightly in water, then pressing it on blotting paper. The imprint made will show whether the foot is flat or arched. Those who stand still for hours every

A

FOOTPRINTS

B

A, an arched foot; B, a flat foot

(After Schmidt)

day are in danger of flattening

their feet. While they stand they should therefore save the arch by resting the weight of the body first on one foot for a while, then on the other. If you have any tendency to flat feet, help yourself by the following exercise. Stand with toes turned inwards, and while in this position rise as high as you can on your toes. Do this one hundred times, twice a