Page:Caplin - Health and Beauty1864 - 057.png

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Clothing from One to Twelve Years.
57

right foot will always accompany the right hand, as may be seen by watching it pick a pin from the ground. The right foot will be advanced, the right arm stretched forward, and in stooping the body will be twisted, and the whole of its weight thrown upon the right leg. When fatigued with long standing it naturally rests itself on this side, the weight falling on the right foot, which loses its arched form and becomes elongated, while the length of the limb is sensibly diminished. I have seen cases in which the right leg has become much shorter than the left, entirely from persistence in this inelegant habit. A short time ago a child was brought to me whose foot was quite flattened, every vestige of its arch having been destroyed; and although not strictly within the sphere of my prac­tice, I consented, at the entreaty of the mother, who is one of my patronesses, to try if the foot could be restored to its proper shape. A shoemaker was sent for to measure it for a pair of boots, and we pur­posely let him take the length of the left foot first. On proposing that he should try the right also, he said it was unnecessary, as one measure would do for both; but we persisted, and he found, to his surprise, that the right foot was fully half an inch longer than the other. On placing my finger under