Why the Shoe Pinches/Explanation of Woodcuts

by Georg Hermann von Meyer

EXPLANATION OF WOODCUTS.

Fig.	Page
1	19	Bony framework of a healthy foot, seen from above,—a a, metatarsal bones,—b, astragalus,— c c,phalanges of toes,—d d, the tarsus of which the astragalus forms a part.
2	19	The inner aspect of the foot, showing the arched construction of the whole foot,—a, head of metatarsal bone of great toe,—b, calcaneum,—c, astragalus.
3	21	View of a sole as yet in its natural state.
4	21	Sole of the foot of a child two years old.
		(In both of these Figures (3 and 4) the continuation of the axis of the great toe is seen to pass through the centre of the heel.)
5	23	A symmetrical (straight) sole, like those usually made for ladies' shoes.
6	23	A sole of the same kind for a man's foot.
7	23	An unsymmetrical sole (made to fit one foot only) of the ordinary make,—c d, the line in which the axis of the great toe lies in a sole of this kind.
8	23	The two outlines (Figs. 6 and 7) laid on one another, showing that the only difference between these two soles is in the direction of the "waist" between the heel and the anterior part of the foot.
9	25	Sole of the foot of a girl twenty-two years old, distorted by the pressure of the shoe, but otherwise healthy.
10	25	The same sole with the outline of a straight sole laid over it, showing how such distortions are produced by the form of the foot accommodating itself to that of the shoe.
11	25	View of the skeleton of a foot so deformed, from above. The joints of the toes look shorter here than in the healthy foot (Fig. 1), because, on account of the toes being curved, they are apparently diminished in length.
12	26	Sole of a woman about twenty; the second toe is pressed upwards and is therefore not visible.
13	26	Sole of the foot of a girl somewhat younger; the second toe is not seen here either, and the rest of the toes are also pressed into an opposite and wrong direction.
14	26	Apparently healthy sole of a young man nineteen years of age, in which, however, a false direction of the great toe may be observed.
		Note.—The two Figures 12 and 13, as well as Figures 3 and 9, I owe to Dr. Albrecht Clans, who was kind enough to sketch them from bodies lately coming before him as anatomical subjects; I have to thank the same gentleman for the drawings of Figures 4 and 14. It would have been easy to increase very considerably the number and varieties of examples of deformities.
15	31	The nail of the great toe in its healthy state. The dotted line shows the extent to which the nail is connected under the skin.
16	31	The nail of the great toe pushed obliquely on one side,—a, inflamed margin of the fold of skin pressed outwards,—b in this and the immediately preceding Figure is explained in the text.
17	32	Transverse section through the distal phalanx of the great toe with a healthy nail.
18	32	Transverse section of the anterior joint of the great toe with the outer edge of the nail bent up, ("growing-in nail.")
19	34	Bones of a foot in which the joint at the root of the great toe is very much distorted inwards, inflammatory exudations forming bony prominences are also apparent; seen from above.
20	37	Sole of a shoe unusually broad in the fore part, showing that in a sole of this kind also the great toe has a false position, that is to say, c d instead of a b,
21	40	Design for the construction of a proper sole. Explanation in text.
22	42	The proper sole for a shoe, indicating the line in which the great toe lies,—c d. The line marked a b is that round which the shoe is constructed in the usual method. (Compare Figures 5, 6, and 7.
23	42	The proper sole (Fig. 22) laid, for the sake of comparison, on the symmetrical sole of the ordinary shape (Fig. 7).
24	43	The proper sole pointed at the toes.
25	43	Eight and left soles of the proper construction placed side by side.
26	45	Method of constructing the proper kind of soles in cases where the great toe has been pressed obliquely out of its true position. Description in text.