About this book:

An absolute must read for functional feet enthusiasts! This is one of the oldest books we physically own & for some time we struggled to get hold of a digital version, we could not copy ours as its too fragile. We are happy to upload this file for you here to download & share! 

Introduction from this book: 

Our ideas as to what is elegant and proper in regard to the feet being so radically bad, I have no hope that the promulgation of the proper shape of the shoe will have any sensible influence in reforming the fashions of the day.

There are, however, many who, having outlived the vanities of fashion, sigh for a little comfort did they only know where to find it ; who for years have been exerting their ingenuity, and trying in vain, by means of lasts made for their feet, and various other expedients, to attain to the simple luxury of a comfortably fitting shoe, and these I am sure will feel thankful for the information now afforded them.

Parents, too, may be induced to see that the feet of their children are not made deformities before they are fully developed ; and I believe that a great boon would be conferred by the introduction of the proposed shape of accidents, and like causes, weakened parts are more susceptible to its influence," and then mentions cases in which first attacks, instead of appearing in the usual seat were limited to the knee or other parts that had suffered from previous injuries.

At page 354 he remarks, that" the metatarso-phalangeal joint is one which is subject to pressure and injury from having to support the weight of the body," and he adds, thereby affording impartial evidence as to the evil effects of an improperly shaped shoe, that he has, in many individuals who had never experienced any symptoms of gout, " very commonly found distinct evidence of injury on the surface of the

cartilage, both of the head of the metatarsal bone and of the cup-like cavity of the phalanx/' All this clearly points to a weakened part, and the merit of our author is in directing attention to the true cause of its production, for the metatarso-phalangeal joint is not, as Dr. Garrod says, actually injured by having to support the weight of the body, but by its having to do so in a constrained and unnatural position.

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