The curvature of the spine, spoken of in this work as so common, and as the cause of so many diseases among American women, is what is denominated the lateral curvature, and is much more dangerous than the other distortion. The indications of this evil, are, the projection of one shoulder blade more than the other, and, in bad cases, one shoulder being higher, and the hip on the opposite side more projecting, than the other. In this case, the spine, when viewed from behind, instead of running in a straight line, (as in Fig. [7] and [9],) is curved somewhat, as may be seen in Figures [10] and [11].
This effect is occasioned by the softness of the bones, induced by want of exercise, together with tight dressing, which tends to weaken the muscles that are thus thrown out of use. Improper and long continued positions in drawing, writing, and sleeping, which throw the weight of the body on one part of the spine, induce the same evil. This distortion is usually accompanied with some consequent disease of the nervous system, or some disarrangement of the internal organs.
By comparing Figures [9] and [11], the difference between a natural and distorted spine will be readily perceived. In Fig. [10], the curved line shows the course of the spine, occasioned by distortion; the perpendicular line, in this and Fig. [11], indicates the true direction of the spine; the horizontal lines show that one shoulder and hip are forced from their proper level.
Fig. 9.
Fig. 10.
