Bloch brings together various interesting quotations concerning the farthingale and the crinoline. (Beiträge zur Ætiologie der Psychopathia Sexualis, Teil I, p. 156.) He states that, like most other feminine fashions in dress, it was certainly invented by prostitutes.
The racial variations in the form and character of the breasts are great, and there are considerable variations even among Europeans. Even as regards the latter our knowledge is, however, still very vague and incomplete; there is here a fruitful field for the medical anthropologist. Ploss and Bartels have brought together the existing data (Das Weib, bd. I, Sec. VIII). Stratz also discusses the subject (Die Schönheit das Weiblichen Körpers, Chapter X).
Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, vol. v, p. 28.
These devices are dealt with and illustrations given by Ploss and Bartels, Das Weib (loc. cit.).