If, however, a child is delicate and strumous, and too feeble to take sufficient exercise on foot,—and to such a constitution the respiration of a pure air and exercise are indispensable for the improvement of health, and without them all other efforts will fail,—riding on a donkey or pony forms the best substitute. This kind of exercise will always be found of infinite service to delicate children; it amuses the mind, and exercises the muscles of the whole body, and yet in so gentle a manner as to induce little fatigue.
The exercises of horseback, however, are most particularly useful where there is a tendency in the constitution to pulmonary consumption, either from hereditary or accidental causes. It is here beneficial, as well through its influence on the general health, as more directly on the lungs themselves. There can be no doubt that the lungs, like the muscles of the body, acquire power and health of function by exercise. Now during a ride this is obtained, and without much fatigue to the body. The free and equable expansion of the lungs by full inspiration, necessarily takes place; this maintains their healthy structure, by keeping all the air-passages open and pervious; it prevents congestion in the pulmonary circulation, and at the same time provides more completely for the necessary chemical action on the blood, by changing, at each act of respiration, a sufficient proportion of the whole air contained in the lungs,—all objects of great importance, and all capable of being promoted, more or less, by the means in question.
And be it remembered that these remarks apply with equal force to the girl as to the boy. She should be allowed, and even encouraged, to take the same active exercise. Fortunately, this course is followed during childhood; not so, unfortunately (in the majority of cases, at least), after this period. Young females are then subjected to those unnatural restraints, both in exercise and dress, which fashion and vanity impose, to be followed by effects which, though not immediately obvious, are capable of laying the foundation of evils that cannot afterwards be remedied.
A good carriage is the point aimed at (and to which I particularly refer), and the means adopted for its cultivation fail, after all, in their end, just in proportion to their rigid employment. For this purpose the head is kept erect, and the shoulders drawn back, and they are to be kept in this position not for an hour or so, but continually. To preserve, however, this unnatural and constrained position, requires considerable muscular powers, such as no girl can exercise without long, painful, and injurious training; nor even by this, unless other measures be resorted to in aid of her direct endeavours. For instead of the muscles obtaining increased power and strength by these efforts (to enforce a good carriage), they are enfeebled, and soon become more and more incapable of performing what is required of them. This fact soon becomes perceptible; weakness is noticed; but instead of correcting this by the only rational mode, that of invigorating the weakened muscles, mechanical aid is called in to support them, and laced waistcoats are resorted to. These undoubtedly give support—nay, they may be so used as almost wholly to supersede the muscular efforts, with the advantage of not tiring, however long or continuously employed. Improvement of carriage is manifested, the child is sensible of relief from a painful exertion, the mother is pleased with the success of her management, and this success appears to superficial observation fully to confirm the judgment which superintends it. Yet what are the consequences to which her measures tend, and which such measures are daily and hourly producing? The muscles of the back and chest, restrained in their natural and healthful exercise by the waistcoat called in to aid them, and more signally, in after-life, by the tightly- laced stays or corsets, become attenuated, and still further enfeebled, until at length they are wholly dependent on the mechanical aid, being quite incapable of dispensing with it for any continuance.
By and by a taper waist becomes an object of ambition, and the stays are laced more closely than ever. This is still done gradually, and, at first, imperceptibly to the parties. The effect, however, though slow, is sure; and the powers of endurance thus exercised come in time to bear, almost unconsciously, what, if suddenly or quickly attempted, no heroism could possibly sustain. This increased pressure impedes the motion of the ribs. For perfect respiration these motions should be free and unrestrained, and perfect respiration is necessary to those changes in the blood which fit it for nutrition, and the other purposes of the animal frame. In proportion as respiration is impeded, is the blood imperfectly vitalised, and in the same ratio are the nutrient and other functions dependent on the blood inadequately performed. Here, then, is one source of debility, which affects the whole frame, reducing every part below the standard of healthful vigour. Quickened respiration soon ensues, the heart becomes excited, the pulse accelerated, and palpitation is in time superadded.
There are still further evils produced by tight lacing. For the pressure being chiefly made on the lower part of the chest, the stomach and liver are necessarily compressed, to the great disturbance of their functions; and being pressed downwards too, these trespass on that space which the other abdominal viscera require, superinducing still further derangements. Thus almost every function of the body becomes more or less impeded.
And again, the girl not being able always to have her body cased in the tight-laced stays, some relaxation must take place. Under it the muscles of the back, deprived of their accustomed support, and incapable of themselves to sustain the incumbent weight, yield, and the column of the spine bends, at first anteriorly, causing round shoulders and an arched back; but eventually inclines to one or other side, giving rise to the well-known and too frequently occurring state of lateral curvature. This last change most frequently commences in the sitting posture, such females being, through general debility, much disposed to sedentary habits. Such, though but very slightly sketched, are a few of the evils attending this baneful practice.
But how, then, is a good carriage to be obtained; which is not only pleasing to the eye, but is, when natural, absolutely conducive itself to health? To insure a good carriage, the only rational way is to give the necessary power, especially to the muscles chiefly concerned; and this is to be done, not by wearying those muscles by continual and unrelieved exertion, but by invigorating the frame generally, and more especially by strengthening the particular muscles through varied exercise alternated with due repose. Attention to general health, suitable diet, regular bowels, moderate but regular exercise, not of particular muscles only, but of the whole frame, cold-bathing or sponging, and other such measures, will maintain a good carriage, by giving that power which the more direct means so generally practised serve but to exhaust.[FN#18]
[FN#18] The above remarks on "good carriage" are almost wholly taken from a valuable article of Dr. Barlow's, in the "Cyclopaedia of Practical Medicine."
Chap. II.