405! Mr Bowie's Observations on Boots and Shoes, 



external injury, allow those motions which, its anatomical struc- 

 ture clearly shews, were intended by the Framer of our bodies 

 to take place. 



In noticing the defects of the ordinary boots and shoes, I do 

 not intend to give a history of them, but take the liberty to refer 

 to a paper on the subject in the Saturday Magazine, 4th April 

 1835, and another in the Penny Magazine of May 5th, 12th, 

 and 19th, 1838, which bring down their history to the close of 

 the eighteenth century, presuming, as the author observes, that 

 " All are acquainted with the boots and shoes of the nineteenth 

 century." I intend, however, to submit a few remarks on these, 

 since many are not acquainted with all the different construc- 

 tions of the nineteenth century, and with one class in particular, 

 viz., the patent elastic boots and shoes, which it is proposed to 

 introduce to the notice of the Society, after adverting to some 

 of the defects of the ordinary kinds. 



The defects which arise from ordinary leather not possessing 

 that degree of pliability and elasticity which is requisite to ad- 

 mit of the natural action of the foot, have led to the introduc- 

 tion of various substitutes. 



When the foot is under the pressure of the body, it is elon- 

 gated. This principle of elongation seems to have been long 

 admitted, inasmuch as all boots and shoes have hitherto been 

 made a little longer than the foot of the wearer ; but the differ- 

 ence in the degree of extension in the feet of different indivi- 

 duals appears to have been, in some measure, overlooked, as it 

 rarely happened that allowance was made for this difference ; 

 and the result has been, that many persons have never obtained 

 shoes long enough for their feet, when thus extended, the 

 measurement being generally taken when the foot is not under 

 the pressure of the body. Another important consideration 

 arises, from the circumstances connected with the altered posi- 

 tions of the foot in walking. As the foot extends in length 

 from heel to toe, in proportion to the height of the arch, the 

 strength of the ligaments, and the weight it has to support, the 

 elongation has been found, by actual measurement, to vary 

 from a quarter of an inch to a whole inch. 



In Fig, 1, Plate II., which was drawn from the foot relieved 

 from pressure, the sole is concave under the arch, the toe and heel 



