288 APPENDIX. 



described, or that every one who even habitually takes 

 that posture, will eventually become crooked. But in 

 slender, delicately formed females, from the ages of 

 from 12 to 14, who are confined eight or ten hours per 

 day in the school room, with no other exercise, than a 

 walk along the street, with their teachers, such a pos- 

 ture habitually indulged in, will most surely produce 

 deformities to a greater, or less extent. The Hindoo 

 devotees who hold their arms above their heads as a 

 penance, are often compelled to carry them so during 

 the remainder of their lives, the parts conforming to 

 this position. 



A highly observant, and accomplished teacher, who 

 has spent more than twenty years in the instruction 

 of females, informs the author, that he has long 

 been aware of the distorting consequences of this 

 posture, and that he could remember numerous instan- 

 ces, of crooked spines and dislocated shoulder blades 

 from this cause : and that although these very pupils 

 were nearly every day warned of the consequences of 

 such a habit, yet, not seeing, or feeling any ill effects from 

 it themselves, they would carelessly indulge in it, until 

 the posture became so natural, as to set all the common 

 means of prevention at naught, and thus distortion fol- 

 lowed of course. 



Now if the young lady will give no attention to the 

 mandates or remonstrances of her instructor, or parent, 

 there is little hope of preventing her indulgence in this, 

 or any other pernicious habit, and such, therefore, must 

 be left to the reward of their own doings. But in most 

 instances, it cannot but be hoped and believed, that 

 those who are aware of the sad consequences of this 

 habit, both in respect to personal form and health, 

 whether they become so, by reading these observations, 

 or otherwise, will take warning in due time, and thus 

 escape that deformity which is now but too common 

 among our best educated females. 



DRESS ANOTHER SOURCE OF DEFORMITY. 



There is, or at least has been, another cause of dis- 

 torted shoulders besides that above described, and the 



