7 6 DISEASES CLASS 1.2.2.16. 



lined with fur for the hands to take hold of occafionally, and aL 

 fo to go under the arms. By thefe means I mould hope great 

 advantage from gradually extending the fpine during the inac- 

 tivity of the mufcles of the back ; and that it may be done with- 

 out difturbing the fleep'of the patient, and if this fhouid hap- 

 pen, the bow is made to open by a joint at the fummit of it, fo as 

 to be inftantly difengaged from the neck by the hand of the 

 wearer. This bow I have now ufed with advantage on one pa- 

 tient, and it may be had from Mr, Harrifon, whitefrnith, Bridge- 

 gate, Derby. 



It is alfo poflible that a flight comprefs on the prominent part 

 of a curved fpine might be applied with advantage both in fleep 

 and in waging hours, if it could be nicely held on the part by a 

 weak and very flexible fpring, with a proper counter-prefiure on 

 fome diftant part , but this would require more art than could 

 be managed, except by thofe who have very accurate mechanical 

 ideas, and mull differ with every kind- of curvature. Thus if 

 the prominent part of the curve of the fpine be on one fide, a, 

 fluffed cufhiqn fixed to the centre of a long thin fleel fpring 

 fhould be applied on the prominence 5 one end of this long 

 fpring fhould be bent by a flrap joined to a waiftcoat on the op- 

 pofite fhpulder, and the other end of it by a ftrap joined to draw- 

 ers on the oppofite hip ; the degree of preffure to be adjufled 

 by the tightnefs of thefe {traps. If the prominent part of a 

 curved fpine be exaclly behind, the ends of the long fpring 

 ihould extend from the loweft bone of the neck to the os cocci- 

 gis 3 and fhould have its two ends attached to the jtop of a waift- 

 coat, and to the waiftband of a pair of drawers. 



It will be from hence eafily perceived, that all other methods 

 of confining or directing the growth of young people fhould be 

 ufed with great Hull ; fuch as back- boards, or bandages, or flocks 

 for the feet ; and that their application fhould not be continued 

 too long at a time, left worfe confequences ihould enfue, than 

 tjie deformity they were defigned to remove. To this maybe 

 added, that the fliff erecl: attitude taught by fome modern danc- 

 ing mafters does not contribute to the grace of perfon, but rather 

 militates again ft it ; as is well feen in one of the prints in Ho- 

 garth's Analyfis of Beauty ; and is exemplified by the eafy grace 

 of fome of the ancient ftatues, as of the Venus de Medicis, and 

 the Antinous, and in the works of fcrne modern artifls, as in a 

 beautiful print of Hebe feeding an Eagle, painted by Hamilton, 

 and engraved by Egintop, and many of the figures of Angelica 

 J.vauffman. 



Where the bone of one of the vertebrae of the back has been 

 Dwelled on both fides of it, fo as to become protuberant, iffue& 



near 



