Memoirs of Erasmus Darwin, M.D. 33 



had lately begun to be distorted, with very great difficulty 

 and quickness of respiration, and alarming palpitation 

 of the heart, I convinced myself, that the palpitation and 

 difficult respiration were the effect of the change of the ca- 

 vity of the chest from the distortion of the spine; and that 

 the whole was therefore a disease of the innutrition or soft- 

 ness of the bones. 



For on directing her to lie down much in the day, and 

 to take the bark, the distortion became less, and the palpi- 

 tation and quick respiration became less at the same time. 

 After this observation a neck-swing was directed, and she 

 took the bark, madder, and bone-ashes ; and she continues 

 to amend both in her shape and health. 

 , Delicate young ladies are very liable to become awry a.t 

 many boarding-schools. This is occasioned principally by 

 their being obliged too long to preserve an erect attitude, 

 by sitting on forms many hours together. To prevent this 

 the school-seats should have either backs, on which they 

 may occasionally rest themselves ; or desks before them, on 

 which they may occasionally lean. This is a thing of greater 

 consequence than may appear to those who have not at- 

 tended to it. 



When the least tendency to become awry is observed; 

 thev should be advised to lie down on a bed or sofa for an, 

 hour in the middle of the day for many months ; v/hich 

 generally prevents the increase of this deformity by taking 

 off for a time the pressure on the spine of the back, and it 

 at the same time tends to make them grow taller. Young; 

 persons, when nicely measured, are found to be half an 

 inch higher in a morning than at night ; as is well known 

 to those who enlist very young men for soldiers. This is 

 owing to the cartilages between the bones of the back be- 

 coming compressed by the weight of the head and shoulders 

 on them during the day. It is the same pressure which 

 produces curvatures and distortions of the spine in growing 

 children, where the bones are softer than usual ; and which 

 may thus be relieved by an horizontal posture for an hour 

 it the middle of the day, or by being frequently allowed to 

 lean on a chair, or to play on the ground on a carpet. 



Vol. 32. No. 125, Oct. 1808. C Young 



