Natures demands of the feet are not only to maintain the weight of the body in its functions, but they hold most vital relations to every manifestation of the personality.
The normal foot reflects the expression of its possessor. In short, it leads intuitively in utility and elegance of poise, its tripping, graceful and rhythmical impulses.
All this the normal foot is capable of doing for its possessor so long as its powers of resistance and development are preserved intact. But alas, how few feet of the normal type do we find in our search for perfect feet!.
The average individual takes no thought for the feet or the dangers that threaten them.
Many take on excessive weight, of their own volition, that nature does not provide for (in their case) and swollen ankles, fallen arches and much physical and mental torture is the result.
Pride dictates a footgear which produces deformities and great suffering, viz., Corns, callosities, bunions, ingrowing toe- nails, hammer-toes, Morton-toes, metatarsal and longitudinal arch complications, distorted alignments, involving tendon and muscular relations of the foot and their reflexes, in all parts of the body.
In the department stores everywhere the employees may be required to stand the entire day, and after a time they become disable, and the malady thus contracted develops arthritis or some other chronic condition, which intervals of rest, arch supports, perhaps, or other needed mechanical devices, properly applied on the first indication of their necessity, might have prevented.
Every foot specialist knows that this matter has already become a serious problem and deserves the prompt attention of the employers of these unfortunate groups of employees. Grocery and other delivery clerks who are jumping from vehicles and handling heavy packages continuously contract fallen arches without knowing the seriousness of the condition, and they neglect the process of self-protection until they become helpless.
A very large percentage of the applicants for enlistment in the late war were rejected because of failure to comply with the foot requirements. One has but to observe the walk of the pedestrians on a busy street to appreciate our claims that comparatively few walk in possession of normal poise. On the contrary, a residual timidity is in evidence, plainly indicating foot complications.
Timidity is an inveterate enemy to poise, and the feet contribute 75 per cent. of the causes of this calamity in the minds and manners of men and women today.
I would add that in my experience in the administration of homoeopathic remedies for foot troubles, above referred to, I have found that corns, callosities, and bunions respond to Sepia in a large proportion of case, and that ingrowing toe-nails have a friend indeed in Magnetis Polus Australis, and if I were confined to one remedy for the treatment of the balance of the list, my choice would be Strontium Carb.
In the case of injuries to the feet, Arnica still holds its “rights of way.” The “McGibbiny splint” is all-important to the recovery from an injury produced by a “turned ankle,” and it is equally important to the restoration of a deflected ankle.
