at the end where the shoots diverge, and an attendant at the other. The patient then bends the body forwards to receive, with both hands, the ball from the shoot, while the attendant receives the other ball from the shoot. The patient then raises the body to the erect position, and, with both hands, throws the ball gently into the shoot, while the attendant drops the other ball into the shoot, to be again caught by the patient.

It will be seen that the object to be obtained by this contrivance is the flexion and extension of the spine or the alternate contraction and relaxation of its muscles; and as the upright stands are pierced by a number of holes, the extent of the flexion of the body may be regulated at pleasure according to the circumstances of the case, by raising or lowering the undermost shoot at its extremity D, and shifting the iron pin which supports it.

TRAINING, FRICTION, AND SHAMPOOING.

The diet and exercise directed below for training the weak and nervous to strength, we deem indispensable in all cases in which prevention of deformity is thought necessary, as well as when a powerful remedy is wanted, independent of the beauty it infallibly imparts to the complexion.

Friction should never be omitted to the parts which seem to be weak or debilitated, as this has an extraordinary power of enlarging and strengthening

wasted muscles, by bringing to them an increased current of nourishing blood. Friction with the hand is, perhaps, better than with the flesh brush; and in order to prevent the skin from being fretted, hairpowder may be used, or

DR. DODS' FRICTION OIL,

Take half a pint of neat's foot oil, coloured with alkanet root;

a quarter of an ounce of palm oil.

Mix, and preserve for use.

*

Shampooing and manipulation act precisely on the same principle as friction, namely, by increasing the current of the blood to the parts shampooed, and, of course, strengthening them by the additional nourishment thence derived. It is highly necessary, however, that too much manual force be not exerted, as serious injuries have in this manner been occasionally produced, even to the endangering of life,† by empirics, charlatans, and also, we fear, by some regular practitioners, who act upon theory rather than fact, as in the melancholy case of Colonel Sibthorpe, mentioned above.

* We caution our readers not to be taken in with a preparation sold as a certain cure for deformed spines, as it is nothing more than oil of turpentine sold with a mysterious air and at a high price.

+ See LLOYD on Scrofula, p. 263.

4. FIRST HINTS OF DEFORMITY.

It would be extremely easy for us to give minute descriptions of the different species and varieties of deformity which are so apt, from the causes we have enumerated, to affect young ladies during growth, chiefly between the age of eight or nine, and fifteen or sixteen. Parents are apt to ascribe most deformities to accident or injury, but the causes stated above are much more commonly the origin. The disorder, for the most part, approaches slowly and insidiously, and at first attracts little attention. Prior to any twist in the spine, there is considerable decrease of muscular power, and a feeling of general weariness and fatigue from the slightest exertion, with listless inactivity, and a propensity to lounge and loll about, quite unsuitable to the activity characteristic of youth. There is a disposition to stoop, and the manners become careless, ungraceful, and spiritless. This being thought to arise from awkwardness and inattention, the poor child is both chastised and encased in pernicious machines, which increase the evil. The symptoms do not arise from awkwardness, but from inability to keep the body erect, in consequence of the wasting of the muscles. If the child under such circumstances be examined, the muscles of the back, which support the spine, will be found so wasted as to astonish those who have only judged of the case from the healthy look of the face. The

great emaciation over the ribs will enable you to number them, the knobs of the spine project from the surface, and the shoulder blades are elevated and prominent, while the flesh above them, and between them and the neck, is considerably increased and thickened, and is more than naturally firm and elastic, compared with the flesh on the chest. The chest, in the mean time, becomes contracted and narrow, while the breast bone is protruded at its lower extremity, and the muscles over it are meagre and emaciated.

The collar bones are also found to be more bent than natural, or one is flat and the other arched, while one shoulder is pointed forward and the other lengthened, so as to let the dress slip over it and leave it bare. It ought, indeed, always to excite suspicion when it requires more than usual care to keep the dress from sliding over the shoulder.* The chin is unnaturally raised from the breast, and twisted a little to the right; or, when this is not the ease, the head falls forward, while the neck appears rather to fall to one side.

When any of these circumstances are observable, it will be of the utmost importance to make a strict examination into the state of the spine, to ascertain whether it has bent to one side or has a tendency to curvature, in order that measures may be speedily

* JARROLD on the Spine, p. 99.

taken to avert the consequences, without trusting to the delusive hope too often held out by surgeons, that the young lady will outgrow it by paying attention to her general health. On the contrary, as Mr. Shaw demonstrates, if a girl grow an inch or two in three months, that addition will only add to the twist instead of improving her figure, if nothing is done in the mean time to remedy it.

It is no less improper to neglect slight deformities of the spine, under the mistaken notion that they may afterwards be concealed by dress; for no means, however artful or ingenious, will do this successfully.* A perfectly straight spine communicates to the motions, not only of the body, but of the limbs, an easy grace, which secretly and irresistibly influences our judgment of the figure, in the same manner as the countenance intuitively determines our opinion of character.

In order to ascertain the state of the spine, it will be necessary to mark the skin along the knobs of the back bone with ink or rouge, or by rubbing it pretty roughly till it show a blush of red,† which is preferable, inasmuch as it will discover whether there is any place tender or painful along the spine. A plummet is then to be dropped from the top of the head along the back, while the girl stands as erect

* Dr. MacartnEY, in Trans. Roy. Irish Academy, for 1817. SHAW, p. 112.