TIGHT-LACING AND HEART FAILURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2089, 25 May 1907, Page 1

TIGHT-LACING AND HEART FAILURE.

I am told by a lady friend (writes a London , doctor) that, . as soon as wraps and jackets are opcp more discarded, we shall. see an astonishing number of small waists which have been cultivated during the winter «,» I»W ™?*7 uISS !• inhas done on so many former occasions “hen revivals of the practice haip come about. Possibly, however, inauy girls and tyqm<m who lace In then waists to excess may be warned not to take violent exercise or to hurry to catch trains, omnibuses, 01 to keq. appointments by the following mei-

I was summoned P.H C day last wee to a chemist's shop to attend a young lady who fainted whilst hurrying to catch a car. Fortunately for her a (rentleman who saw her staler caught her as she fell, and noticing how extremely small-wailed she was,

carried her with all speed into tho nearest shop, which happened to be a chemist’s. There her clothing was hastily loosened,, and her corset-lace cut, with i;hc result that a few turn-

utes after my arrival, by the aid of restoratives, she was ‘‘brought round.” 'I had the curiosity to measure her corsets, which I was assured by tlioQady who attended, her were laced quite close. They measured exactly 151 in 1 This young lady, whom I have been since attending several times, admits that she laces “rather tightly,” and informs me she has for months worn “niglit corsets.” But- at the same time she says: “I must have a good figure, and bad I not'hurried so much: I should have been all right. Lacing really doesn’t hurt'when one is accustomed to it.” I have told her that had she remained laced up (after sho had fainted) five minutes longer before being loosened she would probably have died..

This is, too, by no means an isolated instance. lam now attending two young ladies—one a married woman — for internal troubles, brought about by extreme tight-lacing. The young married woman told me frankly that she had reduced her waist measurement from 21in to 16in in five months, “when I found very small waists were sure to come in,” as she explained. The other young lady (she is hardly more than a girl) is suffering from grave displacement of internal organs. Her waist is usually laced to 17in, and she went to a recent fancy dress ball with a 14iif waist, fluff she “didn’t dance much.” Ido not think I have persuaded them to give up the practice, blit I have at least shown them that they are ruining their health, and running grave risks of sudden heart failure.