FOOTWEAR IN RELATION TO 
CATARRH 
BY 
J. H. McCASSY, M.A., M.D. 
REPRINT FROM 
American Medico-Surgical Bulletin 
October 24, 1896  
FOOTWEAR IN RELATION TO CATARRH 
HE condition of the foot to-day is deplorable, 
and we are forced to turn to the foot of the 
child, or the savage, or to that model of the 
foot of the ancients which has been chiseled on 
marble, fora perfect classic standard. The natura 
foot within its leathern prison has been distorted by 
the tyranny of fashion and the cruelty of restraint. 
The toes are twisted out of shape, thick projections 
from the toes at points of contact, clubbed nails, 
ingrowing toe nails, corns in uncanny situations, 
and bunions on the joints make the actual foot so 
far from being anything of beauty that it is only to 
be viewed in private by the chiropodist (thank 
heaven not the physician). Women are silly in 
trying to squeeze their feet into small, ill-shaped 
shoes that respect neither the form nor the mechan- 
ism of the foot. High heels are added to this which 
complete the conditions of deformity and discomfort, 
driving the foot forward, producing a walking-down- 
hill-effect. Such a thing as a natural female foot no 
longer exists. The instep has been contracted. 
The well-marked great toe has been partially ob- 
literated leaving the second one in the lead. The 
little toe has been pinched and squeezed until it has 
crouched and retreated like the rudiment of a super- 
numerary. 
The feet of oxen, asses, and horses receive more 
attention than the human feet, because the proper 
By J. H. McCASSY, M.A., M.D. condition and preservation of the foot of domestic 
animals represent in value so much coin or bullion. 
It is the special development of the great toe 
that enables man to stand erect and balance himself 
with greater ease. The further the great toe is 
spread from the little one the greater prestige is 
given to the individual, because more leverage is 
gained. The construction of the pointed-toe shoe 
is calculated to destroy the God-given leverage of 
the foot, converging the little and the great toes to 
a point. In the natural foot the great toe should 
continue in a straight line from the heel. 
The insane vanity of the wearers of shoes com- 
bined with the ignorance of the shoemaker have 
caused to be made a style of shoes that must result 
in great and lasting damage to our race. The so- 
called elegant shoes have produced a painful picture 
of misery, inducing alteration and paralysis of the 
small muscles of the foot, which has resulted in the 
loss of the proper elastic step in the walk of many 
individuals. Compression of the blood vessels of 
the foot retards the circulation and prevents the full 
development of the bones and muscles of the foot, 
leg, thigh, and pelvis. The stalwart race of yore is 
being rapidly transformed into a race of spindle- 
shanks since our people have become slaves of 
fashion. 
Tight and ill-fitting shoes cause depression of 
spirits, headaches, heartaches, fainting, general fa- 
tigue, bad humor, and loss of serenity. The many 
fainting spells of women in public have been laid to 
tight corsets. The truth is tight, ill-fitting shoes 
are responsible for a large share of this. 
4 Napoleon said he made war not with the arms 
but the legs of his soldiers. By inspecting the lasts 
in the Patent Office and in the shops of the shoe- 
makers one is forced to the conclusion that the mor- 
bid taste of the age is for the perpetuation of the Span- 
ish Inquisition. The Chinese limit the deforming of 
the feet to the female sex, but we go one better and 
spare neither childhood, maturity, nor old age. The 
Chinaman wears a serviceable, well-ventilated shoe, 
with a wooden sole and cloth upper, well suited to 
the city pavements in hot weather. The Indian 
moccasin and the baseball shoe meet the natural 
requirements of the foot better than the solid, un- 
yielding shoes of our times. 
Enamel and patent leather is surely the invention 
of the enemy of the human race. The former con- 
sists of calfskin with celluloid finish on the grain 
side, while the latter has the celluloid finish on the 
flesh side of the leather. The natural circulation of 
the feet gives rise to perspiration, which must re- 
main in contact with the foot and macerate and ex- 
coriate the skin, because the patent and enamel 
leather is impervious to moisture With our feet 
cribbed, coffined, and confined in tight, ill-shaped 
shoes having the hermetic seal of the varnish, we 
are not far above Chinese civilization. 
A radical reform in footwear is necessary to se- 
cure well-shaped feet, and the nature of the mate- 
rial of which the shoe is made is of the highest hy- 
gienic importance. The proper shoe has a broad, 
low heel and flexible upper and sole. Unyielding 
canvas lining in shoes prevents the leather from 
stretching and interferes with the suppleness and 
5 elasticity of the foot. I am glad to say that deal- 
ers have assured me that the pointed-toe shoe is 
rapidly being displaced by the round, full-toe shoe; 
and that of late enterprising tanners have invented 
a process of tanning by which a soft, pliable, though 
heavy, serviceable water-proof leather is produced, 
known as box-calf, willow-calf, and Russian leather. 
Shoes made of this leather with a heavy double sole 
and invisible cork sole are now in the market for 
winter wear. The enameled leather shoe with invis- 
ible cork sole and the shoe just described are suit- 
able for winter wear, but the patent-leather shoe is 
neither fit for summer nor winter wear. In summer 
it is too hot and devoid of ventilation, and in the 
winter it is too cold and thin. Shoes made of tan 
leather are preferable for summer wear, because 
they permit the greatest evaporation and ventilation. 
Sleeplessness from cold feet lead to the use of 
hot bricks and hot irons to the feet at night, while 
the cause of the insomnia, viz. : compression of the 
blood vessels of the feet by tight shoes, bad fitting 
stockings, and tight garters received no attention. 
Compression of the feet during cold weather is a 
prolific source of frost-bites and chilblains. Frost- 
bites are scarcely seen among Arctic travelers and 
the Eskimo, because they wear reindeer stockings 
and sealskin boots having a layer of dried grass or 
straw in the bottom. 
Washing the feet frequently does not make them 
tender, as many people erroneously believe. It 
really promotes nutrition and the general health, 
and prevents the formation of corns, ingrowing toe 
nails, and callosities. Sir Astley Cooper, the 
6 father of surgery, who passed thirty years without 
contracting a cold, attributed this immunity to the 
daily habit of bathing his feet and entire body, not 
with warm, but cold water. The best time to bathe 
the feet is just before going to bed. Water is the 
cheapest and best deodorant for the feet. Even 
the most delicate may perform the Dunkard act 
with benefit and safety by first using warm water 
which may be gradually cooled by the addition of 
cold water. Ointments and lotions so much in 
vogue for the preservation of the feet need only be 
mentioned to be condemned. Proper shoes and 
stockings and rigid cleanliness are the safeguards. 
Unsuitable footwear is a menace to the proper 
development of our race. It causes chilling of the 
surface of the body in cold weather and the excre- 
tory function of the skin is stopped. Extra work is 
thrown upon the mucous membrane of the upper 
respiratory passages, causing congestion and infiltra- 
tion of it. No wonder about eighty per cent, of the 
American people are afflicted with catarrh, our na- 
tional disease. 
Many people inquire if their removal to a warm 
climate would benefit their catarrh. Persons suffer- 
ing from dry catarrh would be made worse by resid- 
ing in a dry, warm climate. A rather moist and 
bracing climate benefits such cases. It would be 
more prudent to remain in this climate even if one 
suffers the ill-effect of catarrh of the upper air pas- 
sages than to go to a tropical climate and die of dis- 
ease of the liver or yellow fever. "It is better to 
suffer the ills we have than fly to those we know not 
of. " 
7 Constant chilling of the feet and the surface of the 
body facilitates the formation of an excess of uric 
and lactic acid in the blood inducing the rheumatic 
and lithemic diathesis, and also causes the develop- 
ment of hyperasthesia of the nasal mucous mem- 
brane. These conditions put together frequently 
result in hay fever. Persons who work long hours 
in musty, ill-ventilated rooms are liable to have the 
rheumatic or lithemic diathesis and catarrh, particu- 
larly if bathing and exercise are neglected. Wet 
feet have been the initial step in the causation of 
more sickness and deaths than any other agent 
known to us. The old adage "keep the feet warm 
and the head cool " is the great safeguard of health. 
Thorough bathing and brisk rubbing of the skin 
from one to several times a week are essential for the 
prevention and the cure of catarrh. In many cases 
under my observation, even after the footwear had 
been properly reformed, it required a long course of 
treatment consisting of local applications, sprays, 
cauterization, and operative measures to cure the 
catarrh. 
Dayton, O.; 32 W. Fifth street. 
8