The influence of dress in the production of disease in females. Read before the Chenango County Medical Society, June 10th, 1847.

  • Purple, William D.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The influence of dress in the production of disease in females. Read before the Chenango County Medical Society, June 10th, 1847. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    INFLUENCE OE DRESS. There is no truth more apparent to the medical practitioner, than the gradual and almost imperceptible change in the pa- thological characteristics of a given period of time. It is true that some of the great outlines of nosology are applicable to man, in all countries and under all circumstances. It is also true that epidemic and endemic diseases may present them- selves in different localities and at different times; but, inde- pendent of these well known facts, every person who has taken a more general survey of the phenomena of health and disease of the human family, has discovered a very great disparity in the pathological characteristics of different periods. It is the imperative duty of the members of the profcfcion to note these changes, and in their associated capacity trr in- vestigate their causes ; to enquire how far they depend on ex- ternal agents beyond otir control, or are chargeable to the habits and customs of society. It is a maxim no less trite than true, that man is a bundle of habits, and that those habits are fleeting and transitory, and so far as they can be relied upon, as causes of pathological characteristics, so far will dis- eases be found ever varying, ever changing. There is no more potent sovereign over human habits and actions than fashion. It is true that man is a philosophical be- ing, an(l a large majority of our sex are controled by the prin- ciples of comfort and convenience in our dress, and although there may be a few who ape the ape, and bow implicit obedience to the laws prescribed by fashion, yet they are not allowed to contravene the utilitarian standard so far as to in- terfere with pathological characteristics. But the fickle fair of this genius Homo is gregarious in all her habits; with her no sacrifice is too great at the shrine of fashion ; her whole soul is engaged in her devotion, and she not unfrequently of- fers her body as living sacrifice to the god of her idolatry. The spring and fall costume of Paris or Broadway, has entire control over her—no matter how grotesque she may appear— no matter how it may burlesque the human form divine—