The integuments covering the heel are unusually dense, hard, and resisting, and the cuticle is of a remarkable thickness. The subcutaneous structure resembles rather the fatty sole of a horse’s foot, than any human tissue. The skin which covers the rest of the sole, presents a corrugated appearance, and is somewhat thicker than in an ordinary foot; but in those places where it had been defended from external pressure by the intervention of the toes, which passed under it, it does not deviate from the natural construction. On the dorsum, the integuments offer nothing unusual; unless it be the nail of the great toe, which, as might be anticipated from constant compression, is rendered particularly convex from side to side. The other nails are not visible in this aspect of the foot. The tendons do not appear to have undergone any change, further than as their direction depended upon the altered position of the bones. It is, however, in the skeleton of the foot, that we observe the greatest changes produced by art. The powerful effect of long continued pressure over the direction even of the bones is here very striking.
The position of the os calcis is very remarkably altered; instead of the posterior projection which usually forms the heel, a straight line is preserved in this direction, not deviating from the line of the tibia; and the projecting point, which forms in an ordinary foot the most posterior process, and into which the tendo Achillis is inserted, touches the ground, and becomes the point d’appui for sustaining the whole weight of the body. The articular surface of the calcis, in connection with the cuboid bone, is about half an inch anterior to, and two inches above this point; while the astragalar joint is behind, and somewhat below the calco-cuboidal articulation; consequently, the direction of the os calcis (in its long axis), instead of being from behind forwards, is from below upwards, with the slightest possible inclination forwards. The most prominent parts of the instep are the round head of the astragalus, and the cuboidal articulation of the os calcis. From this, the remaining tarsal bones slope downwards at nearly a right angular inclination to join the metatarsal bones whose obliquity is still downwards, until they rest on their phalangeal extremities.
The length between the os calcis where it touches the ground, and the most anterior part of the metatarsal bone of the great toe, is four inches. The length of the foot, including the toes, 5 1/4 inches. The height of the instep, 3 1/2 inches. Thus the arch of the foot has a span of two inches and a quarter, with the height of two inches, which space is fitted up with the condensed cellular substance before described. The cleft of the sole traverses the foot at this place, and is three inches in depth. The width of the foot at its broadest part is barely two inches. The points of support are the os calcis, the anterior extremity of the metatarsal bone of the great toe, and the dorsal surface of the fourth and fifth toes, which are bent under the foot so as to press the ground at this part.
Such are the anatomical particulars of this singular deformity; and although Nature has, by providing an accumulation of fat, thickening the skin and cuticle, and widening the surface of the heel, done her utmost to rectify the evil consequences of an unnatural custom, yet the awkward gait of a person attempting to walk on such deformed members may be easily imagined. Under such circumstances, in order to preserve equilibrium in an attempt to walk, it must be necessary to bend the body forwards in an uneasy position, and at the expense of a muscular exertion, which in ordinary progression is not put forth. To what extent the general health of the unfortunate individual thus deprived of the natural means of exertion may be affected, is a curious subject of inquiry, and remains, I believe, to be ascertained. I may be permitted to add, that the existence of this extraordinary custom, though familiar to our ears, is presented in a forcible light to our imagination by such a specimen as I have the honor to present to the Royal Society.
In offering to the Royal Society this brief sketch of the dissected foot, I do not pretend to attach to the subject any more importance than it deserves; nevertheless I have thought it would be considered as curious, and calculated to interest scientific men. And further, as its description has hitherto formed a desideratum in our accounts of anatomical curiosities, I have thought that my endeavor to supply it would not be unacceptable.
Appendix Two
The Physiological Effect Produced by Footbinding
(Taken from Taiwan lgakkai zasshi No. 29, January, 1905, 179-210.)
When walking erect, the conspicuous changes which take place in the external appearance of the abdomen or the pelvis are: 1) the outside swelling of the abdomen; 2) the conspicuous vertical groove along the line running down the center of the back, caused by tension especially of the back muscles and the muscles along the backbone; 3) the special conspicuousness of the forward curve of the lumbar vertebrae. The first two phenomena have appeared as the result of the third one, the cause of which cannot always be seen as a peculiarity of Chinese women. However, I believe that at least in Taiwan this is caused by footbinding. The weight of the body is transferred to the lower extremities, with the pelvis serving as a go-between. When the lower extremities are unable to completely support this body weight, they must devise a way in which to cause this [body] gravity to be lessened.
There are two ways to do this. One is to reduce the body’s weight when it is transferred to the pelvis, while the other is to use the pelvis itself to reduce the weight [supported by the lower extremities].
A). Reducing the Gravity When the Weight Is Transferred to the Pelvis
According to Meyer, the important point of the torso is from the first nodule of the first cervical vertebrae, passing through the sixth cervical vertebrae, the ninth thoracic vertebrae, and the third sacrum. Therefore, from the make-up of the frame of the body, what we call the curving of the lumbar vertebrae expresses in a broad sense the area from the ninth thoracic vertebrae to the third sacrum. Now when the body’s weight is transferred to the pelvis, in order to reduce this weight why must the lumbar vertebrae become so strongly curved?
The curve of the lumbar vertebrae is probably caused by the slanting of the body weight on the sacrum. Here the great weight of the body (like the women of the Ryukyus who place objects on their head) or the lesser support (like the footbound Taiwanese women) develops this curvature [of the lumbar vertebrae]. This fact must become exceedingly clear and, though it is not clear whether this curvature is caused by frequent running forward of the lumbar vertebrae or by the severe sloping forward of the sacrum, or if it is first formed through an interdependence of the two factors, probably the larger part [of the curvature] is caused by the change in the direction of the lumbar vertebrae.