than the other, the
child bends from the side most painful, and thus occasions a curvature of
the spine. To counteract this effect such stays, as have fewest hard parts,
and especially such as can be daily or weekly turned, are preferable to
others.

[Illustration]

Where frequent lying down on a sofa in the day-time, and swinging
frequently for a short time by the hands or head, with loose dress, do not
relieve a beginning distortion of the back; recourse may be had to a chair
with stuffed moveable arms for the purpose of suspending the weight of the
body by cushions under the arm-pits, like resting on crutches, or like the
leading strings of infants. From the top of the back of the same chair a
curved steel bar may also project to suspend the body occasionally, or in
part by the head, like the swing above mentioned. The use of this chair is
more efficacious in straightening the spine, than simply lying down
horizontally; as it not only takes off the pressure of the head and
shoulders from the spine, but at the same time the inferior parts of the
body contribute to draw the spine straight by their weight; or lastly,
recourse may be had to a spinal machine first described in the Memoires of
the academy of surgery in Paris, Vol. III. p. 600, by M. Le Vacher, and
since made by Mr. Jones, at N^o 6, North-street, Tottenham-court Road,
London, which suspends the head, and places the weight of it on the hips.
This machine is capable of improvement by joints in the bar at the back of
it, to permit the body to bend forwards without diminishing the extension
of the spine.

The objections of this machine of M. Vacher, which is made by Mr. Jones,
are first, that it is worn in the day-time, and has a very unsightly
appearance. Mr. Jones has endeavoured to remedy this, by taking away the
curved bar over the head, and substituting in its place a forked bar,
rising up behind each ear, with webs fastened to it, which pass under the
chin and occiput. But this is not an improvement, but a deterioration of M.
Vacher's machine, as it prevents the head from turning with facility to
either side. Another objection is, that its being worn, when the muscles of
the back are in action, it is rather calculated to prevent the curvature of
the spine from becoming greater, than to extend the spine, and diminish its
curvature.

[Illustration]

For this latter purpose I have made a steel bow, as described in the
annexed plate, which receives the