Figure 213.--One of Dr. Reissig's main concerns is the support of long stockings. They were almost universally worn by children in Europe and America in the late 19th and early-20th centuries. Both boys and girls wore them. They were primarily worn for warmth. bud modesty and formality were also important factors. Long stockings were still quite popular in 1907 when his article was published, ""The stockings should not be held up by means of elastic bands encircling the legs [i.e., round garters], as these tend to impede the circulation of blood. Hose-supporters fastened with clasps to the front part of the child's underwaist are advisable." The illustration has the caption "sinsible hose-supporters."

A well-known handbook of diseases and health care that was widely circulated among families in both the United States and Europe was entitled The Standard Family Physician: A Practical International Encyclopedia of Medicine and Hygiene. It was compiled by a group of internationally distinguished doctors and medical authorities and published in 1907 in England and America One of the contributing authors was a famous German doctor, Karl Reissig, Germany, who wrote an article on children's health--"The dress of children". The invention of stocking supporters (in the final quarter of the 19th century) was motivated not only by a desire for a efficent way holding up long stockings so children looked neat when wearing them. This lead to concerns about comfort, restrictiveness, and also by health considerations--the avoidance of binding blood vessels in the legs and therefore of hindering good circulation. This article with its illustration establishes the superiority of hose supporters over round garters as a principle of international health.

The Standard Family Physician: A Practical International Encyclopedia of Medicine and Hygiene

A reader working on the history of medicine referred us recently to a well-known handbook of diseases and health care that was widely circulated among families in both the United States and Europe. The book was entitled The Standard Family Physician: A Practical International Encyclopedia of Medicine and Hygiene " compiled by a group of internationally distinguished doctors and medical authorities and published in 1907.

Dr. Karl Reissig

One of the contributing authors was a famous doctor, Karl Reissig, from Hamburg, Germany, who wrote an article on children's health in this volume. One of the sections concerns "The dress of children" (p. 412). Dr. Carl Reissig was a professor of medicine at the University of Hamburg, and he published various medical articles and books. He was much respected as an international authority. One of his main issues was attacking medical quacks who promoted various patent medicines that Reissig thought were not only useless but often actually harmful. One of his major publications was entitled: Mediziniche Wissenschaft und Kurpfuscherei (Medical History and Quackery) (Leipsig, 1901). One historian describes as a "muckraking account" of the practices of quacks.

Long Stockings

One of Dr. Reissig's main concerns is the support of long stockings. They were almost universally worn by children in Europe and America in the late 19th and early-20th centuries. Both boys and girls wore them. They were primarily worn for warmth. bud modesty and formality were also important factors. Long stockings were still quite popular in 1907 when his article was published, ""The stockings should not be held up by means of elastic bands encircling the legs [i.e., round garters], as these tend to impede the circulation of blood. Hose-supporters fastened with clasps to the front part of the child's underwaist are advisable (see Fig. 213)." The illustration has the caption "sinsible hose-supporters."

Stocking Suppoters

Long stockings were very commonly worn in the late-19th and early-20th century. A problem with them was they had a tendency to fall down which had an unsightly look. This gave rise to the development of a wide range of garments and devices to hold up the stockings. The invention of stocking supporters (in the final quarter of the 19th century) was motivated not only by a desire for a efficent way holding up long stockings so children looked neat when wearing them. Especially in America, a wide range of garments and devices were developed for this purpose.

Dr. Reising on Restrictions

This popularity of stocking supporters led to concerns about comfort, restrictiveness, and also by health considerations. A primary health consideration was the avoidance of binding blood vessels in the legs and therefore of hindering good circulation. This article with its illustration establishes the superiority of hose supporters over round garters as a principle of international health.The major point Reissig makes about children's clothing is that there should be minimum restriction: "The dress of children who are old enough to run about and play, should be made as loose and comfortable as possible. No restricting bands, no tight collars. The shoes should be waterpoof and broad-soled, and large enough for comfort."

Illustration

Fig. 213 shows a German girl wearing a Leibchen or bodice with shoulder straps, a strap across the chest to prevent the straps from slipping, a wide waist band that closes in front with two buttons and has two elastic supporters at the front on each side to support a pair of white or beige stockings. The garter straps are typically of the German type described elsewhere on HBC's treatment of Leibchen--that is, of elastic webbing with a series of button-holes worked into them so that the straps can be adjusted for length and buttoned onto the stocking tops (which have had buttons, of "Waschknopfen" sewn onto them). American hose supporters had metal loops and rubber buttons for attachment to the tops of stockings, and some German Leibchen, which were commercially manufactured, also used metal clips, although mostly at a later period (the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s).

Leibchen

The Leibchen (with supporters) illustrated in this book was a standard type worn by both girls and boys. American underwaists were similar but usually had the supporters pinned onto tabs at the sides over the hips rather than in front. The photograph is valuable because it shows an actual German child wearing a Leibchen about 1907. Most of our other illustrations are drawings or photos of vintage Leibchen without wearers. Many German Leibchen had four garter straps, two for each leg, but this illustration shows only single straps.
Corsets

A corset is a close-fitting undergarment. The word appears to have originated from light-weight medieval armor. The destinguising feature of a corset is that it has been stiffened with a variety of materials, especially whale bone (baleen). Other materails including steel have been used for the stays. Corserts had lacing to adjust the fit. The principal purpose of a corset was to shape and support the figure, especially the waistline. The corset was primarily a garment for adult women, but they were often worn bt girls as well. Some sources mention children, but here we believe that they are primarily referring to girls. We note references to both "corsets" and "corset waists" in late 19th and early 20th century magazines and catalogs. Several companies made these garments. One particularly important company is Ferris Brothers.

Dr. Reissig on Corsets

Dr. Reissig goes on to speak about the danger of putting little girls in corsets,"To accustom little girls to wear corsets must be especially warned against, as the corset not only retards free respiration, but even displaces and compresses internal organs (see Dress). By dressing children so that they can move and develop their muscles with perfect freedopm, by encouraging them in wholesome play and sports, and by endeavoring to cultivate at all times "clean minds in clean bodies," three of the most essential requirements for the making of good men and women will have been observed."

Source

The Standard Family Physician: A Practical International Encyclopedia of Medicine and Hygiene (Funk & Wagnalls Co. (London and New York, 1907).

Created: 8:07 PM 12/1/2008
Last updated: 8:07 PM 12/1/2008