There may be yet other and unknown causes of this deformity; but enough have been noticed to account for the great majority of cases. While it is already very common, the influences that have produced it are still producing and confirming the wrong shape. Of course the longer the fault is established the more difficult it is to make a change; but there is believed to be a partial remedy, at least, in the case of young persons. It consists in simply supporting the back part of the arch as nature does in her own way; that is, in supporting the whole under-surface of the calcaneum, or heel-bone, as is done when the bare foot is pressed upon the ground. A long heel—one extending under the sole far enough for its front edge to support the front part of the bone—is the thing required. When the foot rests upon such a heel, the whole weight of the body acts as a force to compel the forward part of the bone to push itself upward into its true place, because, being a quarter of an inch—more or less—lower than it ought to be, it cannot be perfectly at ease until it gets back where it belongs. The weight of the body, then, is just as influential in restoring the arch to its natural form when the long heel is worn, as it is in breaking it down when the short heel is the only support. There is reason to think that a large number of the flat feet could be corrected by this simple expedient. The long-standing cases might require considerable time, and even prove too obdurate for this remedy; but the law which compels all parts of the system to adapt themselves to circumstances would tend constantly and strongly to bring about the effect desired. In those cases where the feet have not grown into a positive, settled distortion, we doubt not the result would be decided and very gratifying; and if the children wore these long heels—if, in short, the whole people were educated to see the necessity of wearing them, when any at all are worn, the instances of flat-foot would be far less common. A few years since, Dr. Plumer (before referred to) patented a style of boot, of which the long heel is one characteristic. This is, in fact, the best thing about his invention, and should go far to make it popular, even if it has no other recommendation. The fashion has been considerably introduced in some places, and has also had some effect in increasing the length of heels in work not made after that style, and thus may indirectly have saved many from having the arch of their feet broken down. For this it is deserving of praise, though we attach less importance to its other peculiarities. The old-fashioned way of making heels leaves them from one-fourth to five-eighths of an inch too short. The whole tendency of such heels is downward, in a double sense. The more they are worn the farther downward goes the foot, not only in _form_, but in _character_—in beauty, gracefulness, and strength.