Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring's "Über die Wirkung der Schnürbrüste" examines the physical consequences of corsetry on the human body. The central argument is that the constriction of the torso by corsets, or "Schnürbrüste," significantly impacts the body's form and growth. Sömmerring illustrates this by describing the chest cavity as having a cone shape directed downwards.
The book details how these garments influence the "Gestalt und den Wuchs des menschlichen Körpers" (form and growth of the human body). Readers learn about the specific morphological changes induced by tight-lacing, as presented through Sömmerring's observations.
Key concepts
- Wirkung der Schnürbrüste — The specific effects of corsets on the body.
- Gestalt des menschlichen Körpers — The form or shape of the human body.
- Wuchs des menschlichen Körpers — The growth or development of the human body.
- Brustkorper — The chest cavity.