h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"During the Hundred Years War, a war fought between England and France from 1337-1443, Isabeau of Bavaria, queen consort of Charles VI of France, decreed that her ladies-in-waiting should have a waistline of between 10-13 inches, resulting in many of their deaths. During the Renaissance a Medici duchess used an iron corset to gain a 13-inch waist. "

It is very unprofessional to repeat this myth as fact.
It is obvious that this secion of the guide entry has not been researched at all.

"In 1837 a book was published on the deformities of women's chests caused by corsets, showing how tight corsets injured the organs and spine. In 1850, Doctor Copeland wrote in his Medical Dictionary that women not only endangered their spine, but also their uterine organs."

Again, the researcher bases the guide entry on hearsay and outdated, sensationalist, sexist thinking.
The average waist in victorian garments seems (from my experience) to be around 24 inches. (which isn't nearly as small as it sounds) The myth that many women crushed their bodies into corsets to acieve a miniscule waist is ludiucrous - the proportion of women who laced this tightly was tiny.
In reality, corsetry only seems painful in comparison to today's shapeless, loose garments. A well fitted corset is in fact extremely comfortable and can easily take 3-4 inches off the waist with no damage to the internal organs. The fact that the average waist in the 1950s was 27 inches proves that a 24 inch waist is entirely realistic - it is only the current rate of obesity which has skewed our view of what is normal and average.

for noting these inaccuracies, the Editors have been contacted and the misinformation will hopefully soon be rectified.

Thanks

sorry if I sounded a bit rude...

<> (belladonna)

I recently read (sorry, can't remember where) that now the average waist for women in the US is 37 inches - which I found rather shocking.

Well, okay, it might not be an entirely accurate figure but it's true what you say about changes happening to body shapes over the past few centuries. Also, a few hundred years ago people were considerably smaller in general. If you've ever looked in a museum showing a 'typical bedroom' in the 1800's the beds look far too short for present day people. And some of the clothes from those times look as though they were made for children.

Also want to say that when I was much much younger I had a 24" waist for awhile. And I'm not a particularly small person. So, yes, it's not all that hard to imagine.

az

Not a problem belladonna! It's just nice to know people are reading the Entry!