Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-10-21
HOW BOYS AND GIRLS ARE REARED

An article by DR.. Dixon, published in the Scalpcll
some years age, is just now attracting some Gtteu-
tion ia the English papers. 1t is ON the early de-
cay of American women.
We give (says the Doctor) the girl two years the
start OF the boy, and make her condition equal to
his at the outset. Both have endured the torture
Of bandaging, pinning, and tight dress ut birth
both have been rocked, juunced upon the knee,
pupa'd, laudanumed. paregOriced, castor oiled, and
s%uducated with n blanket over the head, swcltcred
with IL cap and feathers, roasted ut q fire Of anthrn-
cite, and poisoned with the foul air of an unven-
tilated %chomber, according to the universal formu-
Ia 0f sOme superannuated doctor or inexperienced
nurse probably both, for these people usually
hunt in couples, and are very generous to each
%ntl,eI. We give the girl enough start to make up
tor the benefit the boy has derived from
chasing the cataud an occasional tumble in the hall
or yard. and the torture she has endured from the
sampler, and eing compelled 10 "sit up straight
and not be u "hUyden."
Our little couple start to school with such q min
imum ct lungs rs the unnatural life they have led
will allow, and IL stomach that is not fresh enough
tn endure bad bread, plum cake, candies and dis
cased milk. The reader will remember that nature
is benciccnt, and will endure much abnse before
she succumbs. Well, they are off for school oh
serve how ~circumspectly my little miss walks
soon she chidcs her brother for being rude. u
lie, nothing daunted, starts full tilt after a stray
dog or pig and though he often tumbles in the
mud, and his clothes are spoiled, the result is soon
visible in increase of lungs and rudy cheeks. lie
cannot run without more breath, he cannot con.
tiuue to run without increased dimension and pow.
er of lungs he cannot have large lungs withnui
good digestion, he will feel well and thrive
apace.
They are now ~ school, seated on a bench with.
out a back, and often with their legs hanging
down, So that the poor backbone has no earthly
suppnrt. Thus sits the wretched child with book
in ha.ld, from nine till twelve o'clock, and some
times until three. The boy, with the aid Of stiek.
ing II pin now and then into his n~eighbOr, and oC
Il casionally falling from his bench FIR I'm pure nervous
1 exhaustion, to the great relief of his half-Stagnant
> blood-vessels and torpid nerves, endures it unit
!, another pig or dog chase makes him feel that he i,
alive.
c But our unfortunate little miss is in a distressed
condition. She is charged o"walk straight home
r where she is allowed to select her dinner from
r those articles that afford the least nutrition, sucl
e as pastry, cake, rich buildings and apples. This
d by the way, is her second meal of the same char
r acter, having taken one either at breakfast o.
+ lunch.
r After dinner, she either sits down at her sample
$ or piano. and in all probability finishes the day
+ feeding with tea and preserves. She is then poste,
t off to n feather bed in an unventilated chamber
G with the door shut for fear the little darling vii
@ take cold. A Motifs stove or furnace keeps tn
: upper chambers from IS to 100 deg, the feathe
l. beds and blankets retain all the heat Of the body
v and sweltering, the little creature lies till morning
What if she gets spinal curvature. or that Their
are actual deposits of tubercles in the body of he
@ vertebra or lungs?