The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-01
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AMERICAN WOMEN.

L
tra,on Report for 1855, presents some
striking and alarming facts. In examining
the record Of death and tho long list of ia
tai maladies, wc find n very striking equal
ity in the number of deaths of males and
females arising from many diseases. For
irstancc--thc large number of no persons
died in this State during the year 1855 OF
tvphus fever. 1t seems marvellous that
the deaths should have been divided be-
tween males and females with such an ap-
proach to exact equality rs the following
figures show, viz: 3S8 male, and 3e2 fe-
male.
Again, under the head of convulsions,
we find, total excluding two where the sex
was not rccordcd) 4O2. and Of tn Sc 2O2
were males, and 200 females; Of the 347
deaths from scarlatina, 173 were males, l74
females The striking equality proves that
there was no special cause cxerting an in
furious influence upon either sex.
Referring now to consumption, We might
expect to find similar state of things :;
but no, il is strangely and sadly different.
Excluding the deaths below 10 and over GO
for reasons suggested in tho report, viz
that wasting and decay arising from old
age or constitutional weakness, were often
enormously v returned under the head Of
consumption; and excluding also the deaths
between 40 and GO, when there is nearly
an equality and when any special causes
would probably produce their effects, we
obtain this remarkable result Total deaths
from consumption between the ages Of 10
and 40, $500; of these but 9GG, or 81
per cent, are of men, willie ,G24 or near
ly G3 per cent, are of women. Bctwen 10
and 30 the difference is still greater; du-
ring this period the deaths Of females are
1928 out 1888 i. e., nearly Go per cent:
10 to 20 is worse still-very nearly G7 per
cent.
SO that we shall not be far from the
truth in saying, that Of the deaths from
consumption between the ages Of 10 and
25, those Of females as to l.
Here evidently is indicated in language
too plain TO he misunderstood, the existence
of some spcci i cause producing consump-
ton among females out Of all reasonable
proportion: and which does not act in the
case of fc"crs and many other diseases. 1t
may be said that woman's moro delicate
organization renders her more susceptiLle
to the attacks of disease but if her organi.
zation is sensitive aud delicate, it is also en-
dowed with great powers Of endurance
The same thing may he said in regard to
typhus fever; but statistics disprove the
hypothesis; and moreover men from their
occupations are much more exposed to the
danger of consumption than women arc, at
least ty any necessity. But it is illogical
to seek in the distance for causes when all
sufficient ones lie open efore our eyes,
Look at the dress Of the women.
Enslavcd by tyrannical fashions imported
from the central city Of immortality and
d spotism, with head-drcss that may do
well enough in a temperate CLINE for lady
who never goes out but in carriage, or
The nursery women in shaded gardens, but
criminally absurd where the sun burns with
all but tropical power, and where the in.
tense cold penctratcs the skull and stops
the action of the brain; with their necks.
and, shame to their regard both for health
and modcsty, more than what is entitled to
lie so called, exposed one moment to the
heated air of ballroom, and another to
blasts like those which froze the blood of
the stern Pilgrim Fathers; with arms pin
Toned to their sides, with shoulder blades
displaced, and back bones twisted by steel
bound corsets that compress the chest and
contract the waist till it is wasp-lke, in de-.
fiancc alike Of the laws Of health and of
physical beauty, as glance at the classical
models OF Greece or at the pictures of the
middle ages would show them, a beauty
which consists not in the artificial forms
invented 10y man or woman, but in tile free
and full development Of that glorious Or
gan>m which God has given as the temple
OF the soul; with form contracted by FASH
ION imported from the gardens, not of Para
disc, but OF Paris; loaded with skirts and
silks that tailed through the varied fil,l, of
the streets and sidewalks, that ruin their
husbands, and increase that ease in walkino
for which American ladies are so renowned.
with shoes so thin that a stout msn yould
catch cold through them at once; with a
general tllinness of dress and recklessncss
OF exposure which we need say no more Of,
Tor every man that cares for the modesty.
and health, and bappincs of his country
women, gazes at them with wonder and
sorrow.
Why need we seek further to learn how
1t Is that the American women who are
frequently said to he tho most boo,,;f,I =;