, 1861-02-28

pQf{nnGe OF Their services IN the circle OF home
duties, and naturally therefore respond more
readily to our efforts to induce more perfect
eelfcontrol as the first step toward recovery.
They are also more imprcssible, they more
keen]y and readi]y appreciate the genial and
soothing influences Of those means Of mora
treatment to which I hive so frequently
al1nded, and upon Which SO greatly depend
my views, and ultimately to cooperate with
me in that general course of treatment which
i best adapted to attain the 1onged-for result.
The use Of the needle, and the hrger number
ct domestic female employments, gives them
also greater variety at least Of passing occu.
patton. AL this Is an Illustration Of the
gre.:ter importance md efficiency of woman
ia ber especial element, that sphere Of bound.
legs iAauence It is there thatehe will
find ~ place Of the fullest development Of
ler moral and intellectual influence, for it is
pre-enain entity, and r1ghtfully, starting point
OF all social elevation. That il one Of the
errors OF the times, most pregnant Of evil
aud educational trimming, disregards her phys.
ical Development, and ranks the external
accomplishments Of person, manner, and
dress, above the expansion Of the intellect,
tue refinement Of the taste, the elevation oi
the sentiment, and, that most impertont Of all
to human happine:s, the cultivation Of the
heart, thus sending her forth into society, to
hardly q qualification to meet The responsible
duties Of wife and mother. This is not, per
har*, the right place to follow out this inter.
esting subject, III its relations and results
/ would, however, remark, that over three
thousand cases Of insanity have now CONS
undtr my direct care and observation. In g
large proportion Of those cases whose history
T could obtain, I have found TINT lie remote
and predisposing causes Of insanity, could be
pliu{y traced to the na}tgn influences of child
hood These Influences cannot at this time
eiun.erate or consider, but their knowledge
justities the assertion that srAe7a TIE duy Of ma.
King honae acise and happy sAaA be better real
crime, and much Tess Of insanity The neglect
Of physical training, and the imperfect physi-
cal development which follows, consequent to
this neglect, are strikingly evident ii many
Of ohr female patients. The various causes
which are reported to me, as the sources OF
disease, and which are classified in the tables
under the head Of !" i'll health p" intense men-
happiness," etc, may very frequently be traced
in their primary Influences, to the one
cause Of want Of physica1 stamina
I cannot refrain from referring here to re-
marks which made in the twenty-fourth
annual report, Uor 184S). 1 there stated that
OF TIE one hundred and eighty-scven female
patients admitted during the past three years,
aud mechanics quite an undue proportion Of
the comparative number of these classes in the
community. The consideration of the canseg
which led to this most natural result, showed
that between nursing, the accumulation Of
household duties and drudgery, and the niser-
oe shortsightcd economy, aaic3l often Id the h,1s
band to refrain from supplying tic necessary do
nsestic assistance, the poor heaTt-broken aud dis
eourl5ed wife had lost in turn her appetite,
her rest, and her strength, her nervous system
had become prostrated and, sinking under her
burdens, she had sought refuge in the Retreat.
One of our worthy female patients remarked
one day to a lady, Only think of It.! Dr.. But
i=r is keeping me here, and hare SIX children
and fourteen cows to take cars Of at home.'
Twenty excellent reasons for your remaining
here till you are cured was the timely IN
swer. They were the twenty reasons which
Lad made her insane.
In connection with this subject, cannot
iorbear quoting the following remarks from
the report Of the Massachusetts Board of EdT1-
cation for 1853: *While we abundantly pro-
vide for the thorough training of the mind.
we almost wholly neglect the trimming of the
body; and the effect Of this pressure upon the
intellect, without corresponding pressure Of
the body, is that the latter suffers and BY de-
grees the feeblcness which is generated by this
;wsnt Of proper physical exercise Of the BODY.
extends to the mind, for the twain are in incom.
rrehenslble mystery Of connection, and each is
participant Of the others strength and weak
ness. So, then, the mind becomes less yipor.
Gus by reason Of the fading yigor Of the body,
rs tue body is always weakened by the fading
powers Of the mind, and each gradually par
ticipating in a common imbecility, all the ef-
ior.s Of educators and all efforts at sclf.educa-
l;on, are wholly paratyzed. This is especially
tr;le of our girls. Our boys indulge mora in
tIgarous and active exerciae Athletic sports
Pre- full Of interest to them, and wisely do both
parents and teachers encourage them to par-
take thereof, and into them they 20 with
rush and relish, and heartiness Of tun most
cheering to behold, and most excellent in its
influence upon their bodily health. But Of
how little physical exercise do our girls par-
ttAes and how quick are We to check any pro-
pensity to activity in play aud to any romppine
aa1lbols or vigorous recreation on their part
The girls Of the olden times were immeasura-
BY norc sportive than would seem to find
quiet Of the premature young ladydom Of
modern days. Hoops, (not as now used} balls,
battledoore, running, dancing, in its primitive
Innocence, ropesEpping, and an endless yar
riety Of active sports, entirely appropriate to
ul:ir sex, we're freely indulged in--sports; not
only harmless in their nature, but OF positive
benefit to health and development of all the
bodily powers. But all that sort Of rolick-
Ing, beneficial though it really was to both
The bodies and the minds of the participants
has passed out OF fashion, and we have
now no rompiug girls, no capering .sTom
buys" with straiih ht limbs, active frames and
plump with robsQt nealth, no "cherry-cheeked
pattIes," full Of energetic life, and proof
against rain, hail, storm, and sloppy roads !;
hut dwindling race Of palefaced, sallow
skinned, wasp-waisted damsels, totally unlike
the splendid samples Of their sex (if we nav
judge of them BY the statues that haze come
down to us) that adorned the cities Of Greece
twenty centuries ago; models Of the most
perfect development Of the human form-a
measure around the whist Of one which would
encircle half q dozen Of our modern victims
Of lungs compressed and bones displaced bv
murderous fashion. As 1 write, I recall to
mind The girls Of our public schools, especial
y. those farthest advanced in study. I sec
many pleasant, many lovely counteuances, full
Of the expression Of gentleness, and intellect;
hut the cheeks are na1ToW, the shoulders are
stopping and round, the spines cannot be rig
idly erect, the form is not well filed out, md
natures own carmine is b1eached away as
though IL skin had been blanehed BY the
l venture to say that not one girl In ten,
nowadays, enjoys realiy sound, rugged health /;
about those who are expected to be helpmates
to husbands and mothers Of children. i
Parents and teachers both, should inculcate
upon children Of both sexes, the importance
Of health bringing, active exercise. Boys need
but little urgency, but girls should Be com
PEELED to takc it, It is possible for them to
become OF strong, vigorous health, with ex-
cellent digestion and no nervousness. An
English girl, accustomed to all weathers and
thick shoes, considers half dozen miles as. 9
mere trifle Of q walk, and she takes it day By
day. The majority Of american girls, with
their thin shoes, would shrink from such. an
attempt, aud regard It as nearly an impossible.
tt. The reason Of this is, TINT bodily exercise
ie the rule for the girls in England, and fol