, 1876-09-09
American Women.

pressing SOME SFAiiiS lucas @NON1
the degeneracy Of American women.
We would publish her remarks, but
we do not believe they are sound.
We have had the disease under which
she is suffering, and it came upon us
in the same way-but thinking much
about the sick women, and forgetting
al the healthy ones. A physician is
really a poor Judge Of the health of
community and the more practice
she Las, the less fitted is she for judg-
ing.
As a matter Of fact, we believe
American women to be healthier to
day than they were twenty years age.
In all of our cities and villages the
majority Of women one meets in cars
and On foot present healthy appear
ance. We happened recently 20 COM
pare ten women with twelve men in
a street-car in the city; and We have
not the smallest doubt that the wOm-
en- could have cleared the car of men
by the use of their strong arms. We
invite the doubterS to lay aside their
theories for little while, and substi
tu;e observation for philosophy.
The women who are visible in
churches and other public places look
healthy. They are doubtless many of
them who are not healthy, and there
are many not visible in these places
who are afflicted with various diseases.
But the same argument may be used
about men. Oar correspondent says,
that "our women are not able to bear
children" We had not observed that.
They have been oflener charged with
unwilingness, which IS another siar-
der based on partial observation.
What a women cannot do Is TO raise
six children in ten years, taking the
entire care Of them, making, mending,
and washing their clothes, and cook
;ug their food, besides taking care Of
her husband. We say she carnot
bat many q woman has accomplished
The more than herculean task. We
mean to say that the average woman
breaks down under this task, and we
do net believe that any man could
take the babies and rear them doing
all that these mothers do, and live
through it. Our observation has led
u to believe that il Is in this work Of
rearing large families withoul aS.is.
,ance that most OF the breaking down
OF our women occurs
There are valid objections TO some
of oar educational arrangements.
Sometimes girls are too closely coDiin-
ed, and it Is special grievance that
bad air is b-cathed IN school rooms.
Every such ease stands by itself, and
must be locally remediei. We are
not convinced that III the mass these
grievances reduce the general average
Of strength. As to gymnasjic exer-
ciSeS for young people, college expert
ence has led US to believe that the
chief use Of gymnasiums is 10 furnish
Necessary amusement. Nobody can
work sixteen hours daily. and students
are not abundanJly supplied with good
society. The gymnasjams interest
and oceHpy them in the absence Of
walks to see friends aad other soa!ai
occupations.
\ much more SeriouS cause Of i'll
health is the character Of oar food, or
rather Of onr cooking. Bar in this
matter we are steadily improving as
people, There does not seem 20 be
any evidence that wrmen are the
special victims Of sodlen biscuit and
fried pork. Improved cooking will
help both sexes, and help them about
equally. The argument from special
constitution is difficult Of application,
ana Is usually 50 applied as to produce
q false result. We know ii will be
c,l!el an absurd view, but il is an old
one worthy of recalling, that the
special female constitution tends to
health. \ wise Italian assigns this as
& reason why the Roman matron is
still found or the banks OF the Tiber,
though her masculine mate disappear
ed some centuries ago.