Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-09-21
AMERICAN WOMEN
They Are Becoming Healthy by
Outdoor Exercise

Outdoor Exercise
Statistics and medical records
show that nine-tentl of our
women are sufferers from some all
ment, while the percentage of sick
ness among mea is much lower.
The question then naturally arises,
whether or not American women
are becoming healthier. 1t has
been promulgated, recently, that
outdoor life-golf, horseback rid
ing, walking, and that sort OF
thing-is tending to make us
stronger, more vigorous and hardy
than We were II generation ago.
But how many CT US have time or
means for these exercises? Tn
percentage is very small in COM
parison with the millions who have
no opportunity for such things.
The doctors and the books on
hygiene ascribc three reasons for
the inferior health of our women ;
one of these is lack Of outdoor
exercise. the second is the manner
of dressing, and the third, the
nervous tension under which We
1--we. And by "manner OF dress
ing" refer to the custom of lacing.
Women, | think, have come to
accept 1t as inevitable that they
must suffer more pain than men.
They even feel sOrt of pride in
taking this attitude; resigning
themselves, and pointing out the
fact that they are making h sacri'
flee to the race. They maintain n
sort of mystery about this suffer-
ing-the pain that makes them
pale and Ianguid and unhappy.
How absurdly different from the
attitude of men on the same sub
ject! You never saw u man who
approached the normal state
proud Of afliictions-and the same
should be true of all women. A.
matter Of fact all disease is I'M
natural-pain the danger signal
thrown out when the human in
tellig,nce is being abused. And
when these warnings are needed,
and the cause ascertained and re-
moved, suffering CEASES; and the
sooner these facts are understood
and honored by both sexes--the
better it will be for the whole race.
The subject is too broad to con-
slider in great amplitude here, hut
| would like to describe the great
movement which has made in the
last ten years tremendous progress
in this country and Europe. 1t il
known as the woman's propagan
da-the Viavi cult, and had its be-
ginning in San Francisco. Cal. Its
adherents conduct campaign CT
education, endeayOrlng TO despe
false customs and overcome ignor-
nnce in wCmen Of facts necessary
for their happiness ard well be-
ing.
In the first place it should be
understood that ilI-hsalth nearly
always is the specific result OF
general conditions. We feel pain
in the head, for instance, and are
apt to conclude at once that the
cause of that pain is local, the re-
suit of something wrong within
he skull, when it may proceed
from an unhealthy condition of
the liver, the kidneys. o: some
other organ, affected by unhealthy
habits or mode Of life. The pain
manifests itself in the brain, that
being the center of the nervous
system. The next stage is pain in
the region OF the affected organ
itself. Unless the diseased con-
dition il removed, the unhealthy
state continues, increasing actual
physical changes which become
chronic, and so serious as to be
difficult of removal.
The first step is to restore will
the right food the weakened con
dition of the body. There are
two ways of absorbing food
through the mouth and ston. ach,
important steps in the alimentary
canal, and through the pores rs
well. The next step is local appli-
cation Of harmless but effective
to the local conditions
resulting from the disease. The
effects of the Viavi movement ale
becoming so widespread in per-
curing disease, that one
becomes thoroughly enthusiastic
in preaching its gospel Ct health.
There are so many persons who
have suffered hopelessly and to
such extent that their views Ct
life are warped.
There is no better soil for the
development of evil character than
the unhealthy body. We all ad-
mire the happy, hearty, healthy man
or woman. The leaders of the
race are the men who are vigorous,
normal and sound, and the moth
srs of such men.-From Leslie's
Weekly.
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