The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-10-08

Statistics and medical records show
that nine-tenths of the women of the
sort of ailment. while the percentage
of sickness or infirmity among men is
very much lower. With this astonish
ing amount of i'll health among the
mothers, wives and daughters of the
country, the question naturally arises
lust now whether or not American wo-
men are becoming healthier or other
wise. 1t has been the fashion recently
to proclaim that the tendency toward
outdoor life-gOlf, horseback riding,
making the woman of the United
States a stronger, more vigorous, and
ago But what percentage of the whole
number of American women have time
or means for golf, horseback riding
and long walks across country? The
number who indulge in these good and
healthful exercises is so small in COM
parison with the millions who have
no opportunity for such things that it
is hardly worthy of consideration in
the discussion of the whole subject.
The doctors and the books on by
giene ascribe to three principal causes
the inferior health of American wO-
men, One of these is their lack of out
door exercise, the second is their man.
ner of dressing, and the third the ner-
vous tension under which all Ameri-
can women live. And when we say
manner of DRESSING" we are referring
to the custom of lacing. A few months
ago we We're gloryng in the belief that
the old enemy of woman, the habit of
ing. because the small waist" had
ceased to be stylish. The desired and
were broad shoulders and comparative
ly narrow hips; and to produce TINS et-
feet the laces at the waist were not
drawn too closely. 1t was announced
that we had become more sensible,
that we were realizing at last the error
of our ways. that We had at last ac-
knowledged the cause of a great deal
Of unhappiness. and had Sensibly de-
cided to check the evil by removing
it's source.
But now q new condition has arisen.
1t is apparent that, if we are not care
full, we will revert to the former I'M
comfortable and disastrous state of
tight Iacing. 1t suddenly becomes re-
cognized that waists are to be a lit
tie smaller this year The fashion
hints, suggest it. the patterns show it,
the modistes tell us so, and sure
enough We appear III our new gowns
with smaller waists. SO that whatever
benefit may have resulted from the
fashion that permitted larger waists
may now be lost by the reversion to
the former custom.
Women, | think have come to ac-
cept it as inevitable that they must
suffer more pain than men. They even
feel sort of pride in taking this atti-
tude; they resign themselves to it and
then point out the fact that they are
making a sacrifice to the race. They
maintain a sort Of mystery about this
suffering, about the pain that makes
them pale and languid and unhappy
How absurd this is and how different
! from the attitude of men on the same
subject You never saw man, GER
tainly not one who approached the
normal state, who took pride in his
Affections. They are anxious enough
for care and attention. l believe, during
their illness. but they are eager
enough to get we'll when sickness
comes. and proud of it when they have
recovered. The same should be true
| of all women.
1t is absurd to assume that nature
has designed that one sex should be
less healthy than the other. AS a mat
ter of fact, all disease is unnatural
Pain is simply the signal which the
body gives to the directing intelligence
of the human being that it is being
abused. When these warnings are OBJ
served and the cause of them removed
suffering ceases; and the sooner these
general facts are understood and hon
Ored in the observance by women as
well as men. the better it will be for
| the whole race.
l do not intend to attempt a full eX-
PLANTATION here of the fact that women
are SO much less healthy than men
but what l want to emphasize is that
there is absolutely no reason why this
should be so; and as further evidence
l am going to describe a new and i'm
! portant movement, which, proceeding
| ~