Personal hygiene and physical training for women

The Wisdom of Physical Efficiency 11

Physical Efficiency as an Exact Science; Marks for Physical Efficiency; Statistical Study of the Physical Examinations of 160 Young Women; the Physical Status of the Women of To-day; the Reflex Action of the Various Impairments of the Entire Organism.

Hydrotherapy 23

Description of the Skin; Functions of the Skin; the Physiologic Effects of Water, Hot and Cold; the Chief Varieties of Baths; Ablutions; the Tub Bath; the Alcohol Rub; the Cold Dip; Alkaline and Saline Baths; the Rain Douche or Shower Bath; the Hot Foot-bath; the Sitz Bath; Salt Ablution; the Turkish Bath; the Electric-light Bath; Indications for the Use of Turkish Bath, and Contraindications; the Douche; Rationale of the Douche; Contraindications.

The Internal Use of Water; Its Action on the Heart and Blood, on the Digestion; Therapeutic Indications for the Use of Water; Contraindications for Drinking Cold Water.

Enemas; Vaginal Douche; Douching the Ear.

The Care of the Skin and Its Appendages 57

The Complexion; the Action of the Bath in Health; the Proper Time to Bathe; the Care of Wash-cloths; Cleansing the Face; Protection of the Face; the Use of So-called Cosmetics for the Face; Facial Blemishes, Freckles, Liver Spots, Sallow Complexion, Pimples; Acne, Eczema, Wrinkles and Their Treatment; the Relation of Diseases of the Skin to Internal Disorders.

The Hair; Dandruff; Causes and Treatment of Premature Thinness of the Hair and Baldness; the Care of the Hair; Gray Hair.

The Cosmetic Care and Treatment of the Hands; Cosmetic of the Nails; the Care of the Feet; Painful Affections of the Feet.

The Digestive Tract; Care of the Mouth and Teeth; Controlling Factors of Digestion; Psychic Aspect of Digestion; Importance of Mechanical Factors; Chemical Changes of Food in the Stomach; Intestinal Digestion; Metabolism; Constipation and Its Treatment.

The Amount of Food Required; the Classification of Foods; Standard Dietaries; Maintenance Diet; Relations of Diet to Various Conditions of Life; Practical Facts for Guidance; Dietary in the Tropics; Food Economics; Table of Food Values.

The Physiologic Action of Moderate Doses of Alcohol; the Effect of Alcohol on the Muscular System; the Effect of Alcohol on the Nervous System.

The Respiratory and Circulatory Systems: the Kidneys 137

The Mechanics of Circulation and Respiration; the Circulatory Apparatus; the Lungs; Hygiene of the Lungs and Its Relation to the General Health; Relation of Respiration to Body Heat; the Respiratory Functions of the Abdominal Muscles; the Importance of Good Chest Development, Proper Relation Between the Height, Weight, and Chest Measurements; Chemical Properties of Air; Town and Country Air; Dust and Its Relations to Disease; Rôle Played by Bacteria; Ventilation; the Injurious Effects of Overheated Air; the Proper Degree of Moisture for the Air of the House; Ventilation of Bed-rooms.

Care of the Nose, Throat, and Ears; Impediments to Respiration; Ventilation of the Lungs and Breathing Exercises; Cure of Chronic Bronchitis by Deep Breathing Exercises; Relation of Colds to Pneumonia and Tuberculosis, and Their Prevention.

The Kidneys and Their Functions; the Physiology of the Female Pelvic Organs.

The Nervous System as the Balance of Power in the Body 184

The Brain the Master Organ of the Body; the Functions of the Brain; Habit and Automatism; the Physiology of the Brain and Nervous System; the Hygiene of Work; the Toxins of Fatigue; Overwork; Signs of Overwork; Nature’s Restoratives; Avocation; the Physiologic Necessity for Laughter; Vacations and Health; Sleep; Insomnia.

The Eyes; Eye-strain; Description of the Visual Apparatus; Optical Defects and Their Correction; the Mechanism of Eye-strain; Local Symptoms of Eye-strain; Artificial Lighting; Hygienic Precautions in Reading and Sewing; Injuries to the Eyes; Symptoms and Treatment of Conjunctivitis; Trachoma; Styes.

Functional Nervous Disorders; Headache; Neurasthenia.

Mental Development; Self-control, the Moral Sense, the Religious Instincts; the Advantages of College Life; Balance of the Mental Faculties; the Effects of the Higher Education of Women.

The Environment; the Choice of Friends; Literature.

The Power of the Will or Inhibition; the Effect of the Mental Attitude on the Physical Health; A Definite Occupation a Physical Necessity; the Psychology of Success.

The History of Woman’s Dress; the Corset in History; the Crusade Against the Corset; the Influence of the Corset on the Female Body; the Curved Front Corset; the Relation of Corsets to Abdominal and Pelvic Disorders; the Effects of Corsets on the Muscles; the Straight Front Corset; the Abdominal Corset; the Wearing of Corsets by Young Girls; What Style of Corset is the Least Injurious; the Shoe; the Stockings; the Essential Qualities for Winter Underclothing; the Length of the Walking Skirt; the Winter Street Dress.

Physical Training the Key to Health and Beauty 283

The Ancient Greeks the Most Perfect Type of Beauty; the Cause of the Inferior Physique of American Women; the Physical Training of the Japanese Women; Improved Physique as the Result of Physical Training; Increasing Stature and Improved Physique of American Men; Report of the Royal Commission of Great Britain on Physical Training; Physical Training Among the Ancients; the Influence of Physical Training on the Health and Life of the Individual; the Effect of Exercise on Brain Development and Character; the Physiology and Pathology of Exercise; the Relative Proportions of a Perfect Female Form; Table of Standard Weights for Women; the Muscular System; the Benefits of Exercise; Passive Exercise; Massage; the Balance and Carriage of the Body; Common Defects in the Carriage of the Body; the Heart’s Need of Exercise; the Gymnasium in the Campaign Against Disease; Gymnastic versus Athletic Training; Exercise After Eating; Effect of Brain Fatigue on Body Fatigue, and vice versa; Marks for Physical Efficiency; Advantages Derived from Athletic Sports; Ethical Value of Sports for Women; Forms of Athletic Games Best Suited to Women.

Gymnasiums, Baths, and Athletic Associations: A Fundamental Part of a Woman’s College and a Model Woman’s Club; the Vassar College Gymnasium; the Standardized Percentage Table for Physical Efficiency; Special Medical Blank for Women; Self-made Good Physique through Physical Training; Rules for Taking Exercise; Gymnastic Dress; the Configuration of the Foot; Correct Attitude in Standing.

Corrective Exercises: Exercises for Developing the Various Regions of the Body; Shoulder-blade Exercises; Respiratory Exercises; Exercise for Forward Projection of Chest and Retraction of Abdomen; Shoulder and Back Exercises; Leg Exercises; Squatting Exercises for Muscles of Spine and Abdomen; Alternate Kneeling; Abdominal Exercises; Balancing Exercises for Poise and Carriage; Balancing Exercises for Extending Depth of Chest; Lateral Trunk and Waist Exercises; Exercises for Muscles of Back; Exercises for Muscles of Abdomen; Swimming Exercises for Back, Thighs, and Abdomen; Rope-pulling Exercises for Back, Chest, Waist, Legs, and Arms; Exercises in Trunk Flexions for Back, Abdomen, and Legs; Exercises with Chest Weights for Chest, Shoulders, and Arms; Boxing and Fencing; Classic and Æsthetic Dancing an Essential Feature in Physical Training; Figures of the Dance with Some Simple Exercises.

Outdoor Exercises: Effect of Walking on the Heart and Lungs; Running; Mountain Climbing; Swimming; Horseback Riding as an Exercise; Rowing.

Athletic Sports: Croquet; Lawn-tennis; Golf; Hockey; Basket-ball.

The Wisdom of Physical Efficiency

Physical Efficiency as an Exact Science; Marks for Physical Efficiency; Statistical Study of the Physical Examinations of 160 Young Women; the Physical Status of the Women of To-day; the Reflex Action of the Various Impairments of the Entire Organism.

“Circumstances,” said Napoleon, “I make circumstances.”

Physical efficiency stands for initiative, endurance, success; it is the very keynote of modern life and has become one of the burning questions of the day. West Point and Annapolis have always recognized this, and in order that their graduates should measure up to the highest standard of efficiency a most rigid physical examination was and is demanded as a prerequisite for admission; and during the whole of the four years’ course physical training is systematically carried on so as to insure the most perfect physique possible, with the result that in addition to their great powers of endurance and initiative, is their distinguished carriage and elegance of bearing.

To increase the safety of their passengers the railroad companies were the next to demand these same physical examinations to determine the efficiency of their applicants and employees. Other large corporations followed.

So long as women remained in the home, or were willing and content to accept any small wage that was doled out to them, the public did not seem especially interested in their physical condition. But when women, as a large teaching body or in any other public service, began to demand equal pay for equal work, the situation was materially altered, and in 1914 the English Royal Commission summed up the following conclusions: “Where the character and conditions of work performed by women approach those of the work of men, the pay of the women should approximate that of the men, but in so far as the efficiency of men is higher, the salaries of men should remain higher.” This at once changed the complexion of the matter, and physical efficiency for women became a matter of paramount and equal importance to both employer and employee.

Again, from the standpoint of social science, the physical efficiency of women is demanded because they are the mothers of the race, and on them, equally with the fathers, does the welfare of future generations depend, since it is believed that a child inherits equally from its parents—one-fourth from father and mother each, one-fourth from its grandparents, etc. The states are beginning to seriously take up the framing of laws for eugenic marriages, based on fixed standards of physical efficiency of the contracting parties. And the day is not far distant when women as well as men will have to undergo physical examinations to secure or hold any positions of importance.