2 70 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



imperfection of their sexual life. By the keenness of the vision 

 directed to this period of woman's genesis, they are blinded to all the 

 years of formative childhood. Perfect function is an expression for 

 perfect organs. Women do not reach the inception of ovarian life 

 with organs in an infantile condition. During the years of childhood 

 structural evolution goes on, and ends in the climax of function. It 

 naturally follows, that during the period of structural development 

 are sown the seeds of ovarian ill-health. For instance : given, a child 

 with no inherited taint, reared as she ought to be, mentally, bodily, 

 and hygienically, and who escapes the accidents incident to growth, 

 and some time, between the years of thirteen and eighteen, she becomes 

 functionally perfect, without trouble and without hazard, be she at 

 the boarding-school, at college, or at home in the whirl of fashion. 



As this subject is having a practical bearing upon the usefulness 

 and higher education of young women at what is commonly regarded 

 the critical period of their development, I deem it in the interest of a 

 more perfect understanding of the matter, that it be studied in the 

 light of recent physiology. It is apparent from the above, that instead 

 of confining the critical period of woman's development to the estab- 

 lishment of ovarian function, I believe that the true crisis is confined 

 to the formative years of childhood. 



In stating my idea of the genesis of woman sexually, it will be 

 necessary for me to keep in view the usually accepted belief, and to 

 apply reasonable objections, based upon admitted physiological data, 

 to the value assigned to puberty. It is at this period, when young 

 women are entering upon their higher education, that it is claimed 

 they are physically and mentally disabled from pursuing the same 

 studies, in the same manner, and in the same institutions, with 

 young men ; and that their time and study must be arranged solely 

 with reference to ovarian function. This is the latest medical opinion 

 upon this question. The answer to this comes from a class of society, 

 from men and women engaged in teaching the sexes, either separately 

 or together. The answer is a flat denial, aud has almost a flavor of 

 poetic justice. It is couching the lance in defense of woman against 

 the grave charge of periodicity. It is a matter to be regretted that 

 those who have answered this content themselves with facts which 

 have simply a negative value. It is evident that if ever a generally- 

 accepted opinion upon this question is to be reached, it is attainable 

 only by giving a just value, physiologically and hygienically, to the 

 puberic age. 



The position of writers upon the diseases of women, on this sub- 

 ject, is unfortunate, and one badly calculated to conserve public health. 

 They comparatively ignore the formative years of childhood, or if 

 referred to at all it is so incidentally that the interest turns upon the 

 year of puberty. Dr. E. J. Tilt, of London, traces the diseases of 

 ovulation to ovaritis, acute, subacute, and chronic. In his chain of 



