HYGIENE IN THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN. 521 



this deterioration of health should so frequently take place in women 

 when subjected to bodily and mental strain, in distinction from men, 

 in whom, under the same circumstances, it is comparatively unusual ; 

 and, with the view of elucidating this, to discuss the physical and in- 

 tellectual capacities of the sexes, and to ascertain whether, in these 

 respects, the male and female are upon an equal footing. That these 

 propositions may be rendered intelligible, some preliminary observa- 

 tions are necessary. 



The Physical Conformation of Woman, — It will be generally 

 conceded that woman is physically weaker and less powerfully built 

 than man. With few exceptions, this distinction between the sexes is 

 universal throughout the entire animal kingdom. From the lowest to 

 the highest species, the general structure of the male differs from that 

 of the female in the size and strength of his bones and muscles, the 

 form of his head, thorax, and limbs, and in the possession of special 

 weapons of offense and defense. In the human being, although this 

 to a certain extent is modified by circumstances, the same general law 

 holds good. Owing to his conformation, the man is capable of per- 

 forming and of enduring more physical labor and fatigue, and hence 

 on him, from time immemorial, has fallen the share of manual toil, and 

 of supporting and protecting the other and weaker sex. It is true we 

 sometimes meet with — 



" Daughters of the plow, stronger than men, 

 Huge women blowzed with health, and wind, and rain, 

 And labor." 



Such, all will admit, are exceptions, and by no means represent the 

 standard woman. 



The generative organs form a most important distinction between 

 the sexes, and must, to a great extent, modify the habits and career of 

 the female. In the natural course of events, many years of the most 

 vigorous and active period of a woman's life are spent in germinating 

 and suckling her offspring, during which time she is physically capable 

 of little else. If she has not children, frequently recurring periodic 

 processes take place, which, under the best circumstances, render her 

 specially liable to derangement of her general health, and under ad- 

 verse conditions she is almost certain to fall a victim. This was de- 

 monstrated in the days of slavery, when the owners, either not know- 

 ing or caring about these physiological laws, forced their women to 

 labor continuously in the fields, in consequence of which thousands of 

 them died of those numerous ills to which female flesh is heir. We 

 can not here enter at length into this very important subject, but 

 merely indicate that the whole sexual system of woman has a profound 

 influence on her physical nature, which does not exist to the same 

 extent in man, and, although for conventional reasons such questions 

 are usually suppressed- in public controversies on the advancement 



