HEALTH AND SEX IN HIGHER EDUCATION. 6ii 



figures for those of twenty and over show an almost exact reversal of 

 these percentages, being 18 per cent loss and 28*5 per cent gain. The 

 problem of age is thus seen to be an exceedingly important one. 



The fact that, of the disorders reported, 7 per cent are brain 

 troubles, 26 per cent of reproductive organs, and 33 per cent nervous- 

 ness (also 15 per cent of neuralgia), shows that the problem of health 

 has yet to find its adequate solution. The following percentages tell 

 the same story : During the period of development, 53 per cent were 

 troubled during the menstrual period (with simple irregularities, uter- 

 ine or reflex pain, one or all). During college-life the per cent was 

 66 ; since graduation, 64. If we isolate simple irregularities, the result 

 is more significant still ; for these show a constant decrease, while the 

 organic troubles show as marked an increase, the figures being, respect- 

 ively, for irregularities, 16 per cent, 9 per cent, 7 per cent ; for uter- 

 ine and reflex pain, 24 per cent, 36 per cent, 36 per cent, for the three 

 periods of development, college, and graduate life. Such percentages 

 show along what line effort should be directed. 



Leaving this question, we turn to the phenomena of college-life, 

 so far as regards exercise, study, and worry, in their effects upon health. 

 The tables here cease to have reference, in their bearing, to women 

 alone, and point a moral for all educators to heed. The importance 

 of exercise is shown by the fact that those reporting over two hours 

 per day return 84 per cent in good or fair health, while those below 

 two hours can show but 75 per cent. It is hardly an exaggeration to 

 say that, upon the whole, the tables show that worry is the most po- 

 tent of all predisposing causes of disease. Those who had no worries 

 of account report 92 per cent in fair or good health ; those worrying 

 over both personal affairs and studies state that but 68 per cent of their 

 number were in the same condition. Worry over personal matters 

 seems to be more harmful to health than overstudies, 75 and 80 per 

 cent being the proportion of good health respectively. This showing 

 goes far in substantiating the opinion of those who hold that study per 

 se is never a cause of failure of health. However, of those who studied 

 severely, 21 per cent report poor health, against 15 per cent of those 

 studying moderately. Again, of the latter, 54 per cent report disorders 

 as against 70 per cent of those who studied more ; the figures for nerv- 

 ousness also are 15 and 26 per cent respectively. It is fair to suppose, 

 however, that the largest per cent of those worrying over their studies 

 was found among those studying severely. 



In the tables, the distinction is made between those reporting 

 from female colleges only and those of the co-educational. It is an 

 easy matter, however, to separate them, which I have done, with 

 the following results : Of the whole number (705), 458 are from fe- 

 male colleges ; 247 co-educational. For graduate life, the figures for 

 health are exactly the same for both : 83 per cent in good health, and 

 17 per cent in poor. During college-life 16 per cent of the co-educa- 



