6i2 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tionalists report poor health, as against 18 per cent of those from fe- 

 male colleges ; but this is more than accounted for by the fact that 2.3 

 per cent of the latter were in poor health before entering, showing a 

 real gain during college-life of 4 per cent in average health, while the 

 reports of co-educational colleges show a gain of but one per cent. It 

 must be noticed, however, that the female colleges show a falling off 

 of 4'8 per cent from good, to fair health, while the co-educational show 

 a similar loss of but 0*3 per cent. The average number of disorders 

 reported is much the same for each class : 1'19 for graduates of fe- 

 male colleges ; 1"24 for the other class. The figures as given show that 

 either more care is taken of personal health in the female colleges than 

 in the co-educational, or that more supervision is exercised ; for 55 per 

 cent of the former report abstinence from study and exercise during 

 the menstrual period, and only 25 per cent of the latter. The figures 

 for disorders show no corresponding gain, however, the advantage here 

 being on the side of the co-educational institutions, as the latter report 

 33 per cent of disorders of brain, nerves, and reproductive organs, 

 against 41 per cent in the female colleges. The figures for worry are 

 about the same in each class : 33 per cent report severe study in the 

 co-educational colleges, as against 26 per cent in the oiher ; the ad- 

 vantage in exercise is, however, somewhat on the side of the co-edu- 

 cational college. The figures in the causation of disorders show the 

 same percentages arising from intellectual overwork and physical acci- 

 dent. The female colleges, however, report proportionately over one 

 thii-d more breaking down from emotional strain, while the co-educa- 

 tional colleges balance the account with one fourth more failing in 

 health by reason of bad sanitary conditions. 



Of the life since graduation, not much can be said : 23 per cent of 

 the graduates of the female colleges have married ; 28 per cent of the 

 co-educational, the average age of each being the same. Competition 

 with men seems to have led a less number of graduates of co-educa- 

 tional colleges to enter the professions ; at all events they report but 

 12 per cent in the professions, while the female colleges report 21 per 

 cent. A somewhat larger number follow teaching, however, the fig- 

 ures here being 48 per cent and 42 per cent respectively. 



It would certainly be too much to say from these figures that the 

 personal care and advice from others given in female colleges are 

 greater, while the social surroundings in the co-educational colleges 

 are healthier, because perhaps more natural ; but they suggest the ad- 

 visability of questions directed to these points. The female colleges 

 seem to have the advantage in purely sanitary conditions (except amount 

 of exercise), as witnessed by the smaller percentage reporting bad sani- 

 tation as cause of disease ; by the advantage of more than two to one 

 of abstinence from study at critical periods, and in moderation of 

 study ; while the advantage of health remains on the side of the co- 

 educational during college-life. That the balance shifts after gradu- 



