What a Young Woman Ought to Know

by Mary Wood-Allen

	PAGE
PART I.
[CHAPTER I.] WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?
The first great lesson to learn, your own importance — Probably twelve million young women in the United States — What it means for one of them to be sick — Woman's work in the world — The using of spiritual forces — How much are you worth to your home, to the community, to the state, to the nation, to the race?	21
[CHAPTER II.] CARE OF BODY.
Your body is your dwelling — It expresses you — We can judge ofcharacter by the external appearance — The body also aninstrument and should be taken care of — Not "fussy" to takecare of it in youth — We should prepare for life	27
[CHAPTER III.] FOOD.
A desire for health creates a desire to know how to obtainit — The question of diet — We eat to repair waste and to supplynew material — Overstudy less a cause of illness than wrongeating — Tea and coffee not foods — Alcoholic beveragesinterfere with digestion — Dyspepsia produced by worry — Weshould give ourselves to our friends — Young women should studyscientific cookery	33
[CHAPTER IV.] SLEEP.
Every thought, activity, or motion causes expenditure offorce — In sleep the energy restored — Amount of sleepneeded — Effect of sleeplessness — Causes of unrefreshingsleep — Ventilation of sleeping rooms — Beauty sleep	39
[CHAPTER V.] BREATHING.
How often we breathe — What is accomplished bybreathing — Office of oxygen in the blood — Breathing ourmeasure of ability — Breathing gymnastics, theirvalue — Importance of the diaphragm in breathing	47
[CHAPTER VI.] HINDRANCES TO BREATHING.
Effect of sitting attitudes — How to counteract this — Wrongpositions in standing — Restrictions of clothing — Rule for thetightness of clothing — Why tight dresses may feel comfortable	55
[CHAPTER VII.] ADDED INJURIES FROM TIGHT CLOTHING.
The effect upon the heart — Danger of exercising in tightdress — Effect of tight clothing upon the kidneys, upon theliver, stomach, and bowels — How the bowels are held in theabdomen — Influence of tight clothing upon the pelvicorgans — Upon the circulation — A tapering waist a deformity	61
[CHAPTER VIII.] EXERCISE.
The purpose of physical culture — Balance between waste andsupply — Gymnastic dress a necessity — Value ofhousework — Bicycle riding — Dancing — Skating — Lawntennis — Running up and down stairs — Bathing	69
[CHAPTER IX.] BATHING.
Beauty of complexion — Condition of skin indicates condition ofdigestive organs — Pimples — Constipation — Thermal bath — Footbath — Time to bathe — Daily baths — The use ofsoaps — Wrinkles — Care of the hands	77
PART II.
[CHAPTER X.] CREATIVE POWER.
We have Godlike powers: reason, imagination, conferringlife — Organs of individual life same in bothsexes — Differences between the sexes in size — Dignity of man	87
[CHAPTER XI.] BUILDING BRAINS.
Babies born deaf, dumb, blind and helpless — The activities ofthe baby build its brains — Our brains develop throughcultivation of the senses — Certain areas of brain governcertain movements of body — Can learn how to build up any partof brain — Professor Gates' experiments in trainingdogs — Creation of habits — Effects of malevolent passions, suchas anger, worry, etc.	93
[CHAPTER XII.] YOU ARE MORE THAN BODY OR MIND.
You are neither body nor mind, you are spirit — Yourrelationship to God — God's obligation to us — Our obligation toHim — God's school — His method of teaching us.	99
[CHAPTER XIII.] SPECIAL PHYSIOLOGY.
Differences between boys and girls — Boys need oursympathy — The crisis in the girl's life — Sex inmind — Description of the sex organs	105
[CHAPTER XIV.] BECOMING A WOMAN.
All life from an egg — The human egg — Menstruation — Girls mayinjure themselves through ignorance — Value of sex.	113
[CHAPTER XV.] ARTIFICIALITIES OF CIVILIZED LIFE.
Menstruation should be painless — Dr. Mary Jacobi'sopinion — Dr. Emmett on the artificial life of young women.	119
[CHAPTER XVI.] SOME CAUSES OF PAINFUL MENSTRUATION.
Woman not necessarily a semi-invalid — Effects of wrongclothing on the young girl — Evils of novel reading — Evils ofconstipation — Congestions produced by displacements — Seriousresults of abdominal displacements — Value of abdominalbandage — How to make one — How to wear it — Effects of wrongattitude — Standing on one foot — Correct attitude.	123
[CHAPTER XVII.] FEMALE DISEASES.
Displacements of uterus — Leucorrhea — Patent medicines — Honestphysicians — Sitz baths for reducing congestions — Age at whichmenstruation first appears — Non-menstruation andconsumption — Mechanical hindrances to menstruation —Suppression — Scanty flow — Profuse flow — Treatment.	135
[CHAPTER XVIII.] CARE DURING MENSTRUATION.
No long walks or rides — May pursue usual avocations — If pain,keep quiet — Do not use alcoholics of any kind — Use ofheat — Use of cold — Should you bathe at this time — Arrangementof clothing and napkins — Mental serenity.	145
[CHAPTER XIX.] SOLITARY VICE.
Its results — Causes — Lack of cleanliness — Pin-worms — Allfunctions attended with pleasure — Sex not low — Its developmentaccompanied by increased power — How overcome the badhabit? — Remove causes of pelvic congestions — Train thesenses — Study clouds, leaves, shapes, birds, etc.	151
[CHAPTER XX.] BE GOOD TO YOURSELF.
What is real fun — The effects of a wrong idea offun — Flirtations — Familiarities — Criticism of girls by youngmen — Class of girls who are most respected — Responsibility ofgirls — The conduct of a pure woman the safeguard of man.	159
[CHAPTER XXI.] FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BOYS AND GIRLS.
The meaning of friendship — Mother the girl's wisestconfidante — Kissing — Friendship between brothers andsisters — Platonic friendships — The value of noblecompanionship.	169
[CHAPTER XXII.] FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GIRLS.
Gushing girls — Manly friendships — The highest type offriendship — To love truly is to grow strong by true giving.	177
[CHAPTER XXIII.] EXERCISES.
Correct dressing — To overcome curvature — Round shoulders — Tostrengthen the back — To develop the chest — Abdominalmuscles — To restore displaced organs.	181
[CHAPTER XXIV.] RECREATIONS.
Walking — Running — Riding — Skating — Rowing — Cycling — Tennis —Swimming — Skipping — Dancing — Card-playing — Theatre-going.	187
PART III.
[CHAPTER XXV.] LOVE.
Different ideas of different people — Much that is called loveis selfishness — Love at first sight — Present conditions ofsociety unnatural — Parents unwilling to teach their children,yet permit flirtations, etc. — What is love? — One word toexpress different phases of regard — Love of man andwoman — Love should include mental congeniality, spiritualsympathy and physical attraction — Young people should haveopportunity to get acquainted — Comradeship of youngpeople — Love is a growth.	199
[CHAPTER XXVI.] RESPONSIBILITY IN MARRIAGE.
Who is the young man? — What are his antecedents, his talents,his habits? — What sort of a family does he belong to? — Thewife marries her husband's family — Girls should know this — Amother's privilege.	209
[CHAPTER XXVII.] THE LAW OF HEREDITY.
A strange will — Should study the law of inheritance — Plantheredity — Race heredity — National characteristics — Individualinheritance — We are composite photographs — The law of hereditya beneficial law — Transmission of evil a warning — Bad tempersinherited — Atavism.	215
[CHAPTER XXVIII.] HEREDITARY EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, ETC.
Alcoholism produces nerve degeneration — Tight lacing may havethe same result — Nerve degeneracy may lead toalcoholism — Idiocy and inebriety increasing — Effects ofwine — Evils of patent medicines — Inebriety of parents entailsinjury on offspring — Folly of marrying a man to reformhim — Hereditary effects of morphine, chloral, etc. — Dangers ofthe tobacco habit — Inherited effects of tobacco.	223
[CHAPTER XXIX.] EFFECTS OF IMMORALITY ON THE RACE.
The law of God not a double law — The inherited effects ofimmorality — Millions die annually from its effects —Transmitted to child or wife — Contamination through a kiss.	235
[CHAPTER XXX.] THE GOSPEL OF HEREDITY.
Inheritance of good so universal that we fail to think ofit — Mercy shown to thousands of generations — Heredity notfatality — Effects of education transmitted — Experiments ofProfessor Gates on dogs — A divine inheritance.	241
[CHAPTER XXXI.] REQUISITES OF A HUSBAND.
What is the young man's inheritance? — What are hisideas? — What is his estimate of woman? — What are hisdefects? — Are there adequate reasons why some should notmarry? — May not married people be happy without children — Agirl should know something of the personal habits of herfuture husband — Should consider her own personal habits — Howfreely may young people talk together?	247
[CHAPTER XXXII.] ENGAGEMENTS.
Becoming engaged for fun — May not engaged young people throwaside restrictions? — Long engagements — The benefits of anengagement — Evils of a long engagement — Engagement a time ofpreparation — Sexual attraction not limited to localexpression — Duty of the engaged young woman to her ownfamily — Jealousy the quintessence of selfishness — Trust asuggestion to be true — Common sense needed in marriage — Holdyour lover to the highest ideals.	255
[CHAPTER XXXIII.] THE WEDDING.
Folly of preparing an elaborate trousseau — The way of onesensible girl — The wedding gifts — Bridal tours — The realitiesof wedded life.	267

---

PREFACE.

During a number of years it has been my privilege to be the confidante and counsellor of a large number of young women of various stations in life and in all parts of the United States.

These girls have talked freely with me concerning their plans, aspirations, fears and personal problems. It has been a great revelation to me to note with what unanimity they ask certain questions concerning conduct—queries which perhaps might astonish the mothers of those same girls, as they, doubtless, take it for granted that their daughters intuitively understand these fundamental laws of propriety.

The truth is that many girls who have been taught in the "ologies" of the schools, who have been trained in the conventionalities of society, have been left to pick up as they may their ideas upon personal conduct, and, coming face to face with puzzling problems, are at a loss, and perhaps are led into wrong ways of thinking and questionable ways of doing because no one has foreseen their dilemma and warned them how to meet it.

The subjects treated in this little book are discussed because every one of them has been the substance of a query propounded by some girl otherwise intelligent and well informed. They have been treated plainly and simply because they purport to be the frank conferences of a mother and daughter, between whom there can be no need of hesitation in dealing frankly with any question bearing on the life, health or happiness of the girl. There is therefore no need of apology; the book is its own excuse for being, the queries of the young women demand honest answers.

Life will be safer for the girl who understands her own nature and reverences her womanhood, who realizes her responsibility towards the human race and conducts herself in accordance with that realization.

Life will be nobler and purer in its possession and its transmission, if, from childhood onward to old age, the thought has been held that "Life is a gift of God and is divine," and its physical is no less sacred than its mental or moral manifestation; if it has been understood that the foundations of character are laid in the habits formed in youth, and that a noble girlhood assures a grand maturity.