And is it to be wondered at? Our girl has been steadily withholding from Nature all those elements upon which she imperatively insists as the condition under which alone she will consent to carry on her work. Long-suffering she is, and ever eager to repair any neglect that has not been carried too far. Only return to the right path, and she busily sets to work to make good the ravages which have followed upon our ignorance or neglect of her laws. But it must be the right path. None other will do. She will not be cajoled into working with any other than her own simple tools.
Our girls have withheld from her air, food, exercise—the three great factors of her powers—and have given for them miserable substitutes. Though kind, she cannot be put off with excuses. She is inexorable, and the same results will follow our neglect of her laws, whether it be due to a want of acquaintance with them or want of attention. It is as much, if not more, from these causes, then, that our girl has become ill than from the supposed overwork. Overwork might have been the immediate cause; that is to say, her collapse might have followed upon a little extra pressure or hurry of work; but the real cause will be found to lie in that steady neglect of the primary laws of health to which we have alluded, and upon which too much emphasis cannot be laid. Had it not been so, the fatigue engendered by an extra hour's work would have been set right by a good night's rest.
And when our girl is ill, her recovery will depend upon the degree to which she is enabled to meet the demands of Nature. If she can have plenty of rest, peace of mind, fresh air, light, digestible, and nourishing food, sunshine, and genial surroundings, she will soon be herself again. But if our brave worker has not these indispensables, or has them in a chance, get-me-if-you-can sort of way, then she lingers on, and often rises from her couch but half cured, and plunges on again under the old conditions, until something occurs which some persons call "a chance," some by another name, which mercifully changes the current of her life for a while, or perhaps for a permanency.
It is said that "men do work while women weep." That is part of an old-time ditty. In this generation women do not leave all the work to their brothers, and we will hope that in proportion as we work more, so we weep less. And women are not to be pitied that it is so. Work is one of the greatest of blessings, and when its aim is high, is, we believe, blessed. There is no reason why our work should be irksome to us, or should be aught but a pleasure. We must make up our minds to a certain number of disagreeables, and be prepared to meet them as they arise; but beyond that we should endeavour to take a pleasure in our work and a pride in its correct fulfilment. This will be easy to do with health, but without it will require more moral resolution than many of us possess.
Let us then turn this subject over in our minds and see if nothing can be done to make matters a little smoother; to enable us to be happy in our work-a-day lives; to lessen the chances of becoming ill, and, in spite of circumstances, to meet Nature's demands in one way or another.
First, then, as to air. That early morning walk is a good thing. It is well to get the lungs filled with pure morning air. Even in the London streets the air is tolerably good at that time. But many of our girls live a little way from the crowded streets, and only come into them for business or professional purposes. Some live too far to walk the whole distance into town. If that is the case, they should ride part of the distance. They should choose for the walking that part of the route which has the most trees about it, going a little out of their way even to walk through one of the parks or squares. They should not hurry, but should take care previously to allow themselves ample time. This can quite well be done by a little management, and when our girls are imbued with a sense of its importance we are sure will be. They should, if possible, meet one of their companions who is going the same way, and should chat to their hearts' content. (We are not afraid of the non-performance of this part of our prescription.) This will exercise the lungs, send plenty of fresh air into them, and lessen fatigue. A walk, under such conditions, is of untold value.
Our girl then will begin her day in better spirits. She will feel in a lighter mood; difficulties will be brushed aside. Instead of a furtive glance at the clock, and a thankful gasp that she has arrived in time, she will never think of the hour till she enters the room, for she has not troubled her mind about it, knowing she has given herself ample time. With all the arts of persuasion at her command she will then seek to lead her companions to have the windows open, just a chink or two at the top; and will gradually lead them round to her own conviction of the necessity for fresh air, and of the great desirability there is for an outlet for the carbonised air which is being emitted by one and all from their lungs. Before long she will have gained her point, and the open window will be a daily fact.
We are speaking now, of course, of our sensible girl, the one who has taken in the justice of our remarks, and who intends to act up to them as far as she can.
At luncheon time she will produce from her store some well cut sandwiches, made preferably with brown bread, and, with heroic determination, refuse tea (for it is hard to give up a habit), and will, instead, regale herself with a glass of milk, or a cup of cocoa; or, if she has neither of these, she will make a little strong beef-tea of Liebig's extract of meat, and partake of it with her roll and butter, remembering that, by the addition of an egg, she will make her broth more sustaining.
If she goes out to a restaurant and does not care for meat, she will recollect that its properties may be found more or less in eggs, in milk, in lentils, in haricot beans, in oatmeal, and in peas. Oatmeal porridge and milk form an excellent, inexpensive, and nutritious lunch or midday dinner. In some form or other one of these nitrogenous foods should be taken during the midday meal; and, if the taste and finances permit, should be supplemented by a little fresh, stewed, or dried fruit. Fruit is most wholesome, and is well enclosed within the border line of necessities.