Fatherless Lassie (Additional Work).—As your present work consists in taking orders for a business firm, would it not be wiser to increase your utility in this line of work than to supplement your earnings with your needle, as you suggest? In these days it is almost always best to specialise, that is to say, to become peculiarly efficient in some one department of work. Now, if you could make yourself a thoroughly capable clerk, and could master as much about the coal trade, in which you are engaged, as it is in your power to learn, you would have the preference over an inexperienced girl for any better post in a coal order office later. Work hard at book-keeping and type-writing, and attend any good business classes that may be held in your neighbourhood.
Olive (Laundry-Work, etc.).—It appears doubtful from what you say concerning your health whether you would be strong enough for laundry-work; but it is quite certain that intellectual work is too severe for you, and it would be wise to give up the latter at once. We know too many teachers who break down under the strain in middle life to advise any girl to persevere who has already found the profession so trying as you have done. If you attempt laundry-work, you might take a year’s training at some large steam-laundry (such as the London and Provincial Steam-Laundry, Battersea Park Road, S.W.), and afterwards try to start a hand-laundry, or to join someone in such an enterprise. But we fear the regular business of a steam-laundry would prove fully as trying to you as teaching. Consequently the best posts in the laundry business might always be beyond your reach. Dairy-work seems more likely to suit you, together perhaps with some other forms of country occupation, such as the care of poultry. It would be worth considering whether you should not go to the Agricultural College, Reading, unless you could obtain good instruction in some County Council classes in your own part of England.
Muriel (Dressmaking, etc.).—1. Unless you have friends in Paris with whom you could stay, we should not advise you to try to enter a dressmaking firm in that city. It is possible that the Secretary of the Foreign Registry, Girls’ Friendly Society, 10, Holbein Place, Sloane Square, S.W., could advise you in the matter; but probably the best firms might have no vacancy for an English girl, and the less good might prove to be extremely undesirable. It would be far wiser, in our opinion, to apprentice yourself to a London firm, concerning which your relations and friends could make the requisite inquiries.—2. On the subject of voice-production you should inquire of some large bookseller whether a volume was not published by the late M. Emile Behnke, who was a great authority. We think you will find that such a book exists.
Another Anxious Mother (Dispensing).—This occupation offers fair chances of a livelihood to a girl, as not only are medical men often willing to employ a woman as dispenser in their private dispensaries, but various hospitals have women dispensers, and there are many localities in which women might establish dispensaries of their own. The Pharmacy Act requires that a pupil should study for three years. The time may be spent either in working under a qualified chemist, or in the dispensary of some institution. Several lady chemists and dispensers now take pupils, and addresses of these could be obtained by applying to the Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society, 17, Bloomsbury Square, London, or to the Secretary, London School of Medicine for Women, Arundel Street, W.C. The total expense of the course, including apprenticeship and examination fees ranges from £100 to £130. In this estimate board and lodging are not, of course, included. Your daughter would probably be advised to wait a year or two before beginning the course, as she is still so young.
MEDICAL.
M. J. Gray.—We discussed the question of the best hydropathic establishments for rheumatism a few weeks ago. In England, Harrowgate, with its sulphurous waters, is the most generally useful. But living at any of the hydropathic stations is expensive, and the English ones are about the most expensive of all. It is rather difficult for us to answer your question because we never advise any person to go “to take waters” unless her income is above the average, so we cannot tell you (at all events, not in this column), what a stay at any of the stations would cost. Aix-la-Chapelle, Barèges, Harrowgate, Kissingen, Carlsbad, Contrèxeville, Homburg, Marienbad, Selters, Vais and Vichy, are the springs most generally used. If you cannot afford a stay at one of these places, you may derive some benefit from taking the waters at home. Nowadays all these waters are exported. But the benefit of taking the waters at home is not comparable with the value of a stay at the place where they came from, probably not because the waters degenerate, but because the strict regimen and the good effects of travel are absent.
Fifteen Stone.—The latest thing for excessive obesity is extract of the thyroid gland. The preparation chiefly used is “thyroglandin,” and is made from the thyroid gland of the sheep. We cannot say at present whether this treatment is going to be of any value, but we are investigating its action. Like all animal extracts, thyroid is a very powerful drug, and sometimes gives rise to very alarming symptoms. If it is going to be valuable, it will only be used for very marked cases of obesity.
Simple Susan.—Certainly round shoulders can be remedied by gymnastic exercises. The best of these are the dumb-bells or clubs—but light bells and light clubs. Half an hour’s exercise or less every morning before breakfast. Dumb-bells should not weigh more than two pounds apiece.
Grandmamma.—Eczema is exceedingly common on the legs where varicose veins are present. The treatment is mainly that of the veins. Locally calamine ointment is very useful.
Another Anxious One.—1. Yes. Follow the advice that we gave to “Mary Noble.” We fear there is not much prospect of cure in your case. We have never found the chloride of ammonia inhaler of any value; now we never use it.—2. Wash your feet in warm water and borax every evening, and look to your boots. Almost every complaint of the feet is due to misshapen boots.