s to the effect of regular brain-work upon those already
suffering from diseases peculiar to the sex, I do not recall any
cases where the mere matter of intellectual labor had any effect
to increase the trouble. Other circumstances connected with
school life might aggravate such complaints, _e.g._, much going
over stairs, but a temperate application to study, even of the
sterner kinds, by giving occupation to the mind, I consider
highly beneficial.

"The great cause of diseases incidental only to the female sex is
to be found in want of sensible, intelligent thought, and an
unwillingness to act in accordance with the convictions such
thought would bring. The follies and frivolities of fashionable
life slay their thousands where hard study slays its one.
Tight-lacing, I believe, was never more prevalent than at the
present time, and its victims are a host. * * * This matter of
dress, so difficult to be reformed, has a very large share in
making women weak and helpless.

"Of course, it cannot be denied that many young women come out of
school with broken health. Do not young men also? The fact that
so many girls are enfeebled by the course pursued with them from
their very infancy, easily accounts for their broken health,
without attributing it at all to study. It cannot but be apparent
to any one, that a feeble, sickly girl or boy is unfit to attempt
a severe course of study. Again, girls are often in such a hurry
to 'finish,' that they overdo, and suffer the consequences in
after life.

"It has long been my opinion that we are in danger of pushing the
'graded school system' too far. There should be more latitude
allowed, more optional studies in all our schools. The question
may be asked, Does not this system bear equally upon boys and
girls? If so, why do girls suffer more in health? I affirm, not
because of the difference physically, but because the custom of
society shuts the girl up in the house--to her books, if she is
conscientious, and she is more likely to be so than her
brother--while the boy is turned loose, to have just as good a
time as if he were at the other end of his class. * * * When we
attempt to compare the ability of the two sexes to endure the
strain of continuous mental work, there are many circumstances to