Healthy 
 
 Happy 
 
 Womanhood 
 
 A Pamphlet for Girls 
 and Young Women 
 
 ISSUED BY THr 
 
 United States Public Health Service 
 Treasury Department 
 
 \Va>hiD|ton, D. C.
 
 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 
 
 AA 000 731 030 
 
 HEALTHY. HAPPY WOMANHOOD 
 
 Throughout France and in many different coun- 
 tries of the world there stands the statue of a great 
 hero:"c Frenchwoman, Joan of Arc. Thds humble 
 peasant girl of Brittany, aroused by the misfortunes 
 of her countrjTnen, helped to free them from the 
 hands of a foreign foe. But to-day she has come to 
 represent far more than this. She lias come to 
 £tand for the woman with a vision, tlie woman who 
 is seeking to do her part for the bettennent of the 
 world. Wherever her figiu-e appears, it is always 
 looking forward, the light of a groat piu-pose in her 
 eyes, the will for large acliievcment in the lines of 
 her face. As she raises her standard aloft there 
 seem to gather behind it innumerable hosts of those 
 who would follow her lead. A daughter of war- 
 ridden fifteenth-centmy France, she nevertheless 
 sjTnbolizes the woman of the twentieth centm7", 
 eager to take a part in the work of the world and in 
 the great life-giving enterprises of peace. 
 
 HEALTH, THE FOUNDATION 
 
 You who aspire to take a part in the work of the 
 world should assure yourself of good health. With- 
 out it all other preparation may be in vain. To- 
 day, in addition to the more familiar duties 
 of the home, new occupations in factory and 
 office are open to you. In many fields you may 
 now compete with men. But only if you poaseae 
 
 20185'— 20 (2)
 
 good health — a vigoroua body and a clnar hrain — 
 can you cxpi>ct to undertake the new and trying 
 work successfully. Xo matter how thoroughly 
 you are trained, such training will he of little value 
 unless it rests upon a foundation of good health. 
 
 Good health is even more important from the 
 point of view of motherhood. In some of the war- 
 ravaged countries of Europe more than lialf of the 
 Laities who are bom die during the first year of life. 
 Thousands of others begin their lives under 
 tremendous handicaps, ^^'hy? Lai^ely because 
 the strength of the mothers has been sapped by 
 foo<l shortage and overwork so that tliey can not give 
 their babies proper nourishment. The dream of 
 these mothers of chubby, rosy-cheeked babies, who 
 were to have been their joy, has vanished. Upon 
 healthy womanhood dep>ends to a large extent 
 happ>' motherhood. 
 
 Phy.sical fitness during youth is the best founda- 
 tion for healthy, happy womanhood. It is an asset 
 of which you may rightly feel proud. With 
 health, you can look forward to the time when you 
 can participate actively in the work of the world; 
 with health, happy motherhood becomes a well- 
 grounded hope for the future. 
 
 BEAUTY AND POPULARITY 
 
 Besides fitting you more effectively for your life's 
 work, good health will incidentally increase your 
 beauty and attractiveness. True beauty comes 
 from within; it can not be put on from without. 
 Good health gives such beauty, a beauty that will 
 wear. Its foundation is health of mind and body; 
 its expression is a sparkling eye, a clear complexion, 
 a graceful body, an active brain.
 
 Every girl wants to be popular with her com- 
 panions. To-day the popular girl is the girl who 
 glows with life, who can swim and dance and play 
 outdoor games, who has plenty of energy for fun 
 when she has finished her daily tasks. Good health, 
 since it produces high spirits, vitality, cheerful- 
 ness and leadership, will help to make you popular. 
 Every girl likes to enjoy herself. She likes to go 
 to parties and picnics, to find the real joys of living. 
 Physical fitness, by enlarging your opportunity for 
 enjoyment and your power to enjoy, makes more 
 such occasions possible. 
 
 HOW FITNESS IS ATTAINED 
 
 Plenty of physical exercise, fresh air, sufficient 
 sleep, frequent bathing, three well-balanced meals 
 a day, erect carriage and comfortable clothing will 
 help to make you strong and well. 
 
 Exercise. — To keep physically fit, exercise 
 regularly every day of the year. Many forms of 
 exercise are enjoyable as well as beneficial. Walk- 
 ing to and from school or office, "hiking," skating, 
 canoeing, swimming, are excellent forms of outdoor 
 exercise. Games, such as basket ball, volley ball, 
 hockey and tennis, stimulate both mind and body 
 and are enjoyable sports. The blood tends to flow 
 to the part of the body that is used and gradually 
 strengthens the otherwise weak and flabby muscles. 
 Girls who sit in offices, work in factories, or spend 
 the day in the schoolroom are using only a part of 
 their bodies. They need to make special efforts 
 to exercise the unused muscles during their leis- 
 uje hours.
 
 Fresh air and sleep. — ^You ehoulfl always insist 
 upon working in well-ventilated rooms. Spend 
 some time each clay in the open air. By sleeping in 
 a room w'ith the ^"indows open, much fresh air is 
 secured \nthout special effort. 
 
 Sleep rests tlie brain and relaxes the muscles. 
 A groAving girl needs from 8* to 9^ hours of sleep 
 even.' night. Older girls may find that they can 
 keep well with somewhat less. 
 
 Bathing. — !Many impurities are cast off by the 
 body through the jwres of the skin. In order to 
 keep those pores open and clean, frequent hatha 
 with soap and warm water are necessary. The 
 best way to bathe is to take a warm liath followed by 
 a colli shower or sponge and a brisk rub with a coarse 
 towel. A cold bath is excellent for you, if after the 
 rub-down it leaves your body warm and glowing 
 and is followed by a feeling of general well-being. 
 
 What to eat. — A vigorous body demands whole 
 some foo<l, eaten regidarly. Three meals a day are 
 sufficient. They should include fruits and vege- 
 tables, either fresh or canned; cereals including 
 bread, especially whole-wheat and corn bread; 
 butter, eggs and milk; a moderate amount of 
 simple dessert. Meat once a day is sufficient. 
 
 Proper food, at least eight glasses of water a day, 
 plenty of exercise, and care in keeping the bowels 
 emptied each day will prevent constipation. If 
 waste material in the bowel is not removed, it will 
 generate poisons which are likely to damage the 
 entire system. 
 
 Erect posture. — Not only unattractiveness but 
 also headaches and disturbances of the diu'eative 
 and breathing organs may be due to slouching 
 positions which crowd the lungs, stomach, and
 
 6 
 
 intestines. The essentials of a good standing 
 position are to "stand tall" — chest up, not out — 
 the back touching an imaginary straight line. 
 The feet should be parallel, with toes pointing 
 straight forward. Aside from, all questions of 
 health, the erect girl who carries herself with 
 ease and gi-ace, inspires, by her very appearance, 
 the confidence of her employer or teacher and her 
 friends. 
 
 Clothing. — Clothes should be loose fitting, warm 
 and light, and should hang from the shoulders, 
 which have a bony frame and are well able to 
 carry the weight. A'void extremes of fashion, 
 particularly in shoes. For street wear at least 
 those with low heels will prove attractive as well 
 as practical. The body needs a level foundation 
 upon which to stand. 
 
 GLANDS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS 
 
 Important in maintaining health and ^'igor and 
 in carrying on the work of the body are several 
 organs of different sizes called glands. Each of 
 these glands produces a special kind of secretion 
 or juice. The largest gland in the body is the 
 liver which secretes bile or gall, a juice which aids 
 digestion. Smaller glands in the cheeks and under 
 the tongue secrete saliva which has a similar 
 function. Tear glands give off tears which moisten 
 and cleanse the eyeball. Other glands, instead 
 of pouring their secretions out where they can be 
 seen, send their product directly into the blood. 
 For instance, the thjToid gland located in the front 
 of the neck makes a secretion which is absorbed 
 by the blood and which plays an important part 
 in development.
 
 Other important glands are the ovaries in the 
 woman and the testes in the ma;;. These glands 
 belong to the sex or reproductive organs o£ man 
 and woman. The secretion from the ONaries is 
 absorbed by the bloud and canied to all parta 
 of the Vjody. It causes the girl's breasts to en- 
 large, her figure to develop. It adds a lastre to 
 her hair, a spaikle to her eye. It makes her brain 
 clear and active. In short, it changes her from 
 Hie awkward girl of 12 or 13 into a bright, at- 
 tractive young woman. The secretion from the 
 I oy's sex glands gives tone to his muscles, power 
 to his brain, and vitality to his nerves. The sex 
 glands are necessary for the development of man- 
 hiod and womanhood. 
 
 THE KEPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM 
 
 The function of the reproductive organs is to 
 produce life — fuller and richer life for one's self 
 and the new lii'e of little ones who will grow up to 
 assume our tasks. In tliese organs lie the woman's 
 power to become a motlier and the man's power to 
 become a father. The gii-l's reproductive organs 
 consist of the uterus or womb, two fallopian tubes, 
 two ovaries, and the vagina. 
 
 The utenis or womb is a pear-shaped body about 
 3 inches long, hanging ^^■ith the small end down- 
 ward in the lower part of the body. Its lower end 
 opens into the vagina which is a short tube con- 
 necting it with the oute-ide. The fallopian tubes 
 are attached to each side of the upper end of the 
 uterus. Beyond the end of each tube is an o\ ary. 
 
 In addition to making the secretion which helps 
 to develop the girl into a woman, the ovariee make
 
 8 
 
 tiny egg cells. Each cell contains the mother's 
 portion of the life of a child. After the girl's sex 
 organs ha^'e partially matured, at 12 to 15 years of 
 age, one of these egg cells develops about once in 
 28 days. It passes from the ovary an*-! finds its 
 way down the fallopian tube. 
 
 At about the time the egg cell leaves the ovary, 
 an additional supply of blood is sent to the uterus. 
 If this is not needed for the development of the 
 egg cell it passes out of the body at the monthly 
 or menstrual period. This is called menstruation. 
 Menstruation is a normal experience and not an 
 illness as many girls have been taught to believe. 
 A girl who is well and strong should feel little or 
 no discomfort during her menstrual period. To 
 avoid unnecessary distress due to pressure upon 
 the uterus, special care should be taken at this 
 time to empty the bowel and bladder regularly. 
 Vigorous forms of exercise such as swimming and 
 horseback riding should be avoided, but some 
 regular exercise should be taken. The external 
 parts of the sex organs should always be kept clean 
 and free from the irritation of tight clothing. 
 Bathing with warm water and soap is especially 
 necessary during menstruation, but care should 
 be taken to avoid getting chilled. If a complete 
 bath can not be taken, the external parts of these 
 organs should be washed night and morning. 
 
 THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE 
 
 Before the egg cell furnished by the ovary can 
 develop into a child, it must be fertilized by the 
 sperm or male germ cell which is furnished by the 
 sex organs of the man. 

 
 9 
 
 The union of male and female j,'erm colls i8 
 necessary in most forms of plant and animal life 
 to produce now life. The male cell in the pollen 
 of the flower must unite Antli the female cell which 
 lies at the base of the flower before a seed containing 
 the life of a new plant will devel'op. This union 
 of male and female cells is called fertilization. 
 The ej:g of the hen must be fertilized within the 
 lien's })ody by the sperm of the rooster if the egg 
 which is laid is to contain the life of a baby chick. 
 
 Among animals such as the rabbit, the cat, the 
 dog, and the horse, and man, the sperm or male 
 germ cells are placed in the body of the female 
 by the sex organ of the male, and union ^\•ith the 
 egg takes place within the reproductive organs of 
 the female. The fertilized egg then develops in 
 the uterus of the mother. 
 
 With the human mother, the child grows in the 
 uterus of the motlier for nine montlis, fed by 
 nourishment from her blood, warmed and protected 
 within the body. The muscles of the uterus then 
 contract, and the child comes down the vagina 
 into the outer world. At that time the child has 
 developed to the point where he can breathe for 
 himself and take the milk furnished by special 
 glands in the breast of the mother. The uterus of 
 the mother returns to normal size within a few days 
 after the birth of the child. Afteru'ard she should 
 liave even greater \igor and better health for the 
 experience. 
 
 THE SEX INSTINCT 
 
 The feeling of hunger which animals and human 
 beings have drives them to seek fnod. The sex 
 instinct leads them to create life and continue the
 
 io 
 
 race. There exists between men. and ■women a 
 strong attraction . This attraction is of te n descri bed 
 by the "vrord love. LoA'e is due in a large measure 
 to the sex instinct. All the fine emotions such as 
 love ol: mother for cMld, of husband and %vife, 
 friendship, devotion to a gi'eat cause, and the joy 
 wliich one finds in every day work are closely 
 related to it. 
 
 For tlie boy and for the gii'l the creative or sex 
 impulse finds satisfaction in constructive acti\'ities. 
 School Work, reading interesting books of romance 
 and adventure, clubs, games, outdoor sports xrith. 
 boys and girls, all furnish outlets for creative 
 energy. Such outlets are also to be found in hob- 
 bies, the making of collections, or the cultivation of 
 special talents in dramatics, music, and painting, 
 These hobbies ha-\-e the additional ad^-antage of 
 helping a girl to make herself a distinct indiAidual. 
 If she participates in pageants or plays or debating, 
 or is known as a girl who paints posters, she is 
 somebody, and therefore has more respect for her- 
 self and receives more I'espect fi-om others. The 
 unmarried woman finds an outlet for her creative 
 energA' in work, recreation, and serAice for others. 
 But because tliis impulse is related to the creation 
 of new life its most complete expression is found in 
 building up a home and family. 
 
 The sex instinct is a tremendous power in life. 
 Used rightly it vdll bring to the indiAidual and to 
 the race the gi-eatest joy; used wrongly it will not 
 only fail to produce this result, but also it will prob- 
 ably lead to serious suffeiing and unhappiness.
 
 11 
 
 MISUSE or SEX 
 
 After centuries of experience the marriage of 
 one man with one woman has come to be considered 
 the best method of carrjinp: on the life of the race. 
 Through such a relationship the sex instinct finds 
 its mogt wholesome satisfaction. A man and a 
 woman who liring children into the v/orld whom 
 they are unwilling to take care of endanger their 
 own happiness as well as the v.-elfare of the com- 
 munity. They miss the finer joys of human love 
 and fail to appreciate what such love may mean 
 in their lives. 
 
 More than this. Indulgence in sex relations 
 among persons who are not married to each other 
 exposes them to a serious phy.«iral danger. They 
 are likely to become infected with a venereal dis- 
 ease. These diseases are called syphilis fpox) or 
 gonorrhea (clap). They are germ diseases. 
 
 To the man a venereal disease may mean lifelong 
 suffering, unless by proper treatment the germs 
 are destroyed . Syphilis often causes heart disease, 
 paralysis, and some forms of in.sanity. Gonorrhea 
 may cause blindness, chronic rheumatism, incur- 
 able disorders of the sex organs, and inability on 
 the man's part to become a father. 
 
 A man who has one of these diseases is likely to 
 give it to his ^v^fe. WTiile syphilis affects her much 
 as it does a man, gonorrhea often afflicts her even 
 more seriously. Many operations upon women's 
 reproductive organs are made necessary* by gonor- 
 rhea. Many women are lifelong invalids as the 
 result of this dLscafo. Some die. Many babies 
 are blind at birth by gonorrhea in tlie mother. 
 Fortunately, simple medical treatment given the
 
 12 
 
 baby immediately after birth ^vill prevent blind- 
 ness of this kind. Syphilis causes many miscar- 
 riages (the birth of babies before they can live out- 
 side the mother's body). Many babies are defec- 
 tive in A-arious ways because of it. 
 
 It is important to remember, however, that these 
 results — blindness, sores, invalidism, and opera- 
 tions upon women — ^are often due to causes other 
 than syphilis and gonorrhea. 
 
 These diseases are contagious or "catching." 
 Usually they are passed from person to person 
 through sexual intercourse. Occa.sionally, how- 
 ever, a person is infected through using a towel, or 
 public drinking cup, or from being kissed by a 
 diseased person. Accusations should never be 
 made, therefore, against anyone who appears to be 
 suffering from the effects of gonorrhea or sj'philis. 
 If one of these diseases has actually been con- 
 tracted, the infection may have occurred in an 
 entirely innocent way. 
 
 Sj'philis and gonorrhea can be cured if treated 
 by a competent physician. There are many good 
 clinics for those who can not afford a private phy- 
 sician. If the treatment is not thorough and con- 
 tinued long enough the disease may reappear years 
 after the patient believes the cuie to be complete. 
 This is especially true when the infected person 
 relies on patent medicines or "quack" doctors. 
 Advertising doctors seldom cm-e and generally do 
 more harm than good. 
 
 Because the sex instinct, which may bring the 
 individual the greatest joy, is sometimes misused 
 a girl should exercise gieat care in the choice of the 
 men with whom she associates. Chance acquaint- 
 ances often in\ite girls on automobile rides, to
 
 13 
 
 mo^•iee, and cates vriih the intention of loading 
 them into sex relations. Such inWtations should 
 be refused. A girl does not v.-ish to be considered 
 an easy mark or to put herself in a position where 
 a man can take advanta^^e of her. 
 
 THE GIKL'S 1>AKT 
 
 Men have ahrays demanded that the women 
 whom they marry be pure. But too little atten- 
 tion has been paid to the men who have been 
 unchaste or unfaithful. To-day physicians are 
 teaching that sexual intercourse is no more neces- 
 sar}' for men than for women. People are realizing 
 that the great<?^•t health and happiness can be 
 attained only through complete physical, mental 
 and spiritual development, that such development 
 is possible only when the sex instinct is used for 
 the upbuilding of the individual and the race. 
 They understand that this rule applies as rigidly 
 to men as to woinen. 
 
 Girls and women have a special work to do, 
 therefore, in helping to build up a liigh standard 
 of sex conduct. They must demand clean living 
 from the men vriih whom they associate. Frank, 
 wholesome companionship on the part of the girl 
 will encourage the same sort of companionship 
 from the man. Good manners are bom of a respect 
 for one's self and for others. A handshake extends 
 a friendly greeting. A kiss should mark a pledge 
 of love. A girl who does not value these expres- 
 sions highly and use them sparingly makes herself 
 cheap and weakens her p(nver of self-protection. 
 If she really values a man's regard, she ^^^ll not 
 seek to ^vin it through acts and words of familiarity, 
 or clothing which tends to arout?e sex desires.
 
 14 
 
 Ph\'sical attraction alone will never wholly satisfy; 
 lasting love and friendship are cf the mind as well 
 as of the body. Their foundation is mutual respect 
 and understanding, their highest expression a 
 deeply spiritual emotion. 
 
 A girl's success and happiness will depend large- 
 ly upon her choice of associates and finally upon 
 her choice of a husband. Because she Avill choose 
 her husband from among her men friends, it is 
 important that her friendships be based upon qual- 
 ities that will wear. Hasty marriages, following an 
 acquaintance of a few days or weeks, often result 
 in unhappiness because they are not founded on a 
 love based upon a knov/ledge of each other. Fit 
 partners for life are those who understand and 
 respect each other's \'iews, who recognize each 
 other's faults as well as \irtue8, and who are willing 
 to work together for lasting companionship. 
 
 HOME MAKERS ALL 
 
 The future of the race depends upon the chil- 
 dren. The men and women of to-day can de- 
 termine in a large degree the kind of men and 
 women who will make up the world of to-morrow. 
 A girl can, by keeping herself well and by marry- 
 ing a man who is physically fit, give her children a 
 clean bill of health. '^Tiether they will add fine- 
 ness of character to a good physical inheritance 
 depends largely upon the influence which is exert- 
 ed upon them in their home. 
 
 It is the woman who is peculiarly the home 
 maker. She can determine whether her home is 
 to be a place where people sleep and eat only, or 
 where hei family and friends find comfort, inapix-
 
 15 
 
 ation and sympathetic companionship. A tru9 
 home maker t<h;ircs her husliand'o responsihilitiea, 
 enters into the lives of her children and the com- 
 munity. By developing her own mind and spirit 
 she is able to give the best in herself and draw out 
 the be' tin others. Her huaband and children love 
 her and work i.r her gladly. 
 
 A CH.\I.LKNC!E TO THE I'RESEXT 
 
 In the development of America, women have 
 mat.'e a splendid record. Three hundred years ago, 
 when the Pilgrims landed on the stern and rock- 
 boun 1 Xew England coast, it was the women — the 
 Anr s and the Priscillas — who kept hope and faith 
 a!i\e as the numlicr of graves beneath the Plymouth 
 cornfields grew and £'rew. During pioneer days in 
 solitary log caV ins, women shared %\Tth their bus- 
 lands the constant danger of attack from hostile 
 Indians. They were not spared when the red- 
 skins descended upon the settlements \\'ith toma- 
 hawk and torch, as the stories of Ann Hutchinson, 
 Hannah Dustin and many others indicate. At 
 the time of tho Revolution, Molly Pitcher, taking 
 her husband's ]>lacc in the fighting when ho W3^ 
 grievously wounded, was not the only woman who 
 showed courage and endurance. Through the 
 terrible ^nnter at Valley Forge, when the cause of 
 Washi.Tgi»n and Jefferson seemed all but lost, 
 women in homes from Massachusetts to Georgia 
 helped to keep the light of liberty burning. 
 Women bore their share of the burden in the settle- 
 ment of the lands across the Alleghenies, in the 
 fertile valleys of the Ohio and the Misfsissippi. 
 And in the tragic days of the Civil War, in homes
 
 16 
 
 nortli and south, in hospitals and on battlefields, 
 •vromeu took their part earnestly and courageously. 
 Never in any period of the country's history have 
 they been found wanting. 
 
 To-day the opportunities for woman's develop- 
 ment and her ability to contribute toward the 
 creation of a better world are greater than ever 
 before. At last all acti\dties of life are open to her. 
 She is now free to choose the part she will play in 
 the world's work. Whatever part it may be, good 
 health is essential. Only because the women of 
 pioneer days possessed clear minds and Aigorous 
 bodies were they able to take such an active part 
 in the settlement of this country. Their record is 
 a challenge to you, a woman of the new century. 
 But only as yon .are similarly qualified can you in 
 the home and in the larger world outside meet this 
 challenge of a glorious past by your achievement. 
 
 V. D. No. CO. S.B.ofH. 
 
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