The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in HygieneGalbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Science
The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in Hygiene
Galbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Women -- Health and hygiene
There should be the greatest variety possible in the kinds of exercise
taken, not only to develop the body symmetrically, so as to obtain
strength, vigor, grace, celerity, and accuracy of movement, but also
because there is no such potent cause of fatigue as monotonous
repetition of the same act, whether physical or mental.
It has been repeatedly proven that physical deterioration can be
overcome by exercise, and that by so doing the mental capacity is
greatly increased.
CHAPTER III.
ANATOMY OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS.
The Vulva; the Hymen; Condition, of the Hymen as a Proof of Virginity;
the Bladder; Vagina; Uterus; Respiratory Movements of the Uterus;
Fallopian Tubes; Ovaries.
"He that respects himself is safe from others;
He wears a coat of mail that none can pierce."
-- LONGFELLOW.
The Vulva.-- The female generative organs consist of three groups--
the external, the intermediate, and the internal. The vulva, or
external generative organs, comprises all those organs which are
external to the body.
The vulva is pierced by two openings, the smallest and most anterior
of which is the external opening of the urethra, or excretory duct of
the bladder. This opening is surrounded by a slight eminence and has a
somewhat puckered aspect.
The larger opening is the vaginal orifice. In the virgin this is
partially closed by the hymen. About one inch back of this is the
anus, or the external orifice of the large bowel. This part of the
bowel is known as the rectum.
The Hymen.-- The hymen consists of a thin duplicature of mucous
membrane strengthened by fibrous tissue, and is stretched across the
posterior part of the vaginal orifice, which it partly occludes.
Rupture of the hymen usually, but not always, occurs during the first
sexual intercourse. In rare cases it is found intact at the time of
the birth of the first child. In women who have borne children the
vaginal orifice is surrounded by small irregular elevations; these are
the remains of the ruptured hymen, but are usually present only after
labor has taken place, since the torn hymen is converted into
eminences as the result of the pressure incident to child-bearing, and
not to coitus.
The Condition of the Hymen as a Proof of Virginity.-- Formerly much
stress was laid on the condition of the hymen as a proof of virginity.
The hymen tightly closed, barely admitting the tip of a small
index-finger, is positive evidence of virginity. But the hymen may
lose its tone by a local catarrhal condition or by a general muscular
relaxation; it may then become so relaxed that the only positive
evidence rendered by the intact hymen is that the woman has not borne
a child.
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