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Show HEALTH AND HAPPINESS The Absence of Pain Is the Greatest Aid of Efficiency for the Woman Worker BY EDNA EGAN. Efrjl HE efficiency of man, business liif women is interfered with by the fact that they aro suffering suffer-ing pain. They do not know tho cause of the pain, and as it generally gener-ally leaves them after a day or two as mysteriously as it came, they aro resigned re-signed to it and suffer it as an inevitable inevita-ble discomfort without uttering a sound or complaint However much such heroism may bo admired, the business woman should remember that an employer pays salary for tho efficient performance of duty and no woman can render efficient sorvlco when she Is in pain. For the sake of her position, as well as for her own sake, every business woman should seek at all times to bo free from pain. To prevent the outset of this, pain try to build up your general health. Seo to it that you get sufficient sleep and rest and do not overwork. Seo also that you digest your food properly prop-erly and that you aro not constipated. Make certain that vnn .1 1 nnt riiiii your body by sitting all day in shoes or skirts which havo been wet by storm, or by wearing insufficient clothing at tho neck or at tho feet You need not decrease or vary the amount of your physical activities to reduce or rrevent tho occurrenco of this pain. Whatever you aro accustomed accus-tomed to, you may continue to do, but any increaso in your physical activities may be Injurious. As dancing is in tho caso of most a comparatively infre-quont infre-quont lndulgonco it is considered injurious in-jurious in this connection. When you suffer pain you may obtain ob-tain relief In cno of three ways. A hot bath, or any hot drink may givo relief by drawing tho blood to tho surfaco sur-faco of the body. Half a teaspoonful of essenco or syrup of ginger in a cup of hot water will also often bo found beneficial. The best method o: overcoming over-coming this pain, however, is by pelvic exercises, which strengthen tho diaphragm dia-phragm and other abdominal muscles and lmprovo tho general circulation. Relief from pain may also bo gained by placing a heated platter, flannel or a hot-water bottle on the abdomen. Empty tho bladder and loosen all tight clothing. Lie on your back on a couch or on a rug on tho floor. Draw up your legs by bending your knees and sliding the soles of your feet along the floor. Rest your arms at your sides and relax completely. Rest tho tip of your forefinger lightly on your abdomen just below tho umbilicus, without exerting tho slightest pressure. Seo how far you can lift your hand in this position by lifting your abdomen, and then seo how far you can lower your hand in this position by contracting contract-ing your abdomen. Tho lowering of tho hand should bo moro deliberately deliberate-ly and moro thoroughly dono than tho raising of tho hand, because it is moro beneficial in overcoming pain. This exerciso generally lessens tho pain, and in very many cases tho pain may bo cured permanently by performing per-forming this exerciso every morning for flvo minutes for a year. If a business busi-ness woman Is unable to euro herself of pain by means of this exercise, by careful attention to tho bowels, by tho practice of deep breathing and by attention at-tention to protection agaiust chills, caused by improper or insufficient clothing of tho feet or tho throat, sho should consult a competent physician. However well you may believo your- self able to stand pain to which you aro accustomed, do not practice such heroism. It will decrcaso your working work-ing efficiency, rob you of your chances for advancement and possibly deprlvo you of your means of jarning a livelihood, liveli-hood, as well as of your health and happiness. n |