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Zusatztext 'an insightful! carefully-nuanced contribution to the history of American health reform'Susan E. Lederer! Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine! Social History of Medicine! Volume 3! Number 3! December 1990 Klappentext As urban life and women's roles changed in the 19th century! so did attitudes towards physical health and womanhood. In this case study of health reform in Boston between 1830 and 1900! Martha H. Verbrugge examines three institutions that popularized physiology and exercise among middle-class women: The Ladies' Physiological Institute! Wellesley College! and the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics. Against the backdrop of a national debate about female duties and well-being! this book follows middle-class women as they learned about health and explored the relationship between fitness and femininity. Combining medical and social history! Verbrugge looks at the ordinary women who participated in health reform and analyzes the conflicting messages--both feminist and conservative--projected by the concept of "able-bodied womanhood." Zusammenfassung Against the backdrop of national debate about female duties and well-being, this book follows middle-class women as they learned about physiology and hygiene through popular health literature, voluntary clubs, and schools in Boston. The pursuit of health also enabled the women to explore the nature of womanhood, and discover the meanings.
