Chapter XX: Section XI: The Scout Aide (6)

A cheerful Scout, a clean Scout, a helpful Scout, is a well Scout. She is the only Scout that really _is prepared_. She not only knows the laws of health, she lives them: she stands tall, she plays daily in the open air, she rests and sleeps at night, and conserves her energy at all times, she is careful to get the right amount of air, water, sun and food each day, and perhaps most important of all, she keeps clean.

1. _Stand Tall_--Every Scout should be recognized a long way off, not only by her uniform, but by her erect carriage. In sitting, the lower back should be against the back of the chair. In bending forward to read or write, bend straight from the hips. At Scout meetings practice sitting without support for the back. When "at ease" during drill, stand with feet apart and parallel and with hands hanging free. When resting, lie flat on the back without pillows. Correct posture is obtained by balancing the different parts of the body--hips, head, chest in a straight line, so that the bony framework bears the weight. The muscles and ligaments will not then be strained, and the bones will not be forced into an abnormal position. Two rules to remember are: "Stand tall" and "Keep your spine long."

2. _Take Exercise_--If you have watched soldiers obey commands in drill you know how quickly their joints and muscles work. The setting-up exercises given in the Handbook have been planned to preserve the power of joints and muscles, and to prevent them from becoming like rusty machines. These exercises should be taken with windows open, if not out of doors. Clothing should be light and loose, and corsets removed. These exercises are not to be considered a substitute for vigorous outdoor work or play, but only as supplementary to or when these are impossible. The day should be planned to include at least an hour and a half of vigorous activity in the open air. This will take different forms, according to the place and season, so that in the summer one may swim, row or paddle, or play tennis or any other game outdoors, and in the winter skate, coast or snowshoe. However, the best all year round exercise, and the simplest and easiest to get is walking. Five miles a day is an adequate average. Even walking alone is good exercise, but walking in a group or two and two is better, because keeping step, singing, whistling and talking and laughing together add enormously to the exhilaration of motion and of sun, wind or rain in the face.

A Girl Scout should avoid unusual exercise before, during and immediately following menstruation. However, she should remember that a reasonable amount of exercise at this time is quite normal and beneficial, except where there is an actual disorder of some sort. In this case a physician should be consulted.

3. _Rest and Conserve Energy_--Go to bed early and sleep from eight to eleven hours, according to age. Sleep with windows open all the year round. Rest sometime during the day, flat on the back if possible, but even five minutes sitting quietly with hands in the lap and eyes closed is better than nothing. The following table shows the number of hours of sleep that are needed at different ages:

_Age_ _Hours of Sleep_

10 and 11 years 9-1/2 to 11

12 and 13 years 9 to 10-1/2

14 and 15 years 8-1/2 to 10

16 and 17 years 8 to 9-1/2

18 and 19 years 8 to 9

20 and over at least 8

Save Your Eyes

The reason it is important to rest and to sleep enough is because it is while at rest that the body regains energy lost during activity, and stores it up for future work and play. There are other ways of saving energy, and one of them is by keeping the body in such good repair that like a good machine it does its work with a minimum expenditure of force and heat. This is the main reason for the setting-up exercises, or indeed for any sort of exercises. Perhaps the single best way to save energy is by saving your eyes. There is almost no work or play that does not involve the use of our eyes. If people are blind they can learn to do many things without vision, but it is infinitely harder than with it. Modern life, especially in cities, makes a constant demand on our eyes, and more than this, the demand is on one part of the eyes--the muscles concerned in near work. The best way to rest the eyes, and one which not only rests the tired parts but exercises the parts that are not used, is by doing things that will involve _distant vision_. Walking and looking far ahead and far away on every side rests the eyes best of all, and this is one reason why a good walk will often clear up a headache. Another way to insure distant vision is by riding backward in a car. Then as the landscape flows past you, your eye muscles relax to the position needed for distant vision. If you cannot walk or ride and are doing close work, like sewing or reading, look up and "at nothing" every once in a while.

The following are some important rules to remember in saving your eyes:

Rest your "near" eye muscles by looking at distant objects and places.

Do not work facing a light or where the rays from a light cross your field of vision directly.

Work so far as possible by indirect or reflected light.

If you must work near uncovered artificial lights, wear an eye-shade.

When sewing or writing have the light at your left, unless you are left-handed. This is to keep the shadow of your hands from the work.

Avoid a glare or light that is in streaks or bars of alternate dark and bright. Diffused, even light is best.

Have your eyes examined by a competent oculist immediately:

If you have headaches,

If the eyes sting or burn after using,

If print or other objects dance or blur,

If you must get close to your work to see it,

If near work tires your eyes or you,

If there is the slightest irritation or soreness
about the lids or other parts.

How to Avoid Muscle Strain

Girls and women in attempting to live an outdoor life or indeed when trying to do many of the things numbered among the Scout activities, such as First Aid, Home Nursing and Hiking, often give themselves quite unnecessary pain and fatigue from lifting, pulling and carrying weights in the wrong way. Ability to carry and lift or move is not so much dependent upon absolute strength as it is on knowing how. The whole body, so far as it is a physical mechanism, may be thought of as a series of levers, of which the muscles, bones, and joints make up the parts and are fulcrum, power arm or weight arm as the case may be. Without going into the details of bodily structure or even knowing the names of the different bones and muscles, it is possible to learn a few simple things about the right use of these levers that will be useful at all times.

Certain parts of the body are more able to do heavy work than others, and the first thing to remember is that the upper part of the back, the shoulders and the upper arms are stronger than the lower back, the abdomen and the lower arms. Therefore, whenever you are trying to lift or move an object, see if you cannot use these stronger parts. If the arms are held away from the body when lifting, pulling, throwing or pushing, the muscles of the upper arm, the shoulders and the upper back will be brought into play. If the arms are held close to the body, the lower-arm muscles are unduly taxed and in trying to help them out, pressure is made on the abdominal and pelvic muscles, which are not fitted to bear this sort of strain. Therefore, in carrying a bag or suitcase, where this is absolutely unavoidable, try to swing the arm free from the body, so as to use the upper arm and back muscles for the weight.

Another important way to save strain is by pushing instead of pulling. It is almost impossible to push anything so hard as to injure your back or abdominal muscles. It is almost impossible, on the other hand, to pull even a relatively light weight without some strain. If you will think of how a horse in harness actually exerts his strength in drawing a wagon, you will see that what he does is to _push_ against the straps, and it is the straps that _pull_ the wagon. Even the strongest horse could not pull a wagon with his teeth very far, or pull something tied only to the back leg muscles. _Get behind and push_ is the rule to remember, and never resort to _pulling_ until you have tried every device for pushing instead.

If you _must_ pull, try to use heavy muscles, such as _leg_ muscles, to do it with. Often a weight may be lifted or pulled by getting the foot under or in back and using the arms only to steer with. This applies particularly to objects like trunks or bureaus.

Always take advantage of any natural leverage that you can and if you must move something heavy, do not lift it at once and attempt to carry it, but lift one end and swing or shove it and then lift the other end and shove it. If you will watch expressmen at work you will notice that they roll boxes and trunks, holding them almost on end and tipping them just enough to turn them along their shortest axis. In this way the boxes carry themselves, so far as their main weight is concerned.

Carrying a weight on the head or shoulders is another way of converting a pull into a push, and this is taken advantage of by peasant women in Europe, who often are seen carrying heavy weights to market in baskets perched on their heads, while they stride along arm-free. A knapsack strapped on to the shoulders is not only more convenient because it leaves the arms and hands free to swing naturally or use for other purposes, but because the weight is distributed and is carried by means of heavy muscles pushing up under the strap. A weight should be distributed over a set of muscles as evenly as possible, and this is the reason for suspending a knapsack from two shoulders instead of one, when possible.

Finally, in doing any sort of lifting or pulling, if the muscles that are to be used are contracted before grasping the weight they will be able to do their work with far less effort. Try lifting a small weight like a book in two ways--first, have your hand and fingers relaxed and limp when you grasp it, and see how heavy it seems and how hard it is to contract your muscles properly while lifting it. Then drop the book and go at it again, this time anticipating its weight and contracting your hand and finger muscles before grasping it. See how easily it comes up. Try this same thing with heavier weights, and learn _always to contract the muscle before taking the load_. In carrying a weight for any distance it is well to shift it from one arm to another, always preparing the muscles by contracting them before the weight is assumed.

Using the muscles so as to take advantage of their lever-like qualities in the best way, contracting them before loading, and pushing instead of pulling, go to make up what is sometimes called "getting a purchase."

4. _Supply Daily Need for Air, Sun, Water and Food_--Besides exercise and rest there are other controllable factors upon which health depends. These are air, heat and light of the sun, water and food. To grow and work properly the body needs plenty of each of these.

_Air_--If you cannot work or play outdoors you can still bring out of doors in by opening your windows at frequent intervals. You will find that work goes better, and that you do not tire so easily if you make it a rule to open the windows and doors and move about the room for five minutes every hour or two. Sleep with windows open or out-of-doors. Camp and hike as often as possible. Work in the garden. Play out-of-door games.

_Heat_--The proper temperature of the body is between 98 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Human life depends upon the maintenance of this temperature at all times, and very slight changes either up or down interfere seriously with all the other life processes. The main source of heat is from food consumed, or really burned, in the body. Artificial heating in houses helps conserve the body heat, as does clothing. But clothes and shelter may make you overheated, which is nearly as bad as being cold; they may also shut out fresh air. Clothes should not be too heavy nor too tight. Shoes should have soles straight on the inner side, and be broad enough to allow the toes full play, and have low heels. Shoes that are comfortable to hike in are apt to be the best for all the time wear.

At night the clothes worn during the day should be aired and dried thoroughly. This will help much in maintaining the right body temperature, because clothes become damp from wearing, and dampness uses up body heat.

_Sunlight_--Sunlight is one of the best health bringers known. Little children--and grown people, too--suffering from the most serious forms of tuberculosis, that of the bones, get well if they are kept in the sunlight. In one of the finest hospitals for children in the world, in Switzerland, the main treatment is to have the children play outdoors without clothes in the sunlight, and they do this even when there is heavy winter snow on the ground. Human beings droop and die without the sun, just as plants do, though it takes longer to kill them. It is a gloomy person who does not feel happier in the sun, and a happy and cheerful person is generally healthy. So get into the sun whenever you can. Walk on the sunny side of the street, and open your windows to the sun whenever you can. However, in hot climates and in the warmest summer days, remember that the sun can injure as well as help, and do not expose the head or body unnecessarily.

_Water_--As about three-quarters of our body weight is water, the solid portions of bone, muscle, and so forth, constituting only one-quarter, and as considerable water is given off each day by evaporation from skin and lungs and with excreta, the loss must be made up. In addition to the water taken with meals and contained in the food a Girl Scout should drink at least six tumblers of water daily. This is a quart and a half. One glass should be taken on arising and before breakfast, two between breakfast and lunch, two between lunch and dinner, and one before going to bed. Be sure the water is pure, and boil any water the purity of which is doubted in the slightest. Water kept cool in the ice chest, or in a jar with a moist cover, is better than ice water, both because cool water actually quenches thirst more easily, being more readily absorbed than ice cold water, and because it is difficult to control the purity of ice.

_Food_--Food should be clean and kept clean. Growing girls can tell whether they are eating enough of the right sort of food, and if they are getting the best out of it, by seeing whether they are up to the right weight for their height and age. A chart is given at the end of this section showing the standard weight for each height at each age. The following are good rules to follow in making your daily food habits:

Do not eat between meals.

Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly.

Eat freely of coarse cereals and breads.

Eat meat only once a day.

Have green vegetables, salad or fruit every day.

Drink as much milk as possible, but no coffee or
tea.

If you do not have at least one bowel movement a day it is a sign of constipation, which means the accumulation of waste material from food in the intestine. Exercise, especially walking, eating coarse vegetables, coarse breads and coarse cereals, and fruit, and drinking enough water will help the bowels to move properly. Constipation is not only an unclean habit of the body, but it is dangerous, because the waste matter decays and poison is carried all over the body. Headaches, indigestion, bad breath and chronic fatigue are some of the results.

5. _Keep Clean_--A Girl Scout should be sure that the air, water and food that she allows to enter her body are clean. Be sure that they are pure when they reach her, and keep them so by keeping her body, clothes and room clean with the help of sun, soap and water. You have probably heard of germs, microbes and bacteria. These are names for the same organisms, which are tiny forms of plant life unseen by the eye, and of which our unaided senses give us no knowledge. They exist everywhere and in many forms. Most of them are harmless to human life, and many of them are useful, as, for example, one that grows on the roots of peas and beans and helps the plants to extract nitrogen from the air. Some bacteria, however, are harmful, and these are known as disease germs, as they are active in producing diseases, especially those diseases which we know as contagious. The dangerous germs nearly all live in dust and dirt and in dark places. When we clean house and dispose of waste material and bring air and sunlight into dark and dirty places we are doing more than removing unpleasant sights and smells, we are destroying the breeding places of disease.

Every girl wants a clear skin. Proper food, water and exercise give this; but it is also necessary to keep the surface clean by taking a hot bath with soap at least twice a week, and a cold or tepid sponge and rubdown the other days. Besides the loose dirt which comes on the body from the outside, perspiration and oil come from the inside through the skin pores, and when accumulated give a disagreeable odor. Special attention is needed to guard against this odor, particularly under the armpits, and soap and water should be used daily. A hot bath is relaxing and opens the pores. A cold bath is stimulating and closes the pores. A hot bath is best taken at night, or if taken in the morning, follow by a cool sponge or shower. Do not take a cold plunge bath unless advised to do so by a physician.

Always wash the hands immediately before handling or preparing food and before eating. Always wash hands after going to the bathroom. Keep nails short, and clean with nail brush each time the hands are washed and with orange stick when necessary.

During menstruation it is particularly important to keep the body and clothes scrupulously clean, by bathing or washing with plenty of water.

_Hair_--Air and a good brushing every day will keep the hair in good condition. It should be washed once in two weeks. Wash with hot soapsuds and rinse thoroughly, using first hot, then cooler, and finally cold water. Keep the hair brush clean by washing in cold water and soap and a little ammonia at least once a week. The brush should be dried in the sun, not by artificial heat.

_Ears_--Keep the outer surfaces of the ears clean, but leave the inner part alone. Do not poke for wax or put oil in the ear.

_Feet_--Bathe the feet in hot water at night, when tired. In the morning bathe with cold water after hot, to harden them for walking. Keep the toenails clean, and cut evenly.

_Teeth_--Next to a fresh, sweet skin the most beautiful feature of a truly beautiful woman is her teeth. The basis of beautiful teeth is a clean mouth. Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day. The best times are after breakfast and the last thing before going to bed. A brush with medium soft bristles should be used. Clean a new brush thoroughly with soap and water and soak in cold water to set the bristles. A toothbrush should be cleansed and aired and if possible sunned every day. Never use a brush that has begun to lose its bristles, or which has become caked or yellow. Paste or powder that is not gritty should be used. Always brush away from the gums; that is, brush the upper teeth down, and the lower teeth up. Clean the roof of the mouth and the tongue.

It is a good plan to have the teeth examined at least every six months. Then any repairs or cleaning that may be needed can be easily attended to and much future pain, trouble and expense saved.

_Eyes_--Wash eyes carefully for "sleepers" in the morning. Bathing with alternate hot and cold will rest and strengthen the muscles.

_General Safeguards_--Do not use public towels or drinking cups.

Do not use towels, handkerchiefs or other toilet articles or glasses or cups or table utensils used by others.

Avoid sneezing or coughing into another person's face.

Measurements

Every Girl Scout should know her measurements, including her height, her weight, her waist measure, her chest girth and her chest expansion. Not only are these things convenient to know when ordering uniforms and buying clothes, but any physical director, gymnasium teacher or doctor can tell her if these are in good proportion for her age and general development and advise her as to how she may go about to improve them if they need it.

The accompanying table (given in the last section of the Health Record) shows the right height and weight for girls at different ages. The way to consult it is as follows:

First, find your height by measuring yourself without shoes against a wall. The best way to do is to have someone lay a ruler on top of your head so that it extends to the wall and touches it at right angles. Then the place should be marked and the distance measured with a yard stick or tape. Count a half inch as the next highest inch; thus if you measure 59-1/2 inches call this 60. If you measure 59-1/4 count it as an even 59. Stand with heels against the wall, and head high: "Stand Tall."

Second, find your weight with only indoor clothes on. Take the weight to the nearest pound, counting as before a half pound or three-quarters as the next highest and disregard the amounts less than one-half.

Then take your card and look along the top row for the age to which you are nearest, counting six months past one year mark as the next year. Thus, if you are within six months of being 13, count yourself 13.

Then look at the left-hand upright row of figures and find your height in inches.

Then with a rule or paper find the corresponding number of pounds for your height and age.

You will see that a girl may be any number of inches tall within wide limits, but her weight must correspond to her height rather than simply to her age.

A girl should be within ten per cent of the proper weight for her age and height. If you find that you are underweight, do not be frightened or discouraged, as it is quite easy to get up to normal by following the health rules, particularly those relating to food, water and sleep. Drink as much milk as possible, and eat fresh vegetables and don't spoil your appetite by eating too many sweets or nibbling between meals. If you find that after a month you are still more than ten per cent underweight, then ask your parents if you can see the doctor or consult the school physician.

A Health Record Chart for Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts who are working for "The Health Winner" badge should keep an account of their progress for three months, and a good way to do it is to have a Health Chart to fill out daily and bring the record for each week to their Captain, at troop meeting. The chart given below is suggested as a model, and copies will be obtainable from National Headquarters, but troops can make up their own.

Every Scout is naturally a Health Crusader, and she can use the blanks provided by the National Modern Health Crusade if she so desires.

In this case the first two points can be combined, which relate to washing hands and face, and an additional point inserted in place of the second, to the effect that "I ate no sweets, candy, cake or ice cream between meals today."

DAILY RECORD OF POINTS _Scout_..........................

1. I did my setting-up
exercises _Checks for Week Commencing Monday_ No......

2. I walked, worked or played | Pt.|Mon.|Tues.|Wed.|Thurs.|Fri.|Sat.|Sun.
Outdoors at least | | | | | | | |
a half-hour | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
2a. Time spent walking | 1| | | | | | |
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2b. Distance walked | 2| | | | | | |
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3. I went to bed early | | | | | | | |
last night, and slept | | | | | | | |
at least 8 hours | 2a| | | | | | |
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4. I slept with my window open| 2b| | | | | | |
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5. I drank six glasses of | | | | | | | |
water between meals | 3| | | | | | |
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6. I ate no sweets, candy, | | | | | | | |
cake, sweet drinks or ice | | | | | | | |
cream, except as dessert | 4| | | | | | |
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7. I ate green vegetables | | | | | | | |
or fruit or salad | 5| | | | | | |
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8. I drank no tea or coffee | 6| | | | | | |
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9. I drank milk or had milk | | | | | | | |
in some other form | 7| | | | | | |
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10. I had a bowel movement | 8| | | | | | |
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11. I washed my hands before | | | | | | | |
eating, and after going to | | | | | | | |
the bathroom | 9| | | | | | |
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12. I had a bath (at least | | | | | | | |
two a week must be recorded) | 10| | | | | | |
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13. I brushed my teeth twice | | | | | | | |
during the day | 11| | | | | | |
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14. I brushed my hair night | | | | | | | |
and morning | 12| | | | | | |
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15. I shampooed my hair | | | | | | | |
(at least once every four | | | | | | | |
weeks) | 13| | | | | | |
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| 14| | | | | | |
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| 15| | | | | | |
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_Date handed to Captain_..................

_Captain's Comment_.................................

THE GIRL SCOUT'S HEALTH RECORD

RECORD FOR WHOLE PERIOD

1. Posture at beginning:
(Comment by Captain).....................

2. Posture at end:
(Comment by Captain).....................

3. Total distance walked.....................
(Must be at least 75 miles)

4. At least three shampoos...............................

5. Any colds during period?..............................

6. Constipation during period?...........................

7. Answered correctly the following questions:
How do you care for your teeth properly?...............
Why is it important to care for your eyes?.............
How can you rest them?.................................
What are points to remember about light for work?......
What is the difference in effect between a hot
and a cold bath?.....................................
How do you care for feet on a hike?....................

8. Height in inches at beginning of period...............
Weight in pounds at beginning of period...............
Standard weight for height and age?...................
Difference plus or minus in your weight...............
Height in inches at end of period.....................
Standard weight for height and age....................
Difference plus or minus in your weight.............
If growth is shown what rate is this per month?.......
Standard?...........................................

RIGHT HEIGHT AND WEIGHT FOR GIRLS

Hght.| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18
ins.|yrs. | yrs. |yrs. | yrs.| yrs.| yrs.| yrs.| yrs.| yrs.
47 | 53 | | | | | | | |
48 | 55 | 56 | | | | | | |
49 | 57 | 58 | | | | | | |
50 | 59 | 60 | 61 | | | | | |
51 | 62 | 63 | 64 | | | | | |
52 | 65 | 66 | 67 | | | | | |
53 | 68 | 68 | 69 | 70 | | | | |
54 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | | | | |
55 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | | | |
56 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | | | |
57 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | | |
58 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | |
59 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 98 |
60 | | 94 | 95 | 97 | 99 |100 |102 |104 |106
61 | | 99 |101 |102 |104 |106 |108 |109 |111
62 | | 104 |106 |107 |109 |111 |113 |114 |115
63 | | 109 |111 |112 |113 |115 |117 |118 |119
64 | | |115 |117 |118 |119 |120 |121 |122
65 | | |117 |119 |120 |122 |123 |124 |125
66 | | |119 |121 |122 |124 |126 |127 |128
67 | | | |124 |126 |127 |128 |129 |130
68 | | | |126 |128 |130 |132 |133 |134
69 | | | |129 |131 |133 |135 |136 |137
70 | | | | |134 |136 |138 |139 |140
71 | | | | |138 |140 |142 |143 |144
72 | | | | | |145 |147 |148 |149

PREPARED BY DR. THOMAS D. WOOD

About what a Girl should gain each month
AGE AGE
8 to 11 8 oz. 14 to 16 8 oz.
11 to 14 12 oz. 16 to 18 4 oz.

Weights and measures should be taken without shoes and in only the usual indoor clothes.

Used by courtesy of the Child Health Organization, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

FOOTNOTE:

[3] Courtesy of William C. Deming, M.D.