If I pick up a women's magazine today, it's going to offer me a pretty standard selection of tips on how to maintain good health: Fresh air, exercise, a healthy diet, a good night's sleep, less stress... In fact, pretty much the same advice I'd get if I picked up a Victorian women's magazine published over 100 years ago! Of course, in that same women's magazine today I'm bound to find a host of advertisements for fad diets and quack medicines aimed at those folks who don't want to take the time to exercise, get some fresh air and eat a healthy diet... just as I would have found over 100 years ago. Some things simply don't seem to change!

Fifteen Rules for the Preservation of Health (Godey's, 1860)

Fresh air, exercise, and proper hours are just three of the common-sense "rules" provided here.

Some Simple Directions for the Prevention of Sickness (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

A Familiar Chat About Vaccination (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

On the Preservation of Health in Middle Age (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1880)

How to Be Healthy, Happy and Beautiful, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1881)

Long Life: How to Obtain It (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1881)

On Overdoing Things (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1881)

The dangers of overdoing the quest for "good health."

Maxims for the New Year, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1882)

A Seasonable Word to the Wise, by "Medicus" (Girl's Own Paper, 1882)

"If I Were You" - A Further Chat with Girls Who Have Just Left School (Girl's Own Paper, 1884)

"The young people of today are not possessed of their grandparents' constitutions. They pay quickly for these thousand and one transgressions of the laws of health..."

The Preservation of Health (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

Talks with My Patients (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

Common-Sense Advice for Working Girls, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

Things that Every Girl Should Learn to Do, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1884)

Common-Sense Advice for Working Girls, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

Health All the Year Round, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

Healthy Lives for Working Girls (Girl's Own Paper, 1887)

What Working Girls Can Do For Themselves, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1888)

Before and Behind the Counter, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1889)

Tips on health for women doing their shopping, and women working as clerks.

It's Strange, But It's True, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1889)

On the care of the feet, procrastination, unselfishness and many other topics.

The Family Physican, by Andrew Smith, MD (Harper's Monthly, 1889A)

A discussion of how to select a family physician, and the need for specialized physicians.

On Living to Be Ninety (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

Some Facts About Length of Life (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1890)

Interesting statistics on influences that might improve longevity, with a few rather credulous lists thrown in...

"Where There's a Will There's a Way", by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1891)

"I've Got Nothing On That'll Spoil", by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1892)

The Art of Keeping Well (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893)

"Find Happiness and You Find Health", by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1893)

Poor Mother's Growing Old, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1893)

Tips on maintaining good health in the "golden years."

*"Medicus" was the pen-name of Gordon Stables, M.D., R.N., health columnist for The Girl's Own Paper. Read the complete collection of Medicus Columns from 1881-1902 in chronological order.