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diff --git a/40623-0.txt b/40623-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..74a2ac0 --- /dev/null +++ b/40623-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7049 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40623 *** + + PRIVATE + Sex Advice to + Women + + By R. B. Armitage, M. D. + + For Young Wives and those + who Expect to be Married. + + This book was written so as to give enlightenment + to those entering into wedlock so their + married life will be one of happiness and + pleasure. + + DEFIANCE PUBLISHING CO. + 110 W. 40th ST. + New York, N. Y. + + + COPYRIGHT, 1917 + + CHICAGO, ILL. + + + + +Sex Advice to Women + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +LESSON I--FOREWORD + + Important information which all women should possess, but which + few are given the opportunity of acquiring. The necessity of + rational instruction on Sex Physiology, Sex Anatomy, and Sex + Hygiene. The danger of false information from polluted sources. + The conventional taboo against Sex Knowledge, which is inherited + by the race from the Middle Ages. The Reign of Prurient Prudery. + Ignorance of Sex Science is a frequent cause of immorality, and + the real reason of marital inharmony and unhappiness. The + special need of Sex Instruction on the part of women. The + sex-life of the woman is fuller and more complex than that of + the man, hence her special need of sane information on the + subject. Nature's handicap on woman 7 + + +LESSON II--ANATOMY OF THE FEMALE SEX ORGANISM + + A scientific but plain lesson on the Female Sex Anatomy. The + External Sex Organism of Woman fully described and explained. + What every woman should know about herself, but which but few + intelligently understand. Plain facts cleanly stated in simple + terms. The Internal Sex Organism of Woman fully described and + explained. The Vagina. The Uterus or Womb. Displacements of the + Uterus described. Prolapsus. Antroversion. Anteflexion. + Retroversion. Retroflexion. The Fallopian Tubes. The Ovaries. + General Summary of the Female Reproductive Organism 13 + + +LESSON III--PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE SEX ORGANISM + + The Ovaries and their functions. Primary and secondary Functions + of the Ovaries. The Ova, or human eggs, and their natural + history. The Process of Ovulation. Menstruation and its + incidents. The phenomena of Puberty. The incidents of the + Menopause or Change of Life. The Dangerous Age of Woman. The + Life History of the Ovum. The Birth of the Ovum. The Journey of + the Ovum. The Process of Fecundation. The Spermatozoa and their + offices. The Segmentation-Nucleus. The Division and Sub-division + of the Ovum. The Primitive Trace. The Beginning of the life of + the embryo 21 + + +LESSON IV--GESTATION OR PREGNANCY + + The Period of Pregnancy. How to calculate the Date of Delivery. + Development of the Fertilized Ovum. The Embryo. The Fetus. How + Nature builds up the child from the simple cell. The yolk-sack + or umbilical vesicle. The Allantois. The Placenta and its + offices. The Umbillical Cord. Osmosis. The Amnion. Sex in Embryo + and Fetus. Position of the Fetus. The Table of the Development + of the Unborn Child. Stage of Development of each month + described fully. The Physical Signs of Pregnancy. The Disorders + of Pregnancy. Practical Suggestions for Pregnant Women. + Childbirth and its incidents 33 + + +LESSON V--GENERAL ADVICE TO WOMEN ON SEX SUBJECTS + + Much needed, though seldom obtainable, information on important + subjects. The Truth about the Sexual Emotions plainly stated. + Alcohol and Sexuality. A Startling Statement. A Warning to + Women. The Menstrual Period and its Disorders. Simple methods of + treatment fully described. Dysmenorrhea. Amenorrhea. + Menorrhagia. The Hygiene of Menstruation. Plain Talk on a + Delicate Subject. Leucorrhea: what it is, and how it may be + treated by simple methods. General Treatment and Special + Methods. Uterine Displacements, and simple treatments therefor. + Marital Relations and Menstruation. Marital Relations and + Pregnancy. Sterility in Woman. Practical Advice to Sterile + Women. Miscarriage and Abortion. Sensible Advice to Women 49 + + +LESSON VI--THE SCIENCE OF EUGENICS + + The New Science. The Science of Parenthood. Biological Ethics. + Race Culture. Scientific Parenthood. Preventive Eugenics. + Constructive Eugenics. Race Suicide, real and false. + Conservation and Preservation of the Race. Prevention of + Criminal Offspring. The Causes of Degeneracy. Prevention of the + Transmission of Disease and Insanity in Offspring. Protection + for Mothers. Education for Parenthood. Terrible Effects of + Ignorance of Eugenic Science. Desired and Prepared-for Children + versus "Accidents" and Undesired Children. Not more children, + but better ones; not more births, but fewer deaths among + children. Survival Values versus Production Values 65 + + +LESSON VII--PRENATAL INFLUENCES + + Influencing the Child before birth. Family Characteristics. + Transmission of Parental Traits. Influence of Maternal + Impression. Heredity in General. Opinion of the Best + Authorities. Transmission of Acquired Characteristics. Heredity + versus Environment. The Eugenic Rule regarding Heredity. Fitness + for Parenthood. Preparation for Parenthood, physical, mental, and + spiritual. Maternal Impressions. The Several Theories. Both + Sides of the Question. A Highly Important Subject. Proofs and + Illustrations of Maternal Impressions. Valuable Information for + Prospective Parents. How the Pregnant Mother may influence and + shape the physical, mental, and moral character of her unborn + child 80 + + +LESSON VIII--EUGENICS AND CHARACTER + + Influence of Parental Factors upon the Character of their + Offspring. What Parental Conditions produce the Best Quality of + Children. The Most Favorable Age for Parenthood. What statistics + show. The Vaerting Tables. The Influence of Fathers. The + Influence of Mothers. The Havelock Ellis Studies and Reports. + The Production of Men of Genius. The Investigations of Marro the + Italian Scientist. The Redfield Investigation and Theories. The + Influence of Parental Age on Genius. How Ability is Transmitted. + Why Delayed Parentage produces Better Offspring than Premature + Parentage. Latest Discoveries of Sexual Science concerning an + important subject 103 + + +LESSON IX--THE DETERMINATION OF SEX + + How the Sex of Offspring is Determined, and how Controlled or + Produced at Will. The Biological Viewpoint. The Practical + Viewpoint. The Chromosome Theory. Artificial Influencing of Sex + in Offspring. Professor Doncaster's Reports. Dawson's Theory. + Are there alternate male and female ova? The Effect of Nutrition + in Sex-Determination. Schenk's Theory and Methods. Influencing + the Ovum. Male and Female Elements. Yung's Experiments in + Sex-Determination, and their Startling Results. Changing Sex in + Tadpoles at will. How the Bees determine the sex of their larva. + Experiments upon Butterflies. Why more Boys than Girls are born + after Great Wars. Other Theories of Sex Determination, and the + Methods of Application. The Consensus of the best scientific + thought on the subject 115 + + +LESSON X--WHAT BIRTH CONTROL IS, AND IS NOT + + "Control" not identical with "Prohibition" or "Prevention". + Control means "governing, regulating, or managing influences." + True Birth Control would not reduce the population of civilized + countries, but would increase the same and improve the quality + thereof. Not only a normal Birth Rate but also a normal Death + Rate. Birth Control not anti-social or immoral, but highly + social and highly moral. Misconception due to Ignorance and + Prejudice. Unbalanced Idealism and Fanatical Extremists + responsible for the mistaken ideas upon the subject of Birth + Control. Birth Control Versus Abortion. Higher Phases of Birth + Control. The History of Birth Control. The Causes of the present + interest in the subject. Nature's tendencies toward Birth + Control. How Nature exerts Birth Control in the World. Natural + Law and Biological Principles. The High Ideals of true Birth + Control 127 + + +LESSON XI--THE FETICH OF THE BIRTH RATE + + The Evolution of Public Opinion concerning the Birth Rate. The + old ideal of Quantity at the expense of Quality. The Swing of + the Pendulum in the Opposite Direction. The Rational Reaction. + The Decline in the Birth Rate. The New Ideal. Quality rather + than Quantity. Decreased Death Rate accompanies Decreased Birth + Rate. Survival Values rather than Production Values. How + Increased Death Rate accompanies an Increased Birth Rate. No + High Birth Rate without a High Death Rate. The new Birth Control + Policy in Europe. The Result in Holland. The Progress of the New + Ideals. The Struggle against Ignorance, Prejudice, and + Hypocrisy. The Higher Morality. The Rational View. The Policy of + Wisdom. Plain Facts on an Important Subject 145 + + +LESSON XII--THE ARGUMENT FOR BIRTH CONTROL + + General Argument in Favor of Birth Control. Honesty versus + Hypocrisy. Birth Control decreases Abortion. Birth Control + produces Better Offspring, under Better Environment. Birth + Control produces a lower Death Rate. Birth Control provides + Better Conditions for Children. Birth Control promotes Marriage. + Birth Control curbs Prostitution. Birth Control promotes Health + among Wives. Birth Control tends toward Morality among Married + Men. Birth Control makes for Justice to Children. Birth Control, + if universally practiced, would work great reforms, and would + metamorphose undesirable conditions of modern society. Birth + Control is advisable because along the lines of the highest + evolution of the race, and opposed to the conditions which have + held the race back in the past 158 + + +LESSON XIII--THE ARGUMENT AGAINST BIRTH CONTROL + + Popular objections advanced against Birth Control, and the + rational answer to each. Is Birth Control opposed to Religion? + The relation of Religion to Morality discussed. The Position of + the Churches on the subject of Birth Control. No prohibition of + Birth Control in the Scriptures. Objections to Birth Control on + the part of certain religious bodies seen to be based upon + arbitrary ruling rather than upon the true teaching of Religion, + or the dictates of Morality. The Silence of most of the Churches + on the subject. In the future, Birth Control will be sanctioned + and encouraged by the best religious thought. Birth Control is + not Immoral; it is essentially Moral and in the best interests + of morality in our civilization. Birth Control not injurious to + Health, but is in accordance with the Health of the Race. Birth + Control not Unnatural, and the reason why this is so 172 + + +LESSON XIV--RACE SUICIDE + + The argument that Birth Control favors Race Suicide, and the + refutation thereof. Birth Control keeps up the population to a + normal stand by reducing the Death Rate. Birth Control + eliminates the waste caused by excessive infant mortality. Birth + Control does not discourage children in families, but places + children upon a better basis. The "old time family" and its cost + in child-lives. Wherever the Birth Rate goes down, the Death + Rate goes down to even a greater degree. Proofs from Modern + History. Tables of Mortality tell the true tale. The Story of + Statistics. The eight countries in Europe with the highest Birth + Rate have the highest Death Rate and the lowest average culture. + Birth Control does not tend to Race Suicide, but toward Race + Progress and Race Betterment. The Balance between Quantity and + Quality struck rationally by Birth Control. No real danger of + Race Suicide in the World 190 + + +LESSON XV--BIRTH CONTROL METHODS + + The Three Classes of Birth Control Methods. The Method of + Continence, with the argument for and against the same. The + opinion of Eminent Authorities. Illustrations from History. The + Physiology of Continence. The Methods of Temporary Continence. + The Methods of Semi-Continence, with the argument for and + against it. Noyes' "Male Continence." "Karezza." "Dianism." The + Parkhurst Theory and Method. The Psychology of these methods. + Opinions of Eminent Authorities. Tolstoi's views. The Methods of + Contraception. Distinction between Contraception and Abortion. + Prevention versus Destruction. The Law on the subject of + Contraception. Need of education on the subject, followed by + change in the laws. Education, not Anarchy. Cautionary Advice. A + Sane, Clean, presentation of the Subject 203 + + + + +Sex Advice to Women + + + + +LESSON I + +FOREWORD + + +In this book the writer thereof seeks to convey to women--particularly +to young wives and women expecting to be married--certain important +facts of knowledge, certain necessary information, which all such women +should possess, but which few are given the opportunity to acquire. + +It would seem to require no argument to convince a rational individual +that before a woman is capable of intelligent motherhood she should be +made acquainted with the physiological processes which are involved in +the sexual functions leading to the state of motherhood; but we are +confronted by the fact that few young women are given such instruction. + +It is a strange thing that while even the ordinary school child is made +acquainted with the physiological processes concerned with the processes +of digestion, respiration, circulation, elimination, etc., and while +such education is highly commended, yet at the same time not only are +the young of both sexes reared as if there was no such thing as sexual +functions in existence, but even full-grown adults are left to pick up +their instruction on sexual subjects from chance sources--often polluted +sources. + +Even those about to enter into the important offices of matrimony and +parenthood are permitted to assume those duties and responsibilities +without intelligent and scientific information or knowledge being given +them. What would we think of expecting a woman to cook, without previous +experience and without even the most elementary instruction on the +subject? What would we think of expecting any person to undertake any +important task or duty without experience or instruction regarding the +same? And yet we seem content to allow young women to enter into the +important relationship of marriage, and to undertake the important +office of motherhood, often in absolute ignorance of the physiological +processes involved, and the physical laws governing the same. + +All this absurd practice and custom results simply from the antiquated +notion that it is "not nice" to speak or think of the subject of the sex +functions. The subject has been considered "taboo" by our particular +section of the human race since the Middle Ages, because the ascetic +ideals of that dark period of human history brought forward a totally +false and unnatural conception of sex as fundamentally impure. If the +results were not so deplorable and often tragic, this condition of +affairs would be a fit subject for laughter and scornful ridicule. But, +alas! on the part of the thoughtful observer of this state of things +there is rather great wonder and amazement accompanied by the feeling of +deep sorrow. + +It cannot be honestly denied that in our present age, and period of +modern civilization, and particularly among the Anglo-Saxon branch of +the race, the question of the sex functions is associated with impurity, +at least so far as the popular mind is concerned. In previous +civilizations the subject was accorded its proper place, and was +discussed sanely and thoughtfully, without any sense of shame or +impurity. The Middle Age ideals of celibacy and asceticism brought about +the public conception of the human body as a thing impure--something to +be modified, tortured, subdued and reviled; and a corresponding +conception of sex as a vile, impure thing above which the pure in heart +rose entirely and completely, and which those of a lesser spiritual +ideal were permitted to indulge with a due sense of their degradation +and weakness. It was considered a most worthy thing to lead an ascetic +life with its accompaniment of disdain and punishment of the body. It +was considered most pious and spiritual to forego the ordinary human +relations of sex, marriage and parenthood. From these distorted +conceptions naturally evolved the idea that sex, and all connected with +it, was a subject unclean and impure in itself, and to be avoided in +thought, conversation and writing. Not only the ordinary sex relations +of human life were placed under this taboo, but also the phenomena of +birth and parenthood. Not only did these incidents of life grow to be +considered impure, but they became that which to many was still worse, +that is to say, they became to be regarded as "not respectable." + +Ignorance regarding the plain elementary facts of sexual physiology is +undoubtedly the cause not only of much immorality among young people of +both sexes, but also of many unhappy and inharmonious marriages. The +intelligent portion of our race is now beginning to realize very keenly +the fact that the first requisite of sane marital relations and +intelligent parenthood is a practical and clear knowledge of the +physiology of sex; education concerning the sexual organism, its laws, +its functions, its normal and healthy conditions, its anatomy, its +physiology and hygiene. + +The average physician of experience in general or special practice can +tell tales of almost incredible ignorance on the part of young women who +have recently entered into the relationship of marriage. In some cases +the ignorance is more than a mere absence of knowledge--it consists too +often of false-knowledge, untruthful ideas concerning matters of the +most serious import. It is sad enough to think how such persons may work +results harmful to themselves, but it is even sadder still to realize +that these same ignorant young women must eventually gain their real +knowledge through sad experience--experience paid for not only by +themselves but also by their children. It is a hard saying, but a true +one, that the knowledge of many young wives and mothers is to be gained +by experience paid for by their (as yet) unborn children. + +The writer of the present work is one of the rapidly growing number of +thinking persons who believe that the time has come to educate the race +concerning the importance of sane instruction concerning the functions +of sex. He, and those who think as he does, believe that the time has +come to "Turn on the Light!" They believe that the importance of the +subject will be realized by all intelligent persons, once that their +attention is directed to the subject, and once they have considered it +apart from the old prejudices and distorted customs. When public opinion +on this subject is reformed, then will the taboo fall away from the body +of truth; then will the subject take its place among the "respectable" +topics which may be considered, discussed, and taught, without loss of +caste or prestige. + +In a few decades, perhaps even much sooner, it will be regarded as quite +reprehensible to permit young persons to enter into the relationship of +marriage without a sane, practical knowledge of their own reproductive +organism and the functions thereof, and of their physiological duties to +themselves, to their companions in marriage, and to their children born +or to be born. We may even see the practical application of the somewhat +startling prophecy of Newell Dwight Hillis, D. D., who said: "The State +that makes a man study two years before a license as druggist is given; +that makes a young lawyer or doctor study three years before being +permitted to practice; ought to ask the young man or young woman to pass +an equally rigid examination before license is given to found an +American home, and set up an American family." + +While the information above alluded to should be given alike to the +young husband and the young wife, it cannot be doubted that the latter +is the one of the pair who is most in need of this kind of instruction. +While both the young man and the young woman require this instruction, +the need is the greater in the case of the young woman, by the very +nature of the case. The sex functions and processes play a much more +important part in the life of the woman than in that of the man, the +protests of some of the modern feminists to the contrary notwithstanding. +The careful student of the sex life of men and women frankly confesses +that in both the physical and the psychical realm the sex offices make a +greater demand upon the time and attention of the woman than of the man. + +The love-life of the woman is far fuller and more absorbing than is that +of the man. Unhappiness concerning her love-life renders the remainder +of the life of the average woman of comparatively little account; while, +with a happy love-life she will put up cheerfully with the absence of +many other things which are usually regarded as necessities for +happiness. As a writer has said: "Essentially, a woman is made for +love--not exclusively, but essentially; and a woman who has had no love +in her life has been a failure." + +The same rule operates on the physical plane. As the same writer has +said: "Physically, the woman is also much more cognizant of her sex and +much more hampered by the manifestation of her sex nature than man is." +The manifestation of the incidents of menstruation is a constant +reminder to the woman that she is a creature of sex. The phenomenon of +pregnancy is, likewise, something from which the man is free. And, +finally, the menopause, or "change of life," with its incidents greatly +influencing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the woman, +is Nature's final word to the woman that she is the active pole of +sex-life. As the above-quoted writer has said: "Altogether it cannot be +denied that woman is much more a slave of her sex-nature than man is of +his. Nature has handicapped woman much more heavily than she has man." + +And so, in this book, the young woman--the young wife--is directly +addressed, her companion and mate being referred to only indirectly. + + + + +LESSON II + +ANATOMY OF THE FEMALE SEX ORGANISM + + +Every woman should be given plain, practical, sane, sensible instruction +concerning the sex organism of woman, its functions, its laws, its use, +and its abuse. This important feature of the physical organism plays an +all powerful part in the life of every woman, and particularly in the +life of the married woman. It is nature's mechanism for the reproduction +of the race. Every child that is born into the world is conceived, +gestated, and finally delivered as a result of the functioning of this +organism. Therefore, such instruction and knowledge is vitally +necessary, not only for the intelligent performance of the duties of +parenthood, but also for the best interests of race-preservation, +race-culture, and the physical well-being and health of the individual +woman. + +And yet, custom and ancient prejudice have drawn the veil over this most +important subject, so that it is difficult for the average woman to find +practical, clean information concerning her own anatomy and +physiological functions concerned with her sex-life. To many it has +appeared that the particular organs and parts of the body concerned with +the reproductive functions of the woman are base, unclean, and impure, +and that any woman discussing them, or seeking information regarding +them, must be immoral or at least not "respectable." Anatomical charts +and physiological treatises on the subject are tabooed outside of the +doctor's office. Women are considered immodest if they seek to acquaint +themselves with the facts of life concerning one of their most important +classes of physical functions. It is considered "not nice" for a young +woman to know anything about her physical being in those phases which +play the most important part in her life. Can there be anything more +ridiculous and insane? This is a matter which excites the most intense +surprise, disgust, and despair in the average person possessing a +scientific tendency. But the dawn is breaking, and a better day is ahead +of the race concerning these things. + +The sex organs of the woman are divided into two classes, as follows: +(1) The external organs; and (2) the internal organs. Let us consider +each of these classes in turn. + + +THE EXTERNAL SEX ORGANS OF THE WOMAN. + +The external sex organs of the woman are as follows: The Mons Veneris; +the Labia Majora; the Labia Minora; the Clitoris; the Meatus Urinarius; +and the Vaginal Orifice. The term "the Vulva" is applied to the external +sex organs of the woman in general, but more particularly to the Labia +Majora and the Labia Minora (the larger and smaller "lips," +respectively). The term "Vulva" is the Latin term meaning "folding +doors." + +THE MONS VENERIS is the fatty eminence or elevation just above the other +external organs, which forms a mount from which its name (literally, +"The Mount of Venus") is derived. At puberty it becomes covered with +hair. + +THE LABIA MAJORA are the large "outer lips" or folds of skin which +enclose the Vaginal Orifice, and which are situated just below the Mons +Veneris. + +THE LABIA MINORA are the small "inner lips" of folds of membrane, which +are concealed within the Labia Majora, or "outer lips," and are seen +only when the latter are parted. + +THE CLITORIS is a small organ, about an inch in length, situated at the +upper part of the Labia Minora or "inner lips," and usually being partly +or wholly covered by the upper borders thereof. At its extremity it has +a small rounded enlargement which is extremely sensitive and excitable, +and which is the principal seat of sensation in the woman's sexual +organism. + +THE MEATUS URINARIUS is the orifice of the urethra of the woman, the +purpose of which is to afford an exit for the urine. It is located about +an inch below the Clitoris and is just above the Vaginal Orifice. It is +a common error among uninformed women that the urine passes out through +the Vagina; but this, of course, is incorrect, as the two canals and +their respective orifices are entirely separate from each other, though +situated closely together. + +THE VAGINAL ORIFICE is the outer entrance to the Vagina, or Vaginal +Canal or Channel. This orifice is located just below the Meatus +Urinarius. In the virgin it is usually partly closed by what is known as +"THE HYMEN," (vulgarly known as the "maiden head"), although in many +cases the latter is absent even in the case of young girl infants. It +was formerly regarded as an infallible sign of virginity, and its +absence was regarded as a proof that virginity was lacking. But this old +superstition is passing away, for science has shown that the Hymen is +often absent even in the case of young children and infants, and, on the +other hand, is sometimes present after several years of married life, +and even during pregnancy. Much unhappiness has been caused in some +cases where the husband has doubted the virginity of his wife because of +the absence of the Hymen, but consultation with a capable physician +usually removes this misunderstanding. + +The Hymen is a membranous fold, sometimes circular in shape, with an +opening in the center, though in other cases it extends only across the +lower part of the orifice. The opening in the center is for the purpose +of allowing the menstrual blood and the other secretions of Uterus and +Vagina to flow through. In a few cases this opening is absent, the Hymen +being what is called "imperforate"; in which case the girl experiences +difficulty when menstruation begins, and a physician is required to make +a slit or opening in it. In some girls and women the Hymen is quite +tough, while in others it is very thin and is easily broken. In the +latter cases the young girl frequently breaks the membrane during +vigorous exercise, such as jumping rope, etc. And, as has before been +said, in some cases infant girls are born without even a trace of the +Hymen. Under the circumstances, it is seen that the presence or absence +of the Hymen is far from being an infallible proof of the presence or +absence of virginity, and the belief in the same is now regarded as +almost a superstition of the past. + + +THE INTERNAL SEX ORGANS OF THE WOMAN. + +The internal sex organs of the woman are as follows: The Vagina; the +Uterus and its appendages; the Fallopian Tubes; the Ovaries, and their +ligaments, and the round ligaments. + +THE VAGINA is the canal or channel leading from the Vaginal Orifice to +the Uterus or womb. It is situated in front of the rectum, and behind +the bladder. In length, it averages from three to five inches; and it +curves upward and backward, reaching to the lower part of the neck of +the womb, or Uterus, which part of the neck is enclosed by it. It is a +strong fibro-muscular structure, lined with mucous membrane; and is not +smooth inside, but is arranged in inner folds or rings which are capable +of great extension. + +On either side of the Vagina, near the outer orifice, are two small +glands, about the size of a pea, which secrete a peculiar fluid, and +which are known as the Glands of Bartholine. The office of the Vagina is +that of a complementary to the male organ during the copulative process; +to also sustain the weight of the Uterus; to also afford a passage for +the infant at the time of its birth; and also to serve as a passage for +the menstrual fluid. + +THE UTERUS, or Womb, is the internal sex organ of the woman which serves +to hold the fertilized ovum, or egg, from the time of impregnation, +during the period of pregnancy during which the ovum develops into the +young child, and until the time of the delivery of the child. + +The Uterus is a hollow pear-shaped muscular organ, about three inches in +length, nearly an inch thick, and about two inches broad across its +upper part, or FUNDUS; the lower part, or CERVIX, being much narrower. +The CERVIX, or "neck" of the womb, projects into the Vagina, forming the +"os uteri," or "mouth of the womb," at that point. The Uterus is +composed chiefly of a muscular coat, its walls consisting of strong +muscular fibres which contract independently of the will, as do similar +muscles in the stomach and bladder. These muscular walls are capable of +enormous distention during pregnancy. The muscles of the healthy womb +are capable of a tremendous pressure and resistance, and are capable of +expelling the child with but slight labor at the time of delivery. + +The Uterus is located just behind and slightly above the bladder, and is +supported by eight ligaments which, in a healthy condition, hold it +firmly and easily in place. Displacements of the Uterus are due to the +weakening or relaxing of some or all of these ligaments, generally +caused by general weakness or else by excessive physical exercise or +labor. The principal DISPLACEMENTS OF THE UTERUS are as follows: +Prolapsus, or lowering of the womb in the vagina; Antroversion, or the +bending forward of the womb; Anteflexion, or the "doubling up" of the +womb FORWARD on itself; Retroversion, or the bending backward of the +womb; and Retroflexion, or the "doubling up" of the womb BACKWARD on +itself. Extreme degrees of the last four mentioned forms of displacement +often interfere with impregnation. + +The internal surface of the Uterus is lined with mucous membrane +thickly studded with minute hairlike cells which manifest continuous +motion. This motion, in the lower part of the womb, is in the direction +of the fundus or upper part of the womb; in the upper part of the womb, +the motion is in the opposite direction; the purpose of these opposing +movements being to carry the male elements toward that portion of the +womb into which the Fallopian Tubes discharge the products of the +Ovaries, as we shall see presently. + +The Uterus is supplied with follicles around its neck which secrete a +very firm, adhesive mucus substance, which serves as a gate or door +across the mouth of the womb during the period of pregnancy, and which +also serves to prevent the accidental displacement of the ovum or egg. +During and just after menstruation, the Uterus becomes enlarged and more +vascular. During pregnancy, it largely increases in weight. After +delivery, it resumes its normal size, but the cavity is larger than +before conception. In old age, it becomes atrophied and denser in +structure. + +THE FALLOPIAN TUBES are the ducts of the Ovaries, and serve to convey +the ova, or eggs, from the Ovaries to the cavity in the Uterus. They are +two in number, one on each side, each tube being about four inches in +length. They extend from either side of the fundus of the womb, through +the broad ligaments which hold them and the Ovaries in position until +they communicate with the Ovaries. They are lined with a membrane +composed of the same kind of peculiar hair-like cells which are found in +the lining of the womb, the purpose in this case being to urge forward +the ova or eggs toward the Uterus. + +At the ovarian end of the tubes the latter expand into a fringed, +trumpet-shaped extremity, the fringe being known as "the fimbria." The +tubes are only about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, and their +small caliber makes it easy for them to clog up as the result of slight +inflammation, or to become clogged up or sealed at their mouths or +openings, thus causing sterility or inability of the woman to conceive. +If the tubes are clogged, or sealed up, it of course is impossible for +the ova or eggs to reach the uterus. + +THE OVARIES are the two oval-shaped bodies lying one on either side of +the Uterus. In them the ova, or eggs, are formed. They are each about +one and one-half inches long, about one inch wide, and about one-half an +inch thick. In addition to their attachment to the broad ligament, they +are held in position by folds or ligaments running to the fundus of the +Uterus and to the fimbriated extremities of the Fallopian Tubes. The +Ovaries are covered by a dense, firm coating which encloses a soft +fibrous tissue, abundantly supplied with blood-vessels, which is called +the stroma. Imbedded in the mesh-like tissue of the stroma are found +numerous small, round, transparent vesicles, in various stages of +development, known as the Graafian follicles, which are lined with a +layer of peculiar granular cells. These Graafian follicles are the +receptacles or sacs which contain the ova, or eggs, which constitute the +female reproductive germ. Each vesicle contains a single ovum or egg. + + +Summary. + +From the foregoing, it is seen that we may enumerate the sex organs of +the woman as follows, proceeding from the external to the internal +organism: First, the Mons Veneris, or prominent eminence above the more +important external sex organs; then the Labia Majora, or large outer +"lips" or folds, which are plainly discernable to the ordinary view; +then the Labia Minora, or smaller inner "lips" or folds, and the +Clitoris or small sensitive organ, and the Meatus Urinarius or urinary +orifice, all of which are discernable only when the folds of the Labia +Majora are parted or opened. Then, proceeding upward and backward from +the Vaginal Orifice, we find the Vagina, or channel or canal leading to +the Uterus or Womb; then we find the Uterus or Womb at the upper end of +the canal or channel of the Vagina. Then extending from either side of +the Uterus or Womb we find those two important sets of organs known as +the Fallopian Tubes, and the Ovaries, respectively. The Ovaries +discharge their ova, or eggs, into the Fallopian Tubes, from whence they +are conveyed to the Uterus or Womb, with which the tubes are connected +and into which they open at its upper and large end. + +THE PELVIS is that bony arch in the cavity of which are contained the +internal sex organs of the woman. The Pelvis is a bony basin which holds +and supports the pelvic organs, and is composed of three important +parts, as follows: (1) The Sacrum, consisting of five sections of the +vertebral column, or spine, fused together so as to constitute the solid +part of the lower spine and the back of the Pelvis; (2) the two +Hip-Bones, one on each side of the Pelvis; (3) the Pubic Arch, or the +front part of the Pelvis, formed by the junction of the two Hip-Bones in +front. Attached to the Hip-Bones are the thighs, and also the large +Gluteal Muscles which constitute the buttocks, or "seat." + +The Pelvis of the woman is quite different from that of the man. It is +shallower and wider, and lighter in structure than that of the male, and +the margins of the Hip-Bones are more widely separated, thus making the +hips of the woman far more prominent than those of the man. Also, the +Sacrum is shorter than that of the man, and the Pubic Arch wider and +more rounded than his. This difference in the bony structure is made +necessary by the demand for larger space in the female Pelvis required +for the purposes of childbirth. These differences are not so perceptible +in childhood, but become marked and pronounced at puberty. + + + + +LESSON III + +PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE SEX ORGANISM + + +In the preceding lesson you have been shown "just what" each one of the +sex organs of the woman IS. In the present lesson you will be shown +"just what" each of these organs DOES--what its functions and offices +are. The preceding lesson dealt with the ANATOMY of these organs; the +present lesson will deal with the PHYSIOLOGY thereof. + +Beginning with the Ovaries, the fundamental and basic sex organs of the +woman, you will have explained to you the wonderful processes performed +by each of these organs in turn. + +THE OVARIES. The Ovaries in the woman are akin to the testicles in the +man. Without the Ovaries there would be no ova or eggs, and without the +ova there would be possible no reproductive purposes, and therefore no +office for the sex organs at all, for reproduction is the fundamental +office, function, and purpose of the entire sexual organism. + +In our consideration of the office, purposes, and functions of the +Ovaries, however, we must not overlook a certain secondary phase of such +functioning. While it is true that the primary purpose of both the +testicles of the male, and the Ovaries of the female, is that of +providing SEED from which the offspring of the individual may be +produced, it is likewise true that there exists a secondary purpose +which may be called the "individual" purpose as contrasted with the +"racial" and primary one. + +This secondary or "individual" purpose of the Ovaries is that of +manufacturing certain secretions which are absorbed by the blood of the +woman, and which play an important part in her physical and mental +well-being and activities. These secretions begin before puberty in the +woman, and continue after her menopause; whereas the manufacture of the +ova begins only at puberty, and ceases with the menopause, keeping pace +with the manifestation of menstruation in its beginning and its ending. + +Nature provides these chemical secretions from the Ovaries for the +purpose of giving the woman her characteristic physical form and +contour, her form, her breasts, her long hair, her broad pelvis, her +soft voice, and other secondary sex characteristics; and also of +providing for the normal development of the other sex organs. As a proof +of this statement, science shows us that if a woman's ovaries are +completely removed there is usually a consequent atrophy or "drying up" +of the Uterus and the Vagina, and often even of the Vulva. Moreover, the +presence of this internal secretion manifests in arousing and +maintaining in the woman her normal sexual desire, and her normal +pleasure in the company of her mate; it being noted that if the ovaries +are removed, particularly in early life, the woman is apt to lose all +sexual desire and normal womanly feeling toward the other sex. And, +finally, these secretions make for general physical and mental health +and well-being in the woman, and contribute to her vivacity, energy, +and activity in all directions. As writers on the subject have well +pointed out, this is the reason that capable surgeons usually try to +leave at least a portion of the Ovaries when performing an operation for +the removal of those organs on account of diseased condition. + +THE OVUM. The Ovum, or human egg, is a small spherical body, measuring +from one two-hundred-and-fortieth to one one-hundred-and-twentieth of an +inch in diameter. It has a colorless transparent envelope, the latter +enclosing the yolk which consists of granules or globules of various +sizes embedded in a viscid fluid. In the center of the yolk is found a +very small vesicular body consisting of a tenuous transparent membrane, +which is known as "the germinal vesicle;" this, in turn, contains a very +tiny granular structure, opaque, of yellow color, known as "the germinal +spot." + +When the time is reached in which the ovum or egg is to be discharged, +the Graafian follicle becomes enlarged by reason of the accumulation of +the fluids in its interior, and exerts such a steady and increasing +pressure from within, outward, that the surrounding tissue yields to it, +and it finally protrudes from the Ovary, from whence it is then expelled +with a gush, owing to the elasticity and reaction of the neighboring +tissues. + +Following this rupture there occurs an abundant hemorrhage from the +vesicles of the follicle, the cavity being filled with blood, which then +coagulates and is retained in the Graafian follicle. The formation and +development of the Graafian follicle begins at puberty and continues +until the menopause or "change of life" of the woman. Many follicles are +produced, but many do not produce ova, and so gradually atrophy. The +ripening and discharge of the eggs produce a peculiar condition of +congestion of the entire female sexual organism, including the Fallopian +Tubes, the Uterus, the Vagina, and even of the Vulva, which results in a +condition of Sexual Excitement. Among the lower animals the female will +allow the male to approach her for copulation only at this period, this +being the time when the egg is ready for fertilization. + +When the female infant is born, her Ovaries contain the germs of about +100,000 ova. The greater portion of these, however, disappear, until at +the time of her puberty the number of germs of ova contains only about +30,000 ova. This number is far more than the woman will ever need, and +is Nature's provision against diseased portions of the Ovaries, +accidents, etc. Only one ovum ripens and matures each month from puberty +until menopause, so that the woman really requires only about 300 to 350 +ova on the average. This liberality on the part of Nature, however, does +not begin to approach her lavishness in the case of seed of the male, +for in his case while only one spermatozoon is required to fertilize an +ovum (and in fact only one is permitted to do so), we find that in each +normal act of ejaculation of semen by the male over 250,000 spermatozoa +are projected. + +The ripening and discharge of the egg from the Ovaries, and the +consequent congestion above referred to, accompanied by what is called +Menstruation, occurs regularly each lunar month (28 days). What is +called Ovulation consists of the monthly maturing and expulsion of the +ripe ovum or egg, while Menstruation (as we shall see later on) consists +of the monthly discharge of blood and mucus from the inner surface of +the Uterus; the two processes occur in connection with each other, yet +neither can be considered as the cause of the other. + +MENSTRUATION. It may be well to call your attention at this point to the +process known as Menstruation, or "the monthly flow," or "the courses" +of women. Menstruation is the monthly flow of bloody fluid which occurs +in all healthy (non-pregnant) women from puberty to the menopause or +"change of life." + +By "PUBERTY" is meant the age at which a woman begins her period of +possible child-bearing experience. In temperate climates the average age +of puberty is about fourteen years, while in tropical countries it is +often a year or so earlier, and in arctic countries a year or so later. +The time, however, depends materially upon the temperament, race, +hygiene, and general environment of the individual girl. At this period +the girl gradually changes into the young woman. Her figure changes, her +bust develops, her hips broaden, and her mental and emotional nature +undergoes a change. Also the menstrual flow begins to manifest at this +time; at first scanty and irregular, but gradually changing into the +characteristic flow each month. + +At the period of puberty, the girl undergoes marked emotional changes. +She becomes very "emotional" as a rule, and quite "sensitive." She +becomes filled with strange, unaccountable longings, ideas, and +"notions." She usually manifests a great emotional interest in her girl +friends, and often manifests marked jealousy in connection with these +friendships. The girl is apt to indulge in day-dreaming at this period, +and becomes quite romantic and "flighty." She devours love stories, and +delights in imagining herself as the heroine of similar adventures. The +period from the beginning of puberty to that of the attainment of full +sexual maturity is known as the period of "adolescence," and generally +extends to about the age of eighteen in the case of girls. + +By the MENOPAUSE is meant that period of the woman's "change of life," +the average time of which is about the age of forty-five years, although +this varies greatly in different individuals. As a rule, it is held that +the period of the woman's child-bearing possibility extends over an +average period of thirty years. At the Menopause the woman's +reproductive activity declines and finally ends. The Ovaries diminish in +size, the Graafian follicles cease to form and develop; the Fallopian +Tubes atrophy; and there occur other physical, mental, and emotional +changes in the woman. While the age of forty-five is held to be the +average age at which the Menopause occurs in women, still it is not at +all uncommon to find women who menstruate regularly up to the age of +fifty, or fifty-two, or even fifty-five, while a large number of women +menstruate regularly at the age of forty-eight. + +Some women undergo little or no physical or emotional disturbance at the +time of the Menopause. In such cases their periods become more or less +irregular, with extending intervals between periods; the flow becomes +more and more scanty; then several periods are skipped altogether; and +finally the periods cease entirely. Other women, however, experience +more or less physical disturbance during the years of the "change." They +sometimes experience loss of appetite, or a capricious appetite, +headaches, loss of weight, or else a sudden taking on of fatty tissue. +They often become quite irritable and "notiony," and often become +quarrelsome and pugnacious, and in some cases manifest unreasonable +jealousy. But, in the opinion of many of the best authorities, much of +this trouble comes from the mental expectancy of them by the woman, +resulting from the notion that a woman must have these things happen to +her. The power of the mind over the body is now well known, and we have +here another instance of its effect. The remedy is obvious. + +Another matter which disturbs the woman at this time, in many cases, is +the common belief that after "the change" she will lose all of her sex +attractiveness, and her sexual feelings, etc. This is a grave error, for +the experience of all observing physicians is that no such results +follow this period of the woman's life. Many women become even more +attractive to the other sex after this time, by reason of acquiring a +certain maturity and "ripeness" which proves very attractive to many +men--often to young men as well as older ones. Moreover, the sexual +desires do not cease with the cessation of the reproductive functions. +On the contrary, it often happens that such emotions and desires are +increased in the woman at, and after, this time of her life. So true is +this that this period has been called "The Dangerous Age" for women, +and the experience of many a woman of forty-five to fifty will +corroborate this statement. The woman at this time should beware of +contracting unwise love affairs and entanglements, and of yielding to +impulses toward men other than her mate. A word to the wise should be +sufficient in this case. + +To return to the main subject of Menstruation, it may be said that the +monthly flow, when once established, occurs at intervals of every +twenty-eight days, on the average, although in some individual cases it +occurs as often as every twenty-one days, while in others it occurs as +seldom as once in every six weeks, all without exceeding the bounds of +normal functioning. Menstruation ceases temporarily during pregnancy, in +normal cases, and often also ceases during the period of lactation or +nursing. The menstrual period lasts on an average for four or five days, +the flow increasing for the first half of the period, and decreasing +during the last half. At the beginning of the period there is often +manifested a general congestion of all of the sexual organs of the +woman, and often of the breasts as well. There is also usually found a +sense of physical discomfort, from which more or less irritable feeling +arises. In rare cases there are found severe cramps and pains, and in +some cases the woman finds it necessary to call in medical aid, or to go +to bed, or both. In such cases a cure is often worked by improving the +general health, and by observing common sense hygienic rules. + +Menstruation is caused by a hypertrophy of the mucus membrane of inner +surface of the Uterus, which is followed by a shedding of the +hypertrophied membrane. This leaves exposed the underlying vessels, +which bleed. New mucus membrane is formed after the period. The +menstrual flow consists of a thin, bloody fluid, having peculiar odor, +in which is combined blood, thin skin, and mucus membrane, and also +mucus from the Uterus and the Vagina, the blood being light in +consistency and not clotted. + +During the menstrual period the ovum, or egg, is discharged, and enters +the Uterus, as we shall see presently. + +THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE OVUM. The physiology of the remaining sexual +organs of the woman may perhaps best be studied by considering the story +of the Life-History of the Ovum, or human egg, for the functions of such +organs are concerned with such life-history of the egg, and really exist +merely to create such a history, or rather, to produce the process which +constitutes the basis of such history. + +The ovum, or egg, when discharged from the ovary, is at first surrounded +by a few cells which serve as nourishment, but which soon disappear. It +enters the Fallopian Tube and begins its journey toward the Uterus, +being urged on its way by the constant movement of the lining-cells of +the interior of the tube, in the direction of the Uterus. Certain +changes in structure occur. Its passage to the Uterus may be +interrupted, and the ovum lost and finally cast off. But the ovum that +is successful finally arrives at the Uterus where it awaits impregnation +or fertilization by the spermatozoon of the male. + +If copulation occurs within a reasonable time after the arrival of the +ovum, it is impregnated or fertilized. Fecundation results and +conception ensues, the ovum then remaining attached to the walls of the +Uterus, and in time develops into the foetus. If, however, the ovum is +not impregnated, because of absence of copulation or from other causes, +it gradually loses its vitality, and is finally cast off with the +several uterine secretions. + +It should be explained here that the "spermatozoon" of the male (the +plural of the term is "spermatozoa") is the male generative "seed." The +sperum, semen, or seminal fluid of the male is filled with hundreds of +thousands of spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon is a minute living, moving +creature, resembling a microscopic tadpole. It has a head, a rod-like +body, and a thin hair-like tail, the latter being kept in constant +motion from side to side, by means of which the tiny creature is enabled +to travel rapidly from one point to another. The human spermatozoon +measures about one six-hundredth of an inch in length. It is composed of +protoplasm, the substance of which all living creatures are composed. +The spermatozoa are believed to be developed from a parent sperm-cell, +by the process of segmentation or subdivision, which process is common +to all cell-life. The numerous spermatozoa dwell in a gelatinous +substance, which, mingling with the other fluidic secretions of the +glands of the male, constitutes the male seminal fluid, sperm, or semen, +which is ejaculated by the male during the process of copulation. + +Fecundation (i. e. fertilization, impregnation; the process by which the +male reproductive element is brought in contact with the female ovum or +egg) is brought about by the blending of the male reproductive element +(or spermatozoon) with the female reproductive element (or ovum, or +egg). This blending is of course accomplished by the bringing together +in mutual contact the two reproductive elements just mentioned. The +sexual act which results in this "bringing together" of the two elements +is known as "copulation," or "coition." In copulation or coition the +seminal fluid of the male, containing an enormous number of spermatozoa, +is ejaculated from the male intromittent organ into the receptive canal +or channel of the female (the Vagina), and in this way finally comes +into actual contact with the female ovum or egg which is awaiting it in +the Uterus of the female. + +The spermatozoa (in the process of copulation) are deposited in the +Vagina of the female, usually at its upper end, but sometimes in the +lower portion; and in rare and peculiar cases even at or about the +Vaginal Orifice or outer vaginal opening. In either case they travel up +the remaining portion of the Vagina and finally enter the Uterus or +womb. The spermatozoa possess wonderful vitality and power of +locomotion. There are cases recorded in which the spermatozoa deposited +on or about the outer female genitals have managed to travel inward and +upward until they have finally reached the Uterus, where conception has +resulted. Such cases, of course, are rare, but they exist, well +authenticated and accepted by medical science as facts. + +It must not be supposed, however, that the impregnation of the ovum +occurs only in the womb proper. Cases are known in which the spermatozoa +have traveled along the Fallopian Tubes and impregnated the ovum there; +and in very rare cases the spermatozoon seems to have penetrated even to +the Ovary itself, and there impregnated the ovum on the surface of the +Ovary. Some excellent authorities, in fact, insist that all normal +impregnation occurs at the end of the Fallopian Tube--the point of its +entrance into the upper part of the womb, rather than in the body of the +womb, or at its mouth, as the older authorities taught. But wherever the +actual contact of spermatozoon and ovum occurs, the blending of the +elements is performed and fertilization, impregnation, or fecundation is +accomplished. + +As a result of copulation, then, the spermatozoon (or a number of +spermatozoa) comes in contact with the female ovum or egg. Then one or +more of them, by means of a furious lashing of the tiny tail, manages to +penetrate the outer covering of the ovum, and enters the space between +the outer covering and the real body of the egg. Several spermatozoa may +effect an entrance into this outer space, BUT ONLY ONE IS PERMITTED TO +ENTER THE REAL BODY OF THE EGG. [Twins are produced by the impregnation +of two ova by two spermatozoa, at the same time. The presence of the two +ova at the same time is unusual]. The moment that the real body of the +ovum is penetrated by the successful spermatozoon, a tough covering or +thick membrane forms around the ovum and thus prevents the entrance of +other spermatozoa. The successful spermatozoon then loses its tail, and +the remaining head and body become what is known as "the male +pronucleus." + +The authorities are uncertain as to the exact nature of the change which +occurs when the ovum is penetrated by the spermatozoon. The outward +manifestations of the change and transformation arising from the +blending of the male and female elements are of course well known, but +the "life process" eludes the power of the microscope. When Nature forms +the thick membranous coating over the impregnated ovum, she draws the +veil over one of her most important secrets. The first segmentation-nucleus +having been formed by the blending and forging together of the male and +female pronuclei, the process of segmentation begins. + +Segmentation proceeds as follows: the impregnated egg splits into +halves, forming two joined cells; then into quarters, forming four +joined cells; then into sixteenths, then into thirty-seconds, +sixty-fourths, and so on, until the ovum consists of a combined mass of +very minute granular-like cells, the whole resembling a mulberry. The +segmentation of the nucleus precedes and then continues with the +segmentation of the yolk. After the egg has been divided into a great +number of these cells, the latter begin a centrifugal action resulting +in the formation of a complete inner lining of closely packed cells, +with a central cavity filled with the yolk liquid. + +In the meantime, the Uterus has been prepared for the reception of the +impregnated and transformed ovum. A thick, spongy, juicy, mucus membrane +forms, into which the changing ovum passes and attaches itself; the +mucus membrane soon enveloping it and shutting it off from the rest of +the Uterus. There now appears at one point on the ovum an opaque streak, +which is called "the primitive trace" of the embryo--the first beginning +of the young living creature. The "primitive trace" then grows in length +and breadth. At this point we must leave the history of the ovum, or +human egg, for the present; its further development will be related in +the succeeding lesson, the subject of which is "Gestation." + + + + +LESSON IV + +GESTATION OR PREGNANCY + + +Gestation is "the act of carrying young in the Uterus, from the time of +conception to that of parturition." Conception occurs at the moment of +the impregnation of the ovum; parturition is the act of delivery, or +childbirth. Pregnancy is "the state of being with child." The terms +"period of gestation," and "period of pregnancy," respectively, are +employed by medical authorities to designate the time during which the +mother carries the young within her own body--from the moment of the +impregnation of the ovum until the moment of the final delivery of the +child into the outer world. + +The term of pregnancy in woman continues for over nine calendar months +(or ten lunar months)--from about 275 to 280 days, though in exceptional +cases it may be terminated in seven calendar months, or on the other +hand may continue for ten calendar months. The usual method is to figure +280 days from the FIRST DAY of the LAST MENSTRUATION. A simple method of +calculating the probable date of delivery is as follows: COUNT BACK +THREE MONTHS, AND THEN ADD SEVEN DAYS, AND YOU WILL HAVE THE DATE OF +PROBABLE DELIVERY. Example: A woman's FIRST DAY OF LAST MENSTRUATION is +March 28. Counting back three months gives us December 28; and adding +seven days to this gives us January 4, as the date of probable delivery. +There will always be a possible margin of a few days before or after the +ascertained probable date--but the delivery will very closely +approximate said date. Ignore the shortage of days of February in this +calculation, the same being covered by the general margin allowed. + +DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMPREGNATED OVUM. In the preceding lesson we +terminated our consideration of the impregnated ovum at the point at +which, after the process of segmentation, the "primitive trace" had +appeared. This primitive trace appears as an opaque streak, or straight +line, formed of an aggregation of cells of a distinctive quality. This +delicate "trace" or "streak" is the first indication of the form of the +coming child. It is the basis, pattern, or mould, in or around which the +spinal column is to be formed, and around which the entire young body is +to be developed by the wonderful and intricate processes of dividing and +reduplication, and the folding and combination of cells. From one end of +this "trace" develops the head; from the other end develops the lower +end of the spine. At a later stage there appear tiny "buds" in the +positions at which the arms and legs should be; these gradually develop, +and their ends split into tiny fingers and toes, and finally are +transformed into perfect little arms and legs, miniatures of those of +the adult human being. + +The term "the embryo" is employed to designate the developing young +creature in the earlier stages of its development, particularly before +the end of the third month of its existence. After the end of the third +month the embryo is called "the fetus." In the short space of 280 days +the young creature evolves and develops from a single simple cell into a +complex organism--a perfect miniature human being. Nature works a +wonderful miracle here, and yet so common is it that we take it all as a +matter of course, and lose sight of the miracle. From the most simple +forms are formed in the developing creature the most complex organs and +parts. The heart is formed from a tiny straight line of cells, by +enlargement and partition. The stomach and intestines, likewise, develop +from a tiny straight line of cells arranged as a tiny tube--the stomach +is formed by dilation of one part of the tube, while the large +intestine experiences a similar though lesser distention and a greater +growth in length; the smaller intestines being formed by growth in +length and circumference. The other organs evolve from similar simple +beginnings. + +The embryo is nourished during its earlier stages by means of the "yolk +sack," or "umbilical vesicle," which is outside the body of the embryo, +being joined to it by means of the umbilical duct. This yolk sack +(originally formed by a "drawing together" in the ovum, which thus +separates itself into two portions or areas) is an important feature of +the life of the embryo, as it nourishes and sustains it in its earlier +stages. Blood vessels form in this yolk sack, and after a time its fluid +is absorbed, and after the third month the sack gradually disappears. + +After the passing away of the yolk sack, the embryo is nourished and +sustained by the "allantois," another peculiar sack which is formed. +This sack readily becomes filled with blood-vessels, and serves to +nourish the embryo by sustenance obtained from the body of the mother +through the walls of the Uterus, a direct communication with the +blood-vessels of the mother thus being secured. The blood in the embryo, +and that in the mother, come into close contact, thus allowing the +embryo to be nourished by the blood of the mother. After a time, in +turn, the allantois diminishes and dwindles away, its offices being +taken up and performed by the "placenta" or "afterbirth." + +THE PLACENTA OR AFTERBIRTH. The Placenta, or afterbirth, is a round, +flat substance or organ, contained within the Uterus, by which +communication and connection is established and maintained between the +fetus and the mother, by means of the umbillical cord. It is a flat, +circular mass, about seven inches in diameter, and weighing about +sixteen ounces. It is attached to the sides of the Uterus of the mother +during the period of gestation, and is expelled from the body of the +mother, as "the afterbirth," after the birth of the child. + +Let us pause a moment, and reconsider the several steps in Nature's plan +for nourishing the embryo and fetus. In the first place, as we have +seen, there is the yolk sack or umbillical vesicle, filled with a fluid +which nourishes the embryo. This gradually disappears in time, and is +replaced by the "allantois" which by connection with the walls of the +Uterus is enabled to nourish the fetus from and by the blood of the +mother. For a short time, however, the embryo is nourished by both the +yolk sack and the allantois. Then the allantois assumes the entire task, +and the yolk sack passes away. Then, later, the placenta replaces the +allantois, and the latter passes away as did its predecessor. The +placenta works along the same general lines as the allantois, but is a +far more complex way and with a much higher degree of efficiency, as we +shall see presently. + +The placenta is connected with the body of the fetus by what is known as +"the umbillical cord." The "umbillicus" or "navel" in the human being +marks the place at which the umbillical cord entered the body of the +fetus, from which it was severed after the birth of the child. The +purpose of the umbillical cord is to contain and support the umbillical +arteries and veins through which the fetus obtains nourishment from the +placental substance, and through which the return blood flows. The rich +red arterial blood is carried from the placenta to the fetus, and is +then distributed over the body of the fetus, nourishing and building it +up; the dark venous blood, laden with the waste products of the body of +the fetus, is carried back to the placenta, there to be repurified and +rendered again rich and nourishing. + +The story of the circulation of the blood of the fetus is most +interesting. Although the fetal blood is derived from that of the +mother, as we have said, yet the maternal blood does not pass directly +from the circulatory system of the mother into that of the fetus; nor +does the blood of the fetus return directly into the circulatory system +of the mother. In fact, the fetal blood never comes in direct contact +with that of the mother, or vice versa. The fetus has an independent +circulatory system of its own, and yet, at the same time, from the +moment of the placental connection until the moment of childbirth, all +its nourishment is derived from its mother. + +The secret of the above paradoxical statement is made apparent when we +understand the meaning of the scientific term "osmosis." Osmosis is "the +passage of a fluid through a membrane"; it is a chemical process, caused +by the chemical affinity between two liquids or gases separated one from +the other by a porous diaphragm or substance. In the process of osmosis +in the case before us, the fetal blood takes up nourishing substances +and oxygen from the blood of the mother, and passes on to the latter the +waste products of the fetal system, by means of passing these substances +through the thin porous membranes which separate the two independent +systems of blood vessels, i. e., the system of the fetus, and that of +the mother. Before birth, in fact, the fetus has its blood nourished and +oxygenated by means of the food partaken of by its mother, and the +oxygen taken in by the mother in her breathing. After its birth, the +infant eats and breathes for itself, and thus nourishes its blood supply +directly, instead of receiving it indirectly from the mother. + +The Placenta begins to be formed about the third month of gestation, and +continues to develop steadily from that time. At the time of the +delivery of the child the Placenta covers nearly or quite one-third of +the inner space of the distended Uterus of the mother. The total +"afterbirth" consists of the Placenta, the umbillical cord, and the +remaining membranes of the ovum, all of which are expelled after the +birth of the child. + +THE AMNION. An important appendage contained in the Uterus in connection +with the developing fetus is that known as "The Amnion." This is an +inner sack which forms within the womb, and which serves to enclose the +fetus, and also to sheath the umbillical cord. The Amnion encloses the +embryo very snugly during the early stages of its development, but it +gradually becomes distended with a pale watery fluid, known as "the +amniotic fluid," the purpose of which is to "float" the fetus and to +give it mechanical support on all sides. This fluid is composed of water +carrying in solution small quantities of albumin, urea, and salt. + +SEX IN THE EMBRYO AND FETUS. It is impossible to determine the sex of +the embryo during its early stages. During the fourth week the first +traces of the sexual glands appear, but not until the fifth week can the +sex be determined even by the microscope. If the embryo is to become a +male, certain ducts are transformed into convoluted tubules, and each is +attached to the testes which have been formed from the genital nucleus. +If the embryo is to become a female, the ducts join to form the uterus +and vagina, other portions being transformed into the fallopian tubes +and connecting with the ovaries which have been formed otherwise. The +outer genitals appear in the early stages of the embryo, but there is no +apparent distinction between the sexes, the external organs being the +same in all cases, and consisting of a small tubular organ with a small +lateral fold of skin on either side. Later, in the male, a groove +appears on the under side of this primitive organ, thus forming the +urethra, the scrotum being formed from the folded skin at the side. In +the female, the primitive organ ceases to develop as in the male, and +thus becomes proportionately smaller, and evolves into the clitoris of +the female; the two lateral folds, on each side, being transformed into +the labia majora, or "outer lips" of the female external genitals. + +POSITION OF THE FETUS. During the period of gestation the fetus lies +"curled up" in the bag of the amnion. The head is usually relaxed and +inclined forward, the chin resting on the breast; the feet are bent up +in front of the legs, the legs bent up on the thighs, the knees +separated from each other, but the heels almost touching on the back of +the thighs; the arms bent forward and the hands placed between them as +though to receive the chin between them. The folded-up fetus forms an +oval, the longest diameter of which is about eleven inches at its +greatest stage of growth. Nature here shows a wonderful ability to pack +the fetus into as little space as possible, and in such a position as to +protect it from injury, and to discommode the mother as little as +possible. + +The following interesting statement made by Helen Idleson, M. D., in a +European medical journal several years ago, gives a very clear idea, +expressed in popular terms, of the appearance and characteristics of the +embryo or fetus in the various stages of its development: + +"The growth of the embryo after fecundation is very rapid. On the TENTH +DAY it has the appearance of a semi-transparent grayish flake. On the +TWELFTH DAY it is nearly the size of a pea, filled with fluid, in the +middle of which is an opaque spot, presenting the first appearance of an +embryo, which may be clearly seen as an oblong or curved body, and is +plainly visible to the naked eye on the fourteenth day. The TWENTY-FIRST +DAY the embryo resembles an ant or a lettuce seed. Many of its parts now +begin to show themselves, especially the cartilaginous beginnings of the +spinal column, the heart, etc. The THIRTIETH DAY the embryo is as large +as a horse-fly, and resembles a worm, bent together. There are as yet no +limbs, and the head is larger than the rest of the body. When stretched +out it is nearly half an inch long. Toward the fifth week the heart +increases greatly in proportion to the remainder of the body, and the +rudimentary eyes are indicated by two black spots toward the sides, and +the heart exhibits its external form, bearing a close resemblance to +that in an adult. In the SEVENTH WEEK, bone begins to form in the lower +jaw and clavicle. Narrow streaks on each side of the vertebral column +show the beginning of the ribs. The heart is perfecting its form, the +brain enlarging, and the eyes and ears growing more perfect, and the +limbs sprouting from the body. The lungs are mere sacks, and the trachea +is a delicate thread, but the liver is very large. In the seventh week +are formed the renal capsules and kidneys. + +"At TWO MONTHS, the forearm and hand can be distinguished, but not the +arm; the hand is larger than the forearm, but it is not supplied with +fingers. The distinction of sex is yet difficult. The eyes are +prominent. The nose forms an obtuse eminence. The nostrils are rounded +and separated. The mouth is gaping, and the epidermis can be +distinguished from the true skin. The embryo is from one-half to two +inches long, the head forming more than one-third of the whole. At the +end of THREE MONTHS, the eyelids are distinct but shut; the lips are +drawn together; the forehead and nose are clearly traceable, and the +organs of generation prominent. The heart beats with force; the larger +vessels carry red blood; the fingers and toes are well defined, and the +muscles begin to be developed. + +"At the FOURTH MONTH, the embryo takes the name of 'fetus.' The body is +six to eight inches in length. The skin has a rosy color, and the +muscles produce a sensible motion. A fetus born at this time might live +several hours. At FIVE MONTHS the length of the body is from eight to +ten inches. At SIX MONTHS, the length is twelve and one-half inches. The +hair appears on the head, the eyes closed, the eyelids somewhat thicker, +and their margins, as well as their eyebrows, are studded with very +delicate hairs. At SEVEN MONTHS, every part has been increased in volume +and perfection; the bony system is nearly complete; length, twelve to +fourteen inches. If born at this period, the fetus is able to breathe, +cry and nurse, and may live if properly cared for. + +"At EIGHT MONTHS, the fetus seems to grow rather in length than in +thickness; it is only sixteen to eighteen inches long, and yet weighs +from four to five pounds. The skin is very red, and covered with down +and a considerable quantity of sebaceous matter. The lower jaw, which at +first was very short, is now as long as the upper one. Finally, at term, +NINE MONTHS, the fetus is about nineteen to twenty-three inches long, +and weighs from six to eight pounds. The red blood circulates in the +capillaries, and the skin performs the functions of perspiration; the +nails are fully developed." + +Another writer says: "There is a superstition that a child born at eight +months is not as liable to live as if born at seven months; indeed, many +suppose that an eight months' child never survives. Facts do not prove +this idea to be correct. Personally, I have known several eight months' +babies to live and do well, and I believe that their chance of life is +much greater than if born at seven months." + +Children born in the seventh month of gestation are capable of living, +though great care is required to rear them for the first few months +after birth. The "incubators" now so common in large cities have greatly +increased the chances of the "seven months' child," and, for that +matter, of those born even earlier. There are a number of cases of +record where children have been born after six months of gestation, and +a few even before the six months, but these cases are rare and unusual, +and such children usually die soon after birth. + +The following table, given by a good authority, shows the average length +and weight of the human embryo and fetus: + + Age. Length in inches. Weight. + + 2 weeks 0.1 Not given + 3 weeks 0.2 3 grains + 4 weeks 0.3 Not given + 5 weeks 0.5 Not given + 6 weeks 0.7 Not given + 7 weeks 0.9 Not given + 8 weeks 1.5 4 drachms + 3 months 3.0 2 ounces + 4 months 6.0 5 ounces + 5 months 9.0 10 ounces + 6 months 12.0 1 pound + 7 months 15.0 3 pounds + 8 months 17.0 5 pounds + 9 months 20.0 6 to 9 pounds + +Professor Clark holds that if at birth the infant weighs less than 5 +pounds, it rarely thrives, though the records show that many infants +weighing much less than this have lived and thrived. In very rare cases, +infants have been known to weigh no more than one pound at birth, and to +have still survived and thrived. And, on the other hand, many cases are +known where infants were born, and thrived, who weighed more than twice +the average weight. So, at the last, it is difficult to lay down hard +and fast rules in the case. + +DELIVERY. At the termination of the period of gestation, the child is +born into the world, and, instead of depending upon the blood of the +mother for nourishment and oxygen, it begins to ingest its own food, to +eliminate its own waste matter through the regular channels of the body, +and to use its own lungs for the purpose of obtaining oxygen for its +blood and to burn up the waste products in the lungs. + +The process of bringing a child into the world is called "parturition." +The fetus is expelled from the body of the mother by the contraction of +the muscles of and around the Uterus, and also by the contraction of the +abdominal walls. In the early stages of labor, the uterine muscles are +brought into play; but when the fetus enters into the vaginal passage +the abdominal muscles manifest their energy. The uterine and abdominal +muscular movements are purely involuntary, although the mother may aid +in the delivery by voluntary muscular movements. The involuntary +muscular movements are due to the reflex action originating, probably, +in a part of the spinal cord. + +The uterine contractions are rhythmical, and have been compared to the +contraction of the muscles of the heart. Each "labor pain" begins with a +minimum of contraction, the activity increasing until a maximum is +reached, when it gradually decreases, only to be followed a little later +by a new contraction. When the fetus is finally expelled from the Uterus +(followed later by the placenta or "afterbirth") that organ begins a +gradual contraction to its normal size, shape, and condition, the +restorative process usually lasting over several weeks. + +THE PHYSICAL SIGNS OF PREGNANCY. The physical signs of pregnancy in the +case of women of normal health are as follows: + +(1) CESSATION OF THE MENSES, OR MENSTRUATION. While it is true that a +non-pregnant woman may occasionally pass over a menstrual period, yet as +a general rule the complete cessation of a period by a married woman, +particularly when the woman has previously been regular in this respect, +may be considered a probable indication of pregnancy; and when the +second period has been passed the probability merges almost into a +certainty. An examination by a competent physician will set all doubts +at rest. + +(2) ENLARGEMENT OF THE BREASTS. This indication usually manifests itself +in about six or eight weeks after conception. This enlargement is +usually preceded by a sensation of tingling and throbbing. The +enlargement is manifested in the form of a rather hard and knotty +increase, differing from the ordinary fatty increase; the lobules, +arranged regularly around the nipple, are plainly distinguishable +beneath the skin by means of the touch of the fingers. + +(3) DARKENING OF THE AREOLAR TISSUE SURROUNDING THE NIPPLE. In the +unimpregnated condition this tissue is of a pinkish shade; but after +impregnation the shade grows darker and the circle increases in size. +However, when the woman bears several children in somewhat rapid +succession, this dark color may become permanent and accordingly ceases +to be an indication. + +(4) ENLARGEMENT OF THE ABDOMEN. This indication manifests itself about +the second month, at which time the Uterus begins to elevate the +intestines by rising up from the pelvis. In the fourth month the Uterus +has risen so far out of the pelvis that it assumes the form and +appearance of a hard round tumor. The entire abdomen then begins to +enlarge. The Uterus causes an enlargement in the region of the navel at +the sixth month, and the region of the diaphragm at the ninth month. + +(5) QUICKENING, OR "SIGNS OF LIFE." This indication manifests first from +the fourth month to the fifth--at about the exact half of the entire +period of gestation. At this time, and afterward, the movements of the +embryo are plainly discernable to the mother. + +THE DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY. There are a number of physical disorders +usually accompanying pregnancy, some of which are trifling, but some of +which require the advice of a competent physician. The best plan is for +the woman to consult a physician shortly after she discovers herself to +be pregnant, and thereafter to visit him occasionally for advice during +the period of gestation. The too common plan of postponing the call upon +the physician until the eighth or ninth month is not a wise one, for in +many cases the advice of a competent physician at an earlier stage of +the pregnancy will obviate serious complications. The call upon the +physician should usually be made not later than the third or fourth +month, and positively not delayed longer than the fifth month. The +physician should make an examination to ascertain whether the child is +in the normal position in the Uterus, and should also examine the urine +each month to ascertain whether the kidneys are functioning normally. + +What is called "morning sickness" is one of the most common of the +disorders of pregnancy. It is marked by nausea or vomiting, or both, +early in the morning, usually shortly after arising. Some women have at +least faint symptoms of this disorder from the very beginning of +conception, but usually it does not manifest until the third, fourth, or +fifth week of pregnancy. It usually ceases at the end of the third or +fourth month. Except in very severe cases, in which the physician should +be consulted, the disorder is not serious, and requires but a little +common-sense treatment, and rational habits of living. An authority +says: "Eat of some fruit that best agrees with palate or stomach; drink +hot water; eat nothing until a real hunger demands food. Where nausea +occurs after eating, a tart apple or orange is good." Another authority +says: "Let women suffering from morning sickness try acid fruit--apples, +oranges, or even lemons, if their sourness is not unpleasant. If a +single orange or apple after each meal does not suffice, let them try +two; let them eat ten if that number is necessary to conquer the +distress. The principle is a correct one, and the relief certain. Let +fruit be eaten at all hours of the day--before meals and after, on +going to bed at night and at getting up in the morning. If berries are +in season, let them be eaten in the natural state--that is, without +sugar. If the sickness still continues, omit a meal now and then, and +substitute fruit in its stead. By persistence in this course, not only +will nausea be conquered, but an easy confinement guaranteed." + +The pregnant woman often develops a capricious appetite. This disorder +may manifest in one or more of several forms, as for instance: the woman +may lose her appetite, and take but little food; or she may develop an +abnormally large appetite, and eat much more than is necessary; or she +may take a dislike to certain kinds of food--many women have an aversion +toward meat during pregnancy; or she may have a "craving" for certain +articles of food, sometimes for kinds of food not liked at other times, +such as sour pickles, sour cabbage, etc. A little common sense, and the +presence of attractive articles of fruits, etc., will do much to relieve +these troubles; in extreme cases the physician's advice will help. + +The pregnant woman should have her teeth put in good order as soon as +possible, as troubles with teeth sometimes manifest themselves during +pregnancy, and give much trouble and annoyance. Difficulty in urination, +constipation, piles, irritation or itching of the genital organs, +varicose veins, liver spots, and similar disorders, which are sometimes +manifest during pregnancy, in some form or degree, should receive the +attention and care of a competent physician. + +The following general advice from a competent authority is worthy of +being followed: "If everything is satisfactory, if there is no severe +vomiting, kidney trouble, etc., the usual mixed diet may continue. The +only changes I would make are the following: Drink plenty of hot water +during the entire time of pregnancy: a glass or two in the morning, two +or three glasses in the afternoon, the same at night. From six to twelve +glasses may be consumed. Also plenty of milk, buttermilk and fermented +milk. Plenty of fruit and vegetables. Meat only once a day. For the +tendency to constipation, whole wheat bread, rye bread, bread baked of +bran, or bran with cream. As to exercise, either extreme must be +avoided. Some women think that as soon as they become pregnant, they +must not move a muscle; they are to be put in a glass case, and kept +there until the date of delivery. Other women, on the other hand, of the +ultra-modern type, indulge in strenuous exercise, and go out on long +fatiguing walks up to the last day. Either extreme is injurious. The +right way is moderate exercise, and short, non-fatiguing walks. Bathing +may be kept up to the day of the delivery. But warm baths, particularly +during the last two or three months, are preferable to cold baths." + +CHILDBIRTH. The first indication of approaching delivery of the child is +that of the descent of the child into the pelvis of the mother, from its +former position up near the diaphragm. When this occurs, the mother +usually experiences a feeling of relief, and a greater ease in breathing +because of the relaxation of the former pressure on the diaphragm. +Sometimes this occurs several days preceding delivery, while in other +cases it occurs only a few hours before delivery. There usually occurs +about the same time a slight discharge of mucus tinged with blood. The +latter is called "the show," and is caused by the unsealing of the mouth +of the womb, and indicates that the Uterus is preparing to discharge its +contents. + +Labor, in childbirth, consists of three stages. In the first stage, the +Uterus alone contracts, and the mouth of the womb dilates; in the second +stage, the abdominal muscles assist the Uterus in expelling the child; +in the third stage, the Placenta (afterbirth) and membranes are +expelled. + +After the delivery of the child, and after the pulsation in the +umbillical cord has ceased (usually from ten to thirty minutes after +delivery), the umbillical cord is severed and tied by the physician. In +natural labor, the expulsion of the afterbirth occurs from within a few +minutes to an hour after the delivery of the child. Nature is sometimes +slow in expelling the afterbirth, but caution should be exercised in the +matter of using force to assist Nature in this matter, for injury to the +Uterus has often resulted from malpractice in such a case. The +afterbirth is not firmly attached to the womb, but is like the peel of +an orange which Nature sloughs off in due time. + + + + +LESSON V + +GENERAL ADVICE TO WOMEN ON SEX SUBJECTS + + +In this lesson the writer seeks to direct the attention of his women +readers to certain subjects upon which the average woman is not well +informed, and upon which she usually requires sound, sane, clean, frank +information. In many cases women hesitate to ask even their family +physicians for such information, and, although there is no rational +reason for it, they even shrink from consulting better informed and +capable women concerning these subjects. + +SEXUAL FEELING. Owing to erroneous teachings, and irrational prejudices +arising from ancient distorted and perverted ideals of sex, many women +have grown to maturity under the erroneous belief that it is a sign of +immorality, or at least low ideals and depraved nature, for a woman to +experience sexual emotions or feelings, wishes or desires. So true is +this that even many married women seek to withhold from their husbands +the knowledge that any sexual feeling is experienced by the wife. + +Such a belief is of course absurd. It is as natural for a woman to +experience normal sexual feeling as it is for her to experience any +other feeling aroused by natural instincts and organism. Without such +instinct and the feelings arising therefrom, there would be no mating or +marriage, and no perpetuation of the race. The woman experiencing such +feelings should not allow herself to imagine that she is depraved or +perverted, or immoral in thought and feeling. Incredible as it may +appear to a normal, healthy-minded man, it is true that thousands of +young women have lost self-respect, and have lapsed into a morbid state +of mind, because of the occasional manifestation of their normal sexual +feeling. + +This does not, of course, mean that the woman must necessarily manifest +into action the feeling experienced by her. On the contrary, she must +acquire self-mastery and self-control, just as she must in other phases +of her life. It may help some women of this kind to realize that the sex +feeling and impulses, arising unbidden (and often unwelcomed) from the +depths of their subconscious mentality, are essentially CREATIVE +impulses. If the woman be unmarried, or if married and placed under +conditions in which the marital relation with the husband is impossible +or undesirable, then she can TRANSMUTE this creative energy in some form +of creative work--in work which leads to the creation, manufacture, +building-up, or composing something. There is a hint here which will +prove a great blessing to the woman who will understand and apply the +principle suggested--for many other women have found it so. + +As for the married woman, there is no reason whatsoever why she should +seek to withhold from her husband the knowledge that she is possessed of +normal, natural, healthy sexual feeling. In fact, the withholding of +such information, and the concealment and deception arising therefrom, +has often done much to bring marital inharmony between husband and wife. +If there is any deception to be practiced in the marital association of +husband and wife, it should rather be in the opposite direction, i. e., +in the direction of pretending the emotional feeling when it exists only +partially or is absent. The last matter, however, is one for the +exercise of the judgment and conviction of each individual woman; but +the first mentioned admonition is one which should be observed, as it is +based on honesty, truth, and good judgment as well. + +ALCOHOL AND SEXUALITY. It needs no extended argument to convince the +average person that an individual will do things when under the +influence of drink that he or she would not do when perfectly sober. It +is an old saying that "When the wine is in, the wits are out." But there +is a deeper connection and relation between alcoholic drink and sexual +indiscretions than is usually realized by the average person. Besides +the commonly known weakening of will-power and self-control arising from +the influence of strong drink, there are certain influences concerning +the sexual nature and arising from the presence of alcohol in the +system, which are not known to most persons. So true is this that the +writer has thought it well to utter a few words of warning to his women +readers concerning these things. + +In the first place, there is an exhilarating effect arising from certain +kinds of liquor, wines, and other forms of alcoholic drinks, which +manifests directly in an excitement of the sexual centers and organism. +In many cases a strong sexual excitement, absent at other times, is +aroused, and the person is carried away with the force of passion +unknown under other circumstances. Added to this the weakened will-power +arising from too much drink, and we have an explanation of many cases of +"mistakes" of women. It would appear that women are even more +susceptible than are men to unusual sexual excitement arising from +alcoholic drinks; and that, therefore, they should be especially +cautious in the indulgence in such drinks, particularly when in the +company of strange men, or men careless in regard to sexual morality and +respect for women in their company. + +But there is still a deeper reason, based upon the latest discoveries in +psychology, why caution in this respect should be observed by women. We +allude to the discovery that alcohol first affects the mental and +emotional tendencies of more recent racial acquirement, acting so as to +paralyze and inhibit the activities thereof, and to thus release the +activity of the more primitive emotions and motive activities. Thus, the +woman under the influence of alcohol finds that the more recent racial +traits, such as sexual control, restraint, sexual morality, conventional +observations, etc., are practically temporarily paralyzed in +inhibitual--or to use the current slang phrase, are "put out of +commission" for the time being; and, at the same time, the old +elemental, savage, barbaric, "cave man" instincts, habits, and methods +of action, are brought to the surface, and proceed to manifest their +activity if opportunity be granted for the same--and the opportunity is +usually granted. This being seen to be true, it is seen that the woman +so under the influence of liquor is, for the time being, little more +than a "cave woman," or barbarian, with all the lax sex morality of the +latter, and with all the tendencies to manifest into activity the +primitive impulses arising in her nature and demanding expression. Added +to this the weakening of will-power always accompanying the alcoholic +influence, it is seen that the woman under the influence of strong drink +is an easy prey to designing men, and a willing victim to her own lower +passions. + +An authority of sex subjects says: "That Bacchus, the god of wine, is +the strongest ally of Venus, the goddess of love, using the term Love in +its physical sense, as the French use the word 'amour,' has been well +known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, as it is well known today to +every saloon-keeper and every keeper of a disreputable house. And all +measures to combat venereal diseases and to prevent girls from making a +false step will only be partially successful if we do not at the same +time carry on a strong educational campaign against alcoholic +indulgence. * * * Of what use are warnings to a girl, when under the +influence of a heavy dinner and a bottle of champagne, to which she is +unaccustomed, her passion is aroused to a degree she has never +experienced before, her will is paralyzed and she yields, though deep +down in her consciousness something tells her she shouldn't? She yields, +becomes pregnant, and is in the deepest agony for several months, and +has a wound which will probably never heal for the rest of her life. Of +what use have all the lectures, books, and maternal injunctions been to +her? * * * I believe that the sex instinct can be stimulated +artificially beyond the natural needs, and among the artificial +stimulants of the sex instinct alcohol occupies the first place. And +bear in mind that alcohol produces even a stronger effect upon women, in +exciting the sexual passion, than it does on men. Women are more easily +upset by stimulants and narcotics, and that is the reason why it is more +dangerous for women to drink than it is for men. It is impossible to +give statistics and exact or even approximate figures. But there is no +question in my mind, in the mind of any careful investigator, that if +alcoholic beverages could be eliminated, the number of cases of venereal +infection would be diminished by about one-half. And what is true of +venereal disease is also true of the seduction of young girls. Alcohol +is the most efficient weapon that either the refined Don Juan or the +vulgar pimp has in his possession." + +Our advice to the woman who is asked to drink liquor when in the company +of a man outside of her immediate family circle is emphatically this: +DON'T DO IT! + +THE MENSTRUAL PERIOD. As strange as it may appear to those women who +have had the advantage of intelligent maternal advice, it is a fact +known to all physicians that many mothers permit their young daughters +to enter into the stage of puberty, with the accompanying menstrual +flow, without having first instructed the daughter as to the meaning and +character of this phenomenon of her nature, and without having given +her advice concerning the proper care of herself during this period. + +Physicians constantly experience cases in which the young girl to whom +the first menstrual flow having come, without previous knowledge on her +part, has supposed it to be the result of a wound, or of a diseased +condition, and has attempted to stop the flow by the application of cold +water. Even where a partial knowledge has been attained by the girl, she +is found to lack the knowledge of the proper hygienic care of herself +during the period. The mothers in such cases are criminally negligent, +and have alluded a false modesty or prudery to interfere with a natural +and necessary maternal duty. + +The approach of the first menstruation is often accompanied by unusual +physical, mental and emotional changes in the young girl. Her nervous +system is affected, and she is apt to become irritable or morbid, or +even somewhat "flighty." Her appetite may become irregular, and there is +often present a craving for indigestible food. A physical languor is +often experienced, and there may be pains in the back and legs, +chilliness and headaches, and a general upsetting of the usual physical +condition, accompanied by a manifestation of peevishness and +irritability. These unpleasant symptoms usually disappear when the +periodical menstrual flow is permanently established. In fact, they are +frequently superseded by the awakened energy and heightened spirits of +healthy, normal adolescence. + +The time of the beginning of the menstrual period varies according to +climate, race, condition of health, and temperament. In the tropical +countries, menstruation begins from the tenth to the fourteenth year; in +temperate countries, from the thirteenth to the sixteenth; in cold +countries, from the fifteenth to the twentieth year. The Italian, +Hebrew, Spanish, or French girl is apt to menstruate earlier than the +English, German, or Swedish girl. The Negro girl menstruates early, as a +rule. The full-blooded girl usually menstruates earlier than the anemic +one. + +Normally, menstruation should proceed naturally and without pain or +suffering. When pain or suffering is experienced in connection with +menstruation, it is simply because of some lack of health in the general +system; and when such general health is restored, the trouble ceases. +Painful menstruation is called "dysmenorrhea," and arises from several +causes, principal among which are the following: Errors in diet, errors +in dress, undue exposure, constipation, lack of proper exercise, or to a +contracted or congested condition of the Uterus or the Fallopian Tubes. +The pain, however, cannot be considered as a feature of normal +menstruation, for the latter is no more painful than a normal movement +of the bowels--the painful condition results from abnormal conditions, +the removal of these conditions resulting in the cure of the complaint. + +DYSMENORRHEA should be treated by the discarding of all unhygienic +clothing, tight shoes, etc., and their replacement by rational clothing; +the dietary should be carefully scanned, and improper articles replaced +by nourishing elements of food--discard the pastries, pickles, +confections, and stimulants, and substitute sensible articles of diet; +if constipation is present, remove it by eating articles of food which +promote free movements of the bowels, and drink more water each day; +take a proper amount of exercise--housework is as good a form of +exercise as any; many authorities advocate the free drinking of water +prior to and during the menstrual period--some going so far as to say +that WHERE THERE IS PAINFUL MENSTRUATION THERE IS ALWAYS A LACK OF A +PROPER AMOUNT OF WATER TAKEN INTO THE SYSTEM. In some cases +Dysmenorrhea is due to disorders of the general nervous system, and +treatment therefore should be sought at the hands of a capable +physician. + +AMENORRHEA, another disorder arising in connection with the menstrual +process, consists of the retention or suppression of the menses, or of +"scanty" menses, or occasional "skipping" of the periods. This condition +is apt to be manifest in cases of extreme obesity or "fatness;" the +nervous system being burdened with superfluous flesh, its menstrual +rhythm is often affected. Suppression of the menses also sometimes +results from exposure and disturbing mental emotions. The most approved +treatment is that of remedying the abnormal general physical condition, +proper diet, and the use of hot drinks, hot sitz baths, and hot enemas +about the time of the beginning of the normal period. + +MENORRHAGIA, another menstrual-period disorder, consists of very profuse +flowing--it is, in fact, a mild form of hemorrhage. It usually arises +from general debility, shocks, too violent exercise or labor, and also +in many cases from undue and too frequent sexual intercourse. Sometimes +the excessive flow occurs during the regular menstrual period, while in +other cases it may manifest itself out of season--sometimes as often as +two or three times a month. The duration of the normal period of +menstrual flow, however, varies greatly among different women; the +normal period may be said to last from two to six days, so what might be +an excessive flow for one woman would be only normal for +another--temperament plays a large part in determining the quantity of +the menses. + +Some of the accompanying symptoms of Menorrhagia, or profuse flow, are +lassitude, shortness of breath, faintness, dizziness, headache, +irritability and nervousness, and often also leucorrhea between periods. +The general treatment consists in measures calculated to bring the +general health of the woman back to the normal. The building up of the +general system, by means of nourishing food, proper exercise, etc., will +almost always result in curing this disorder. + +A well-known authority has well said: "The hygiene of menstruation can +be expressed in two words: CLEANLINESS AND REST." + +So far as Rest is concerned, the woman need not be urged to take it at +this period--that is, if she is able to do so. Care should be taken not +to exercise unduly at this time, and under the head of exercise may be +included dancing, horseback riding, and automobiling, as well as the +more common forms of athletic work. + +It would seem that common sense and the general desire for cleanliness +and daintiness would cause all women to observe the plain hygienic laws +of Cleanliness at the time of the menstrual period. And, indeed, it is +probable that such would be the case were it not for the fact that some +ancient superstitions still exert their power over the mind of many +women, in regard to the use of water during the menstrual period. While +it is true that cold baths, or cold-water bathing, are not advisable for +the average woman during the menstrual period (although some especially +robust women bathe and swim as usual during this period), this +prohibition does not apply to the use of WARM water during the period. +Lukewarm baths are permissible at this time; and the woman should wash +the external genital parts with warm water, with soap if desired, every +morning and evening of the period. A vaginal douche of lukewarm water is +an excellent adjunct to the bathing of the parts. + +It is astonishing to meet with the superstitious prejudice existing in +the minds of some women concerning the use of the vaginal douche; these +good creatures seem to think that it is either unnatural and unhealthy, +or else is something "not respectable," and fit only for the use of +immoral women. These women should get in touch with modern hygienic +methods, and learn to use the douche at least during their menstrual +periods. At this time, if the plain rules of cleanliness are not +observed, there often occurs a decomposition of the blood which has +gathered in or about the genitals, and an offensive odor is manifested. +Some women, while feeling distressed about this odor, are afraid to use +lukewarm water in washing themselves, owing to some old unexplored +superstition handed down from the great-grandmother's time. + +The napkins should be changed at least every morning and evening. +Unclean napkins may lead to infection, and it is probable that many +cases of leucorrhea have their origin in lack of cleanliness concerning +the napkins, cloths, or rags, used during menstruation. It may seem +almost incredible to the average woman reader, but physicians know of +cases (usually among the poorer and more ignorant foreign classes) in +which the girl is instructed by her mother, grandmother, or aunts, that +she must wear the original cloth or rag during the entire period, as she +will "catch cold" by a change to a clean, fresh cloth while the flow +continued. Imagine the result of such a practice! This last is an +extreme instance, of course, but it will serve to show the absurd and +harmful notions prevalent concerning this important natural function, +and its incidents. + +LEUCORRHEA. A very common disorder among women is that known as +Leucorrhea, or "the whites." It consists of a discharge from the Vagina, +or the Uterus through the Vagina. It is, in fact, of a catarrhal nature, +and results from an over-secretion of the mucus fluids which, in proper +quantity, keep the mucus membrane of the said organs in good condition. +The discharge manifests in various shades and degrees of consistency. +From the character of the discharge, physicians are able to determine +whether it comes from the Vagina or the Uterus. The discharge from the +Vagina usually is a light creamy fluid; that from the neck of the Uterus +is a sticky, thick fluid flowing rather freely; that from the lining of +the Uterus is alkaline, and generally precedes and follows menstruation; +and that accompanying ulceration of the womb is semi-purulent and +offensive in odor. + +Leucorrhea has many causes, among which may be mentioned the following: +getting chilled feet or body, particularly during the menstrual period; +over exertion and overwork standing on one's feet; chills following +dancing in overheated rooms; excessive worry or emotional strain, etc. +It is a quite common complaint, and some assert that fully twenty-five +per cent (perhaps more) of all women suffer from it to at least some +extent. + +The general treatment of Leucorrhea consists of the building up of the +entire system by the proper hygienic methods. Constipation should be +removed, and the system is built up by the proper articles of food, +exercise, etc. The use of the proper douches are also advised by the +best practitioners. Physicians also treat inflamed areas by local +treatments consisting of painting the Vagina or neck of the Uterus with +certain medicinal solutions. Certain suppositories and douches are also +employed in some cases. It is always better to consult a good physician +in these cases, particularly where the trouble is aggravated or of long +standing. + +A popular writer on the subject gives the following prescription for a +vaginal injection: White Fluid Hydrastics, 2 ounces; Borax, 1/2 ounce; +Distilled Witch Hazel Extract, 1 pint. Use of this preparation ONE +OUNCE, DILUTED IN A PINT OF LUKEWARM WATER, as a vaginal injection, +taken twice each day. + +A well-known authority gives the following advice concerning treatment +of Leucorrhea: "One of the simplest things is an alum tampon. You take a +piece of absorbent cotton, about the size of a fist, spread it out, put +about a tablespoonful of powdered alum on it, fold it up, tie a string +around the center, insert it in the vagina as far as it will go, and +leave it in twenty-four hours. Then pull it gently by the string and +syringe yourself with a quart or two of warm water. Such a tampon may be +inserted every other day or every third day, and I have known where this +simple treatment alone produced a cure. In some cases, however, douches +work better, and the two best things for douching are: tincture of +iodine and lactic acid. Buy, say, four ounces of tincture of iodine, and +use two teaspoonsful in two quarts of hot water in a douche bag. This +injection should be used twice a day, morning and night. Of the lactic +acid you buy, say, a pint, and use two tablespoonsful to two quarts of +water. The lactic acid has the advantage over the tincture of iodine +that it is colorless, while the iodine is dark and stains whatever it +comes in contact with. Sometimes I order the use of the tincture of +iodine and the lactic acid alternately: for one douche the tincture of +iodine, for the next the lactic acid, and so on. When the condition +improves, it is sufficient to use one teaspoonful of the tincture of +iodine and one tablespoonful of the lactic acid to two quarts of water. +These injections are quite efficient and have the advantage of being +perfectly harmless. One point about the injections: they should be taken +not in the standing or squatting position (in which position the fluid +comes right out), but while laying down, over a douche pan. The douche +bag should be only about a foot above the bed, so that the irrigating +fluid may come out slowly; the patient, after each injection taken in +the daytime, should remain at least half an hour in bed (in the +nighttime she stays all night in bed.) This gives the injection a better +chance to come in contact with all the parts of the vagina, and a +portion of it comes in contact with the cervix, where it exerts a +healing effect. Avoid the use of patent medicines." + +UTERINE DISPLACEMENT. The woman suffering from Uterine Displacement +should, of course, consult a competent physician and be governed by his +advice. The following suggestions, however, will be found to be of +service in many cases: + +In the case of PROLAPSUS, or falling of the womb, many women have found +great relief, and in many cases permanent improvement, by taking +occasional rests in bed for an hour or so, with the feet and lower part +of the legs raised at least eight inches above the level of the head. In +this plan, the Uterus is replaced by gravitation. Some authorities +advise practicing waist-breathing while lying in this position, thus +exercising the abdominal muscles. Dr. Taylor says: "Increase the +pump-like action of the chest, and it will be found that the displaced +viscera will return to their normal position." Some have also found +relief from the use of alum-water vaginal injections once or twice each +day. The alum-water is prepared by dissolving one heaping teaspoonful of +powdered alum in a pint of lukewarm water. This last treatment often +strengthens the vaginal muscles whose yielding has at least partially +been the cause of the falling womb. + +In cases of RETROVERSION, in which the Uterus is turned or bent +backward, the "knee and chest" position will often aid in causing the +organ to regain its normal position. In this position the woman kneels, +and rests her chest upon the bed, thus causing the hips to be elevated. + +In cases of ANTROVERSION, in which the Uterus is turned or bent forward, +relief is often obtained by the woman resting upon the back, using a +pillow to elevate her hips. + +INTERCOURSE DURING MENSTRUATION. It would seem that the natural esthetic +repulsion to the exercise of the marital relations during the menstrual +period should be sufficient to deter men and women from indulgence at +this time; but many seem to have overcome this instinctive repulsion, +and to these a stronger reason must be given--and the reason is at hand. +The reasons in question are as follows: first, that congestion of the +Uterus and Ovaries sometimes results from this unnatural practice; +second, that the man may possibly contract an inflammation of the +urethra by infection from the degenerated membrane, tissue, blood, etc., +of the menstrual flow; and third, that such practices may result in the +aggravation of discharges from the woman, such as leucorrhea, etc. + +INTERCOURSE DURING PREGNANCY. The best authorities advise total +abstinence from sexual intercourse during the period of pregnancy; but +in view of the fact that such abstinence is very difficult for most men, +and that few will persist in it, it is thought well to point out the +fact that at least an extreme moderation is desirable in such cases. A +leading authority says on this point: "During the first four months of +pregnancy, no change need be made in the usual sex relations; their +intensity should be moderated, their frequency need not. During the +fifth, sixth, and seventh months, intercourse should be indulged in at +rarer intervals--once in two or three weeks--the act should be performed +without any violence or intensity. During the eighth and ninth months +relations had best be given up altogether. And this abstinence should +last until about six weeks after the birth of the child. During this +period the uterus undergoes what we call involution; that is, it goes +back to the size and shape it had before pregnancy, and it is best not +to disturb this process by sexual excitement, which causes engorgement +and congestion." + +STERILITY IN WOMEN. Sterility, or barrenness, i. e., the inability to +bear children, is frequently met with among married people. It is +usually blamed upon the woman, whereas in at least one-half of the cases +the fault is with the man. + +The causes of sterility in women are usually one or more of the +following: Inflammation of the Fallopian Tubes, which may have been +caused by gonorrhea or ordinary inflammation--in some rare cases +childbirth has been known to set up an inflammation in this region, +which has prevented the woman from future childbearing--the inflammation +causes the tubes to clog up or become closed, so that no more ova can +pass through them from the ovaries to the womb; in some cases, also, +severe cases of leucorrhea have caused sterility, as the discharge is +sometimes fatal to the life of the spermatozoa and destroys them; in +other cases misplacement of the womb causes sterility; also severe +inflammation of the neck or mouth of the womb operates in the same way, +in some cases. In cases of sterility, the woman should have an +examination made by a competent physician, and it often will be found +that the cure of the disorders above noted will work a cure of the +sterility. + +But, in all cases of sterility, it will be found that the husband should +be examined as well as the wife--in fact, many authorities insist that +the husband should be examined first. Venereal diseases frequently +produce sterility in the man, although he is loath to admit this and is +apt to place the blame entirely upon the woman. + +MISCARRIAGE AND ABORTIONS. The terms "miscarriage," and "abortion," +respectively, mean the expulsion of the fetus from the womb before its +natural time of delivery. In common usage, the term "miscarriage" is +usually employed to indicate instances in which the premature delivery +has occurred without any voluntary act on the part of the woman, or +other persons acting with her permission; the term "abortion" being +reserved for instances in which the miscarriage has been voluntarily +produced. + +When the fetus dies within the womb of the mother, it is usually +expelled spontaneously within a few days or even a few hours. Some women +suffer from certain weakness which result in habitual miscarriage; such +women seem unable to carry the child for the full natural term, and lose +it at some time during the period of gestation. Like results often arise +from certain diseases, principal among which is syphilis. In some cases +the physician produces what is known as "therapeutic abortion," for the +purpose of saving the life of the woman--this is sanctioned by medical +custom and by law. Other forms of abortion, performed for the purpose of +preventing the progress of the gestation, and designed for the +destruction of the embryo or fetus, are known as "criminal abortion," +and are punishable by several legal penalties. + +Abortions are frequently followed by severe illness, invalidism, or even +death for the woman. Many women have had their entire lives ruined by +this evil practice. It is one of the curses of modern civilization, and +one which must be removed by means of rational instruction and education +along the lines of sexual science if the race is to be prevented from +deterioration. The subject will be further considered in the subsequent +lessons in this book. + +The best advice to those who have contemplated the performance of +abortion is simply this: Don't; DON'T; DON'T! + + + + +LESSON VI + +THE SCIENCE OF EUGENICS + + +No one who keeps in even only fair touch with the affairs of the world +of today can have failed to notice the frequent mention of the term +"Eugenics" in the newspapers, magazine, and books of the hour. And yet, +many persons seem to be in doubt as to the meaning and use of the term; +some thinking that it refers to some new "ism" or "ology," or perhaps to +some new and strange doctrine concerning the relations of the sexes. In +view of this fact, the writer has thought it well to give the readers of +this book a brief, though somewhat comprehensive, view of the general +subject of Eugenics. + +Eugenics, sometimes known as the Science of Parenthood, has well been +styled "the New Science," for it has forced itself into public notice +within the past ten or fifteen years, whereas before that time it was +practically unknown to the general public. At the present time some of +the world's greatest thinkers have spoken or written on the subject, and +many regard it as one of the most vital branches of human research, +endeavor, and study, for the future of the race is involved in the +solution of its problems. In its general phase of race-betterment, +Eugenics is receiving the attention of statesmen, sociologists and +patriots; in its particular phases, the earnest attention, interest and +study of men and women who wish offspring of the best quality +obtainable. + +The spirit of Eugenics may be expressed in the words of Dr. G. Stanley +Hall, president of Clark University, who has said: "Our duty of all +duties is to transmit the sacred torch of life undiminished, and, if +possible, a little brightened, to our children. This is the chief end +of men and women. All posterity slumbers in our bodies, as we did in our +ancestors. The basis of the new biological ethics of today, and of the +future, is that everything is right that makes for the welfare of the +yet unborn, and all is wrong that injures them, and to do so is the +unpardonable sin--the only one nature knows." + +That phase of Eugenics which has brought the new science more +prominently before the public mind, and which has enrolled on its roster +the names of some of the world's most eminent scientists, sociologists, +and writers--the phase of race-betterment from the standpoint of +sociology--has led many to believe that Eugenics is confined to that +phase, and is but a movement toward "the successful breeding of the +human race" on a universal scale. To many, such a movement while deemed +commendable and desirable nevertheless lacks the appeal of the heart and +affections--it seems to be of the head alone. But when such persons are +brought to their realization that Eugenics is also a movement to promote +the bearing of children--to enable each mated couple to bring forth +perfect offspring--then the heart is enlisted as a co-worker with the +head. + +The sociological phase of Eugenics--the phase of Race Culture in +general--is being vigorously advanced by societies and organizations in +various parts of the world, the parent organization being the Eugenics +Education Society, of London, England. Dr. C. W. Saleeby, one of those +prominent in the work of the said Society, has the following to say +concerning the work of that organization: + +"The Eugenics Education Society exists to uphold the ideal of Parenthood +as the highest and most responsible of human powers; to proclaim that +the racial instinct is therefore supremely sacred, and its exercise +through marriage, for the service of the future, the loftiest of all +privileges. It stands for a transfigured sentiment of parenthood which +regards with solicitude not child and grandchild only, but the +generations to come hereafter--fathers of the future creating and +providing for the remote children. That which too many schools of +thought and practice have derided or defiled, it seeks to elevate and +ennoble. Parenthood on the part of the diseased, the insane, the +alcoholic--where these conditions promise to be transmitted--must be +denounced as a crime against the future. In these directions the Society +stands for active legislation, and for the formation of that public +opinion which legislation, if it is to be effective, must express. +Parenthood on the part of the worthy must be buttressed, guided, and +extolled. The Society stands for the education of the young regarding +the responsibility and holiness of the racial function of parenthood." + +The Eugenists hold that in the near future our children, looking back +upon the present and the past state of indifference and neglect +concerning the important subject of bearing and rearing of children, +will experience the same horror that we now feel when we look back upon +the indifference to the horrors of human slavery, imprisonment for debt, +cruelty toward prisoners, treatment of the insane, executions for +trivial offences, etc., on the part of our ancestors. Our descendants +will deem it almost inconceivable that we, their ancestors, could have +been so blind and criminally negligent. + +But, as leading Eugenists have pointed out, the new science does not +confine its attention to the subject of preventive measures, important +as they are--it also directs its attention to the constructive phase of +the subject, i. e., the production of better children. While Eugenics +strives to prevent the unfit from flooding the race with unfit progeny, +it at the same time strives to educate the race so that the fit may +bear and rear better offsprings. It is not sufficient merely to +eliminate the unfit--we must also improve, and still further render fit, +the fit members of the race. The fit must not be allowed to remain +merely the fit--we must evolve a fitter--and ever move onward toward the +realization of the ideal of the fittest. We must not only strive to +eliminate the beast in the race of men--we must also aid the race to +unfold in the direction of the super-man. + +The Eugenists know that much of the talk concerning Race Suicide is not +only futile and uncalled for, but is also in a sense misleading and +actually dangerous. The real danger of Race Suicide comes not from the +decreasing birth-rate, but from the excessive, ignorant, and +unscientific bearing and rearing of children by unfit parents. It is not +so much a matter of HOW MANY children are born, as of HOW they are born, +what kind of children they are, and how they are reared physically, +mentally and morally, and how many survive. It is not so much that the +lower death-rate be avoided, says the Eugenist, as it is that the higher +death-rate be overcome. The intelligent stockbreeder grasps this +scientific law of the Eugenists when he endeavors to produce the best +young, and then to take care of them that they survive and reach a +healthy maturity. To the Eugenist, it is not so much a question of +"more," but of "better"--not so much a question of quantity as of +quality--not so much a question of production, but of conservation and +preservation. + +Dr. Saleeby refers to the death-rate of London, which is but 16 to the +1000, as compared to that of Bombay, which is 79 to the 1000. He adds: +"It is asserted that in many large Indian cities the infant mortality +approaches one-half of all the children born. What it amounts to in such +cities as Canton and Pekin we can only surmise with horror. * * * * +Unless it be supposed by bishops and others, then, that a peculiar value +attaches to the production of a baby shortly to be buried, the +suggestion evidently is the same as that to which every humanitarian and +social and patriotic impulse guides us, namely, the reduction of the +death-rate, and especially of infant mortality. * * * * Hence the +Eugenists and the Episcopal Bench may join hands so far as the reduction +of the death-rate is concerned, and the only persons with whom a +practical quarrel remains are those who applaud the mother who boasts +that she has buried twelve." + +The Eugenists urge that if the principles applied to plant-life by that +master of his science, Luther Burbank, were applied to the production +and rearing of young human life, in a few generations we should have a +race so far advanced beyond the present average as to be almost god-like +by comparison. But this means a far different thing from the ideal of +merely "more children"--it requires the manifestation of the ideal of +"better children," well born, carefully reared, well nourished, and +scientifically educated. And this rearing, nourishing, and education +must not be confined to the physical part of the child's nature--it must +proceed along the three-fold line of physical, mental, and moral +culture. + +The Eugenists have been actively concerned with the question of the +prevention of the transmission of undesirable qualities to offspring. +They have held that while crime is more frequently rather the result of +evil environment than of criminal heredity, nevertheless there is a +large class of children who are "born criminals"--that is, born with +such a decided tendency toward criminal acts that the slightest +influence of environment may, and often does, serve to kindle into a +blaze the undesirable and criminal characteristics. + +Dr. Saleeby says of this: "In the face of the work of Lombroso and his +school, exaggerated though some of their conclusions may be, we cannot +dispute the existence of born criminals and the criminal type. There are +undoubtedly many such persons in modern society. There is an abundance +of crime which no education, practiced or imaginable, would eliminate. +Present day psychology and medicine and, for the matter of that, +ordinary common-sense, can readily distinguish cases at both +extremes--the mattoid or semi-insane criminal at one end, and the decent +citizen who yields to exceptional temptation at the other end." + +The Eugenists quote as an instance of the above contention the +celebrated case of Max Jukes, a notorious criminal and drunkard, who as +the records show us was the ancestor of a foul brood of descendants +which cost the State of New York over a million dollars in seventy-five +years. Among these descendants were 200 thieves and murderers; 285 +subject to idiocy, blindness or deafness; 90 prostitutes; and 300 +children born prematurely. It is possible that a portion of this evil +result was caused not alone by bad heredity but, at least in part, by +the suggestion of the environment, and the influence of example of the +parents; but even so, the primal cause was that Max Jukes, the +notoriously unfit ancestor, was allowed to propagate this evil brood, +destined to be born and reared under the most adverse conditions and +environment. + +The Eugenists also place great importance upon the prevention of insane +persons becoming parents. To those who consider that this is but an +exceptional and rare occurrence, the Eugenists reply that a large +percentage of insane patients in asylums have a family history showing +insanity in one or both parents; that reports show that there are +thousands of feeble-minded women in every large city allowed to (yes, +often actually compelled to) bear children to their husbands or male +companions. + +Ribot says: "Every work on insanity is a plea for heredity." Maudsley +says: "More than one-fourth and less than one-half of all insanity is +heredity." Riddell says: "Of the great causes of insanity, alcoholism is +perhaps the greatest, while morbid heredity ranks next. Insanity is +largely the result of degeneracy. Most persons who become mentally +deranged are the offspring of neurotic, drunken, insane or feeble-minded +parents." While it by no means follows that one must manifest traits of +insanity or mental disturbance simply because one of his parents +suffered from a like trouble--and we believe that many a one has +frightened himself into those conditions by pure auto-suggestion +inspired by a one-sided belief in heredity--still it is unquestionably +true that a fair mind must concede that wisdom and a proper sense of +right and justice would require that parents of unsound mental +tendencies should not be permitted to bring into the world children who +might inherit a tendency toward a like, or worse, condition. + +The Eugenists also have called the attention of the thinking public to +the danger of deaf-and-dumb persons transmitting their condition to +their offspring. Of this Dr. Saleeby says: "The condition known as +deaf-mutism is congenital or due to innate defect in about one-half of +all the cases in Great Britain." Dr. Love says: "In every institution, +examples may be found of deaf-mute children who have had one or two deaf +parents or grandparents, and of two or more deaf-mute children belonging +to one family." A case is noted in England where a deaf-and-dumb man +having been killed by an accident, his relatives could not identify the +body, as the wife and sister were blind, deaf-and-dumb, and the four +children were deaf-and-dumb. The man and his wife were both +deaf-and-dumb when they were married, the wife being also blind. + +Perhaps no subject has aroused the active Eugenists to a greater pitch +of indignation than the ascertained results of the effect upon offspring +of parents addicted to the over-indulgence in alcohol. It is known by +the records that a large number of cases of feeble-mindedness and actual +insanity are due to inebriety of parents, and often of grandparents, or +ancestors for several generations. Epilepsy, idiocy, and criminality are +also traceable in many cases to drunkenness of parents. Dr. Saleeby, +moved by indignation by the ascertained results of the investigations of +the Eugenists, has said: "Parenthood must be forbidden to the +dipsomaniac, the chronic inebriate, or the drunkard, whether male or +female." + +Professor Grenier, writing on the subject of alcoholic degeneration, has +said: "Alcohol is one of the most active agents in the degeneracy of the +race. The indelible effects produced by heredity are not to be remedied. +Alcoholic descendants are often inferior beings, a notable proportion +coming under the categories of idiots, imbeciles, and the debilitated. +The morbid influence of parents is maximum when conception has taken +place at the time of drunkenness of one or both parties. Those with +hereditary alcoholism show a tendency to excess; half of them become +alcoholics; a large number of cases of neurosis have their principal +cause in alcoholic antecedents. The larger portion of the sons of +alcoholics have convulsions in early infancy. Epilepsy is almost +characteristic of the alcoholism of parents, when it is not an index of +a nervous disposition of the whole family. The alcoholic delirium is +more frequent in the descendants of alcoholics than in their parents, +which indicates their intellectual degeneration." + +What has been said of alcoholism of course applies to the use of +narcotics and other drugs. Galton cites a case in which "a man who had +had two healthy children acquired the cocaine habit, and while suffering +from the symptoms of chronic poisoning engendered two idiots." And yet +had anyone publicly instructed the wife of this man regarding the use of +contraceptives, such person would have been liable to imprisonment! + +Another subject engaging the active attention of the Eugenists, and +which is discussed to considerable extent in the privacy of their +meetings, but which must be voiced only very carefully in the public +prints owing to the "murderous silence" which society prefers to +maintain on the subject, is of the influence of venereal diseases as +racial poisons transmissible to offspring. Dr. Saleeby has well said: +"No other disease can rival syphilis in its hideous influence upon +parenthood and the future. But it is no crime for a man to marry, infect +his innocent bride and their children; no crime against the laws of our +lawgivers, but a heinous outrage against nature's decrees. When at last +our laws are based on nature's laws, criminal marriages of this kind may +be put an end to." + +The above stated facts are not pleasant reading for most persons, and +many pass over them hurriedly, thereby hoping to escape the mental +discomfort which the hearing and learning of unpleasant truths so often +produce. But the subject will not down--it is forcing itself to the +attention of the thinking members of society today in a manner which +will admit of no escape. These facts must be faced, and steps must be +taken by society to protect the race from degeneration and actual Race +Suicide. And the Science of Eugenics is pointing the way. + +Dr. Saleeby says of this phase of Eugenics: "Negative Eugenics will seek +to define the diseases and defects which are really hereditary; to name +those the transmission of which is already known to occur, and to raise +the average of the race by interfering as far as may be with the +parenthood of persons suffering from these transmissible disorders. +Only thus can certain of the gravest evils of society, as, for instance, +feeble-mindedness, insanity, and crime due to inherited degeneracy, be +suppressed; and if Race-Culture were absolutely incapable of effecting +anything whatever in the way of increasing the fertility of the +worthiest classes and individuals, its services in the negative +direction here briefly outlined would be of incalculable value. To this +policy we shall most certainly come; but here, as in other cases, I +trust far more to the influence of an educated public opinion than in +legislation; though there are certain forms of transmissible disease, +interfering in no way with the responsibility of the individual, the +transmission of which should be visited with the utmost rigor of the +law, and regarded as utterly criminal, no less than sheer murder." + +But the Science of Eugenics is concerned not only with telling society +what "not to do"--it is equally concerned with telling it "what to do." +It has its Positive as well as its Negative side. After pointing out the +evils of procreation on the part of the unfit, it then proceeds to tell +the fit how to best serve the interests of the unborn. Eugenics is not +satisfied with merely plucking out the foul weeds which have encumbered +the fair garden of life--it seeks also to furnish to the real flowers +better soil, and improved conditions, and to give them the benefit of +the best selection, breeding and conditions, that they may evolve and +improve into still more glorious products of nature's power. + +The Eugenists earnestly advocate laws and public opinion tending to +protect mothers and expectant mothers. They recognize the supremacy of +motherhood, and aim to encourage and protect it. They decry the common +indifference toward this function which is all important in the +preservation and evolution of the race, and which neglect is well +expressed in the complaint of Bouchacourt, who said: "The dregs of the +human species--the blind, the deaf-mute, the degenerate, the imbecile, +the epileptic--are better protected than are pregnant women." + +The Eugenists believe in educating women for motherhood, and in +protecting them from conditions which interfere with that important +function of their life. They are not fully agreed upon the methods to be +pursued in cases of expectant mothers whose lack of proper support +prevents them from obtaining the proper nourishment, etc., but in a +general way it may be said that they agree in holding that the expectant +mother should be looked upon as the honored ward of the State, and +should be properly provided for from the public funds. + +The Eugenists also believe in educating the father, or prospective +father. They hold that every man should be made acquainted with the +duties and responsibilities of fatherhood, and should so conduct and +order his life that the production and rearing of a family should result +as a consummation of a long cherished ideal. The man should be taught to +prepare himself, physically, mentally, and morally, for his coming +responsibility to the race. He should also be taught to respect and +regard motherhood, and to make it his business to secure and preserve +the best possible conditions for the mother of his own children, and the +mothers of other men's children, not as an act of mere sentiment, but as +a public duty, a patriotic service, a racial obligation. + +The Eugenists believe in teaching young men and young women on the +subject of sexual physiology and psychology. They hold that the race is +now criminally negligent in such matters, and that young men and women, +by the thousands, enter into the state of marriage and parenthood with +no knowledge regarding the sacred functions which they are to bring into +activity. They believe that the first requisite of scientific +parenthood is and must be a sane knowledge of the physiology of sex, and +the psychology of sex. There must be sane education concerning the +sexual organism, its laws, its functions, its normal and healthy +condition, its anatomy, physiology and hygiene. + +The average physician of several years' experience can tell tales of +almost incredible ignorance on the part of persons who have recently +entered into the relationship of marriage. In some cases the ignorance +is more than a mere absence of knowledge, for it consists of an array of +false-knowledge, untruthful ideas, of often serious importance. It is +sad enough to think how the ignorance and false-knowledge may work +results hurtful to the young couple themselves, but it is even sadder to +realize that these same ignorant or wrongly-informed young persons must +gain their real knowledge through sad experience which is to be paid for +not only by themselves but also by their children. It is a hard saying, +but true that "the knowledge of the majority of young parents is gained +by experience paid for by their unborn children." + +The Eugenists look forward to the coming of the day when it will be +regarded as reprehensible to allow young persons to enter into the +relationship of marriage without a sane, practical knowledge of their +own reproductive organism and functions, and of their physiological +duties to themselves, their companions in marriage, and to their +children born or to be born. We may, in due time, see a practical +realization of the ideal set forth by Dr. Newell Dwight Hillis, who +said: "The State that makes a man study two years before a license as +druggist is given; that makes a young lawyer or doctor study three years +before being permitted to practice, ought to ask the young man or young +woman to pass an equally rigid examination before license is given to +found an American home, and set up an American family." + +This idea of the scientific preparation for parenthood is a new one for +many, but the coming generations will recognize its importance to the +individual and to the race. Many who recognize the influence of +pre-natal culture in so far as is concerned the physical, mental, and +moral condition of the mother during pregnancy, have failed to perceive +that an equally important influence is exerted by the physical, mental +and moral condition of BOTH PARENTS before the conception of the child. +These conditions are reflected, often very markedly, in the child, and +an avoidance of consideration in this respect is often almost criminal +negligence. + +Eugenists deplore the haphazard way in which children are so often +conceived. More care is often bestowed upon the conditions precedent to +the conception of the domestic animals than is given by their owners to +the conditions preceding the conception of their own offspring. Too +often, while in the case of the domestic animals the utmost care is +exercised regarding the arrangement for the breeding of valuable stock, +the human offspring are mere "accidents," conceived without intention, +forethought, or preparation; and too often is such conception undesired, +regretted and unwelcome. + +This state of affairs is utterly unworthy of civilized man with the +knowledge of science at his command, and the intellect and will with +which to carry out the plain dictates of reason and duty. Nature does +her part unhindered in the case of the lower animals, and man should use +her principles as a foundation upon which to build a structure which +reason and intelligence should supply the materials. Instead of this, +man too often discards Nature's plain rules entirely, and also refuses +to use his reason, and, instead, allows himself to be ruled by selfish +inclinations and desires, and ignoble motives. + +To those who may ask: "But why should we give all this time, care and +trouble to the young of the race--what is their claim upon us that +demands so much of us in return for so little on their part?" the answer +is plain. We should do this not alone because of the natural feeling of +love for our own offspring which is innate in all normal human beings, +but we should also do this because we owe a duty to the race in and +which we are units--a duty which demands that we supply to the race the +best material, and only the best, for its preservation, continuance, and +betterment. + +The spirit of the age is pointing out the direction indicated by +Eugenics and scientific Birth Control. And it is a spirit in which the +best mental and spiritual powers of man are called into action. A new +consciousness--the "race consciousness"--is awakening within the best of +the race, and accompanying it is a new CONSCIENCE--a "race +conscience"--is manifesting within us, and is giving the individual a +sense of right and wrong toward future generations, just as his +earlier-awakened social conscience has opened his eyes to his duties +toward his neighbors. + +Man is beginning to feel that all men are his brothers, and that the +future generations of men are in a sense his children. The new ideal of +"Let us build posterity worthily" has begun to supplant the old narrow +idea humorously expressed in the famous bull of Sir Boyce Roche, who +said, "Why should we do anything for posterity--what has posterity ever +done for us?" + +As Dr. Saleeby has well said: "If the struggle toward individual +perfection be religious, so assuredly is the struggle, less egoistic +indeed, toward racial perfection. * * * And they that shall be of us +shall build up the old waste places; for we shall raise up the +foundations of many generations." + +And in all this, also, we find ever present the distinctive note of +modern thought, viz., "NOT MORE CHILDREN, BUT BETTER ONES; NOT MORE +BIRTHS, BUT LESS DEATHS AND MORE SURVIVALS; NOT NUMERICAL BIRTH VALUES, +BUT QUALITATIVE BIRTH VALUES AND NUMERICAL SURVIVAL VALUES." + + + + +LESSON VII + +PRE-NATAL INFLUENCES + + +The term "Pre-Natal" of course means "before birth," and Pre-Natal +Influences are those influences exerted upon the child before its birth +into the world. The students of Eugenics are vitally interested in the +subject of Pre-Natal Influences, as they recognize that therein is to be +found the secret of much which will work along the line of "better +offspring," and general race-betterment. + +Pre-Natal Influences (as the term is used in the present consideration +of the subject) may be considered as manifesting in three phases, as +follows: + +(1) The influence of the physical, mental, and moral "family +characteristics" of the parents, transmitted to the child along the +lines of heredity. + +(2) The influence of the acquired personal characteristics of the +parents (particularly the acquired characteristics which are especially +active at and just previous to the time of actual conception), +transmitted to the child along the lines of heredity. + +(3) The influence of "maternal impressions" (after conception, and +during the period of gestation or pregnancy) transmitted to the child +physiologically and psychologically. + +I shall now ask you to proceed with me to a consideration of the various +phases of Pre-Natal Influences coming under the above name three general +classes, and the principal factors involved therein. + + +Heredity in General. + +By "heredity" is meant "the tendency which there is in each animal or +plant, in all essential characters, to resemble its parents"; or "the +hereditary transmission of physical or psychical characteristics of +parents to their offspring." + +There is a great disagreement among the authorities as to how far the +principle of heredity really extends, and the real causes of heredity +are in dispute. In the present consideration we shall, of course, pass +over the technical phases of the subject, and shall touch only upon the +general features and principles involved. + +Shute, in his work entitled "Organic Evolution," says: "That an +offspring always inherits from its parents many of their characteristics +is well known; that it always varies, more or less, from them, is also +equally well known. Heredity and variation are twin forces that play +upon every creature, holding it rigidly true to the parental type or +compelling more or less divergence therefrom, according to the strength +of the one or other power; so that every creature is the resultant of +the activities of these two great parallel forces. Variation is +co-extensive with heredity, and every living creature gives evidence of +the existence of variations. + +"Mental heredity can be illustrated by studying the genealogies of such +persons as Aristotle, Goethe, Darwin, Coleridge, Milton, etc. Probably +the Bach family, of Germany, supply one of the best illustrations of the +inheritance of intellectual character that we know of. The record of +this family begins in 1550, lasting through eight generations to 1800. +For about two centuries it gave to the world musicians and singers of +high rank. The founder was Weit Bach, a baker of Presburg, who sought +recreation from his routine work in song and music. For nearly two +hundred years his descendants, who were very numerous in Franconia, +Thuringia, and Saxony, retained a musical talent, being all church +singers and organists. When the members of the family had become very +numerous and widely separated from one another, they decided to meet at +a stated place once a year. Often more than a hundred persons--men, +women, and children--bearing the name of Bach were thus brought +together. This family reunion continued until nearly the middle of the +eighteenth century. In this family of musicians, twenty-nine became +eminent. + +"Inheritance of moral character is well known. Heredity, in its relation +to crime and pauperism, has been thoroughly investigated by Mr. Dugdale +in his most instructive little work entitled "The Jukes." In this work +the descendants of one vicious and neglected girl are traced through a +large number of generations. It reveals that a large proportion of the +descendants of this woman became licentious, for, in the course of six +generations, fifty-two percent of the children were illegitimate. It +shows also that there were seven times more paupers among the women than +among the average women of the state, and nine times more paupers among +the male descendants than among the average men of the state. The +inheritance of physical peculiarities is so obvious as to need no +illustration. Among the ancients the Romans stereotyped its truth by the +use of such expressions as 'the labiones' or thick-lipped; 'the +nasones,' or big-nosed; 'the capitones,' or big-headed, and 'the +buccones,' or swollen-cheeked, etc. In more recent times we read of the +Austrian lip and the Bourbon nose." + +But in all considerations of the subject of heredity, one must always +remember that the inheritance of physical, mental, and moral +characteristics is not alone from the immediate parents, but rather from +many ancestors further removed in order and time. Back of each person +there is a long line of paternal and maternal ancestors, extending back +to the beginning of the race. And in that line there are influences for +good and evil, awaiting favorable environment for awakening into new +life unless restrained by the will of the individual. + +As Shute says: "There will come a time when the fertilized ovum will +have a highly complex nucleus composed of many different ancestral +groups of hereditary units. One often hears the expression that a child +is a chip of the old block; but this is only a very partial truth, for +the child is pre-eminently a composite chip of many old blocks." And +Luther Burbank has well said: "Heredity means much; but what is +heredity? Not some hideous ancestral spectre, forever crossing the path +of a human being. Heredity is simply the sum of all the environments of +all past generations on the responsive ever-moving life-forces." + + +Transmission of Acquired Characteristics. + +One of the great disputes of biology is that concerning the question of +whether or not parents may transmit to their offspring their personal +"acquired characteristics" as well as those inherited from their line of +ancestors. One side of the controversy points to the observed cases of +children and grandchildren resembling each other, physically, mentally, +and morally, in acquired characteristics; but the other side explains +these facts as due to environment rather than to heredity. + +The best authorities seem to favor a middle-view, holding that acquired +characteristics may be and are transmitted as "tendencies" in the +offspring. Thus as each succeeding generation manifests the acquired +tendency, it adds a cumulative force to the family heredity. At the same +time they hold that "environment" is needed to "draw out" the inherited +"tendency." For instance, a child born with evil tendencies, and placed +in an evil environment, will most likely manifest evil conduct. The same +child, if placed in a good environment, will not have the evil +tendencies "drawn out" by the environment, and will probably not +manifest evil conduct. The same rule applies to the child drawn with +good "tendencies." In short, it is held that heredity and environment +tend to balance each other--the "something within" is called out (or not +called out) by the "something without." The life of the individual is +held to be a continuous action and reaction between heredity and +environment, and both of these elements must be taken into consideration +when we think of the subject. + +Shute says: "As influencing a man's life and character, which is the +strongest factor, heredity or environment?" In our opinion, as the +result of long study and reading, where we have an average man of a +sound mind in a sound body, there environment will be the strongest +factor whether for good or evil--that is, in men in general, who have no +organic defect, such as insanity or idiocy, and allied affections, the +stronger force is environment; but in those having such defect, heredity +is the controlling power, and we may add, the destroying power. + + +The Eugenic Rule Regarding Heredity. + +It is one of the cardinal principles of Eugenics that those with a bad +family history should not become parents. By this it is not meant that +the manifestation of undesirable tendencies, physical, mental, and +moral, on the part of certain individuals of a family necessarily +constitutes a "bad family history." On the contrary, many of the best +families have, from time to time, individuals who manifest undesirable +tendencies, and who are in general out of harmony with the general +family standard. It is an old axiom that "there is a black sheep in +every flock"; and the flock must be measured by its general standard, +and not by its exceptional black sheep. + +A "bad family history" is one in which the family has clearly manifested +certain undesirable physical, mental, and moral traits in a marked +degree, and in a sufficient number of instances to establish a standard. +Some families have a "bad family history" for inebriety; others +for epilepsy; others for licentiousness; others for dishonesty--the +history extending over several generations, and including a marked +number of individuals in each generation. Individuals of such a family +should refrain from bearing children; and if children be born to such +the greatest care should be exercised by the parents in the matter of +surrounding the child with the environment least calculated to "draw +out" the undesirable characteristic. The child has a right to be well +born, and to be protected from being brought into the world subjected to +the handicap of a "bad family history." If individuals cannot endow +their children with a good family history, they should refrain from +bearing children--such is the Eugenic advice on the subject. + +The same rule applies to the question of "acquired characteristics" of +the parents--especially those acquired characteristics which are +especially active at or just before the time of the contemplated +conception. Though the family history of both husband and wife be ever +so good, it is held that if one or both of the parents have acquired +undesirable and transmissible characteristics, physical, mental, or +moral, then the question of bringing children into the world should be +carefully considered, and conscientiously decided, after competent +authorities have been consulted concerning the case. The prospective +child should always be given the benefit of the doubt in such cases. To +bring children into the world merely to gratify personal pleasure or +pride, regardless of the welfare of the child, is something utterly +unworthy of an intelligent and moral human being. + + +Fitness for Parenthood. + +In determining the "fitness" for parenthood, on the part of husband and +wife, the mental, physical, and moral qualities should all be taken +into consideration. Weak or abnormal mentality; chronic immorality or +perverted moral sense; or diseased or abnormal physical +conditions--these should always be regarded as bars to parenthood. To +violate this principle is to deliberately violate the fundamental laws +of Nature, as well as those principles which are accepted as +representing the best thought and customs of the race. A mental, moral, +or physical "pervert" or "defective" is manifestly an "unfit," +considered as a prospective parent. Parenthood on the part of such +individuals is not only a crime against society, but always a base +injustice perpetrated upon the offspring. + +A very interesting phase of the general subject now before us for +consideration is that which touches upon the effect of those particular +acquired characteristics which are especially active at the time, or +just before the time of conception. The best authorities hold that the +influences manifest and active in the prospective father and mother +during the period immediately preceding conception will have a marked +effect upon the character of the child. The following quotations from +authorities on the subject will serve to illustrate this idea. + +Riddell says: "The transient physical, mental and moral conditions of +the parents, prior to the initial of life, at the time of inception, do +affect offspring." Dr. Cowan says: "Through the rightly directed wills +of the mother and father, preceding and during ante-natal life, the +child's form of body, character of mind, and purity of soul are formed +and established. That in its plastic shape, during ante-natal life, like +clay in the hand of the potter, it can be molded into absolutely any +form of body and soul the parents may knowingly desire." Newton says: +"Numerous facts indicate that offspring may be affected and their +tendencies shaped by a great variety of influences, among which moods +and influences more or less permanent may be included." + +Riddell says: "The influence of environmental conditions and pre-natal +training are ever evident. Colts from dams that have been under regular +training are faster than those from the same mother foaled before she +had been trained. The puppies of the trained shepherd dog learn much +more rapidly than do those from the untrained animal. No sportsman would +think of paying a high price for a puppy, the mother of which was stupid +and untrained. The same law applies, only with greater effect, to the +human family." Greer says: "No married couple will desire, design and +love a babe into existence without the first requisite--good physical +health." Grant Allen says: "To prepare ourselves for the duties of +maternity and paternity by making ourselves as vigorous and healthful as +we can be, is a duty we owe to children unborn." Holbrook says: "It is +essential, therefore, that if children are to be well-born, the parents +should be careful that at the moment of procreation they are fitted for +the performance of so serious an act." Another authority says: +"Generation should be preceded by regeneration." + +Cowan says: "In the conception of a new life, the mass of mankind +observes no law unless it be the law of chance. Out of the licentious or +incontinent actions of a husband's nature, conception after a time is +discovered to take place. No preparation of body, mind, or soul is made +by either parent. Not more than one child in perhaps ten thousand is +brought into the world with the consent and loving desire of its +parents. The other nine thousand, nine hundred, and ninety nine children +are endowed with the accumulated sins of the parents. Is it any wonder +that there is so much sin, sickness, drunkenness, suffering, +licentiousness, murder, suicide, and premature death, and so little of +purity, chastity, success, goodness, happiness and long life in the +world?" + + +Preparation for Parenthood. + +The ancient Greeks attached great importance to the mental, moral and +physical condition of the parents at the moment of conception, and for a +period preceding the same. The Investigations of modern scientists have +tended to corroborate the facts upon which the ancient theories were +based. Modern science teaches that the life-cells of each parent are +impressed with the condition of the respective parents, and retain this +impression until they meet and finally coalesce and combine, the +combined cell then receiving the result of the original impressions. + +The best authorities on the subject claim that a reasonable time of +self-restraint and continence should be observed by the prospective +parents before the conception of the child. This contention is borne out +by the experience of the breeders of fine horses and cattle, who have +discovered that the best offspring are produced when the animals have +been restrained from sexual intercourse for a reasonable time; this +precaution being particularly observed in the case of the male parent +animal. Writers on the subject cite a number of instances to prove that +this law maintains in human as well is in animal life. It is claimed +that Sir Isaac Newton was conceived after a period of over a year of +total sexual abstinence on the part of his parents. Many other +celebrated men are said to have been conceived after an absence from +home on the part of the father, or a temporary absence from home on the +part of the mother. Many physicians are able to cite many similar cases +observed in the course of their own experience. + +The prospective parents should endeavor to bring themselves up to a high +degree of physical health and well-being. The blood of the mother should +be enriched by proper nutrition, and the organs of the body should be +brought to a state of normal functioning along the lines of digestion, +assimilation, and elimination. + +The minds of both parents should be exercised by reading the right kind +of books, and by paying attention to natural objects of interest. A +little change of scene will tend to awaken the powers of observation and +attention. Riddell says: "If the prospective parents will habitually +exercise the reasoning faculties and inventive powers, usually the +offspring will have a fair degree of inventive talent and originality, +even where these qualities are originally deficient in the parents. When +there is a considerable natural talent or where there are latent +inventive powers, constant training on the part of the parents will +usually give the offspring exceptional powers in this direction." + +The prospective parents should also develop and exercise their moral +faculties in the period preceding conception. This course will tend to +reproduce the same quality in the child. The reverse of this, alas, is +also true. A case is cited of a man who procreated a child while +plotting a nefarious crime; and the child in after life manifested a +tendency toward theft, roguery and rascality, even at a very early age. +The lack of moral fibre so often noticed in the sons of rich men who +have attained their success through questionable methods is perhaps as +much attributable to these pre-conceptual influences as to the +"spoiling" environment of the child after birth. + +In the period of physical, mental, and moral preparation for parenthood +the leading thought of both parents should be: "DO WE WISH OUR CHILD TO +BE LIKE THIS?" This thought, if carried as an ideal, will act both in +the direction of self-restraint and self-development. + +The actual time of the conception of the new life should be carefully +chosen, so that it may occur under the best circumstances and +conditions. The suggestions embodied in the preceding paragraphs should +have been carefully observed; and the time chosen should be one in which +a peaceful and happy state of mind is possessed by both parents. The +ovum of the woman is believed to have its greatest vitality about the +time of the close of each menstrual period, and many good authorities +hold that this is not only the natural period for sexual intercourse, +but is also the exact period in which the life-forces in the ovum are +strongest; and that, consequently, the child conceived at this period is +likely to be stronger and more vigorous than the one conceived at a +later time between the menstrual periods. + +Dr. Stall says: "Medical authorities attach great importance to the +mental condition at the moment of conjunction and conception. It is +quite universally believed that this is a moment of unparalleled +importance to the welfare of the future being. It is an awful crime to +beget life carelessly, and when in improper and unworthy mental states. +Some people seem to think that the matter of begetting a child, like the +matter of selecting a wife, should be left wholly to blind chance. +Neither of these two important events can be too much safeguarded by +wise and thoughtful consideration. If conception is permitted to take +place when either one or both of the parents are in bad health; if the +wife is an unwilling mother, and the embryo is developed by her while +her whole nature rebels against the admission into the family of a child +who is not wanted, the children begotten and born under such +circumstances can never be other than sickly, nervous and fretful during +their entire childhood, and cross and uncompanionable throughout their +whole lives. + +"Much of the differences which exist between children of the same +parents may be easily attributed to the different bodily and mental +conditions of the parents at the period of conjunction, the changed +physical, intellectual and emotional states of the parents at the +different periods of conception producing the corresponding differences +in their offspring. The results of purposed and prepared parenthood are +so great and so desirable that a husband and wife should consider these +matters carefully, making preparations, and approach the period when +they would beget offspring and bring immortal beings into the world with +the greatest thoughtfulness, consideration, and also with prayer." + +Dr. Hufeland says: "In my opinion, it is of the utmost importance that +the moment of conception should be confined to a period when the +sensation of collected powers, ardent passion, and a mind cheerful and +free from care, invite to it on both sides." Riddell says: "The law of +initial impressions is well established. It has been understood and +applied by stock-raisers for centuries. Experiments prove that the +qualities most highly excited in animals prior to their union are most +fully transmitted. The speed of horses and the acquired characters of +the dog have been improved by the applications of the law. History and +classic literature contain many references that recognize its +importance, like Shakespeare's 'Come on, ye cowards; ye were got in +fear.' Ancient laws forbade union while parents were intoxicated, +because such unions resulted in the production of drunkards and +monstrosities. The asylums for the feeble-minded contain hundreds of +unfortunate ones that are the product of such unions. The law of initial +impressions, like the other laws of heredity, is traced most easily +where morbid conditions are transmitted; but fortunately it is quite as +potential in the production of desirable qualities. Unusual excitement +to the social, intellectual or religious powers on the parents just +prior to the inception of the new life frequently produce in the child +corresponding tendencies." + +Dr. Stockham says: "Many a drunkard owes his lifelong appetite for +alcohol to the fact that the inception of his life could be traced to a +night of dissipation on the part of his father." Fleming says: "Not only +do drunkards transmit to their descendants tendency toward insanity and +crime, but even habitually sober parents who at the moment of conception +are in a temporary state of drunkenness beget children who are epileptic +or paralytic, idiotic or insane, very often microcephalic, or with +remarkable weakness of mind, which is transformed at the first favorable +occasion into insanity." + +The time of conception should undoubtedly be chosen to correspond to a +time in which the sex-powers of both parents are at their maximum. This +is arrived at by a reasonable period of previous continence and +abstinence from sexual relations between the married couple, and by an +observance of the natural law which renders the woman most strong +sexually at the close of the menstrual period. The husband, as well as +the wife, is most strong sexually at this period, as under normal +conditions his sex-power is most actively called forth by that of the +woman at this period. At this period the wave of sex-power is at its +height, and this is the best time for the beginning of the new life. As +Riddell says: "Strong, vigorous, chaste sexuality at the time of +conception is of supreme importance; it is indispensable to good +results. No number of other conditions or factors can be so favorable as +to justify the creation of a new life when the vitality of either parent +is low. Parents transmit their physical constitution, intellect and +morals only to the extent of the sex-power at the time of inception." + +It is needless to say that there should exist between the prospective +parents a strong bond of affection and attraction. By an irony of +civilized life, the term "love child" is applied only to the offspring +of unmarried lovers--men and women whose affection or passion have run +away with their judgment, and who have "loved not wisely, but too well." +Some of the world's greatest men and women have been "love children" of +this kind; and in such cases it is probably true that their physical and +mental strength has been the result of the ardent feeling animating the +parents at the moment of conception. Such children seldom result from +the "tired bed" or worn-out passion, love killed by sexual excesses, +indifference on the part of one of the participants of the union, "duty" +intercourse without affection or passion, or forced sexual relations. +Every child should be a "love child" in the true sense of the term. The +term should be one of respect, not of reproach. There should be no +children but "love children." The fruit of the perfect mating and +marriage should be the perfect "love child"--and it would always be so +if husbands and wives would but observe the laws of the normal, natural, +sex-life. + +And, last of all--and perhaps more important than all--is the fact that +at the moment of conception the minds and hearts of both of the +prospective parents should be united in a strong love and desire for the +hoped-for child. At that moment their best natures should blend into +each other, and their love for each other fuse into a new love--the love +of the child of the union. Under such circumstances, in such act the +Cosmic Forces flow unhindered through the beings of the parents, and the +new life is begun under the approving smile of Nature. + + +Maternal Impressions. + +One of the oldest and most firmly-rooted beliefs of the race is that +which holds that the pregnant mother may, and often does, consciously or +unconsciously, impress upon her unborn child certain mental, moral, or +physical traits. The majority of persons accept this idea as +self-evident, and are able to cite cases within their own personal +experience which go to prove the correctness of the popular belief. But +certain modern authorities have sought to tear down this belief, and to +discredit the general idea. Let us briefly consider both sides of this +question. + +On the side of the generally accepted belief, Riddell says: "The more I +study the influence of maternal impressions upon the life, mentality and +character of men, the more I am led to believe that the education and +moral training that a child receives before it sees the light of day are +the most influential, and, therefore, the most important part of its +education." Newton says: "A mother may, during the period of gestation, +exercise some influence, by her own voluntary mental and physical +action, either unwittingly or purposely, in determining the traits and +tendencies of her offspring. This is now a common belief among +intelligent people. Every observant teacher could doubtless bear witness +to the same general facts, and it would be easy to fill a volume with +testimonials from various sources illustrative and confirmatory of the +law under discussion. Such facts establish beyond question the +conviction that the mother has it largely in her power to confer on her +child such a tendency of mind and conformation of brain as shall not +only facilitate the acquisition of knowledge in any specific direction, +but make it certain that such knowledge will be sought and acquired." + +Dr. Fordyce Baker says: "The weight of authority must be conceded to be +in favor of the idea that maternal impressions may effect the growth, +form and character of a forming child." Dr. Rokitansky says: "The +question whether mental emotions do influence the development of the +child must be answered 'Yes!'" Dr. Brittain says: "The singular effects +produced on the unborn child by the sudden mental emotions of the mother +are remarkable examples of a kind of electrotyping on the sensitive +surface of living forms. It is doubtless true that the mind's action in +such cases may increase or diminish the molecular deposits in the +several portions of the system. The precise place which each separate +particle assumes may be determined by the influence of thought or +feeling. If, for example, there exists in the mother any unusual +tendency of the vital forces to the brain at the critical period, there +will be a similar cerebral development and activity in the offspring." + +Newton says: "The human embryo is formed and developed in all its parts, +even to the minutest detail, by and through the action of the vital, +mental, and spiritual forces of the mother, which forces act in and +through the corresponding portions of her own organism. And while this +process may go on unconsciously, or without the mother's voluntary +participation or direction, yet she may consciously and purposely so +direct her activities as, with a good degree of certainty, to accomplish +specifically desired ends in determining the traits and qualities of her +offspring." Professor Bayer says: "The influence of the mind of a +prospective mother upon her child, before its birth, is of tremendous +importance to its active existence as a member of society, from the fact +that it lies in the mother's power to shape its mentality, that it may +be a power for good or for evil." + +The views of that school of thought which is opposed to this old and +generally accepted idea of material impressions, are ably presented by +Dr. Saleeby, as follows: "Consider the case. The baby is at this time +already a baby, though rather small and uncanny, floating in a fluid of +its own manufacture. Its sole connection with the mother is by means of +its umbilical cord--that is to say, blood-vessels, arterial and venous. +There is no nervous connection whatever; absolutely nothing but the +blood-stream, carried along a system of tubes. This blood is the child's +blood, which it sends forth from itself along the umbillical cord to a +special organ, the placenta or afterbirth, half made by itself and half +made by the mother, in which the child's blood travels in thin vessels +so close to the mother's blood that their contents can be interchanged. +Yet the two streams never mix. The child's blood, having disposed of its +carbonic acid and waste products to the mother's blood, and having +received therefrom oxygen and food, returns so laden to the child. Pray +how is the mother's reading of history to make the child a historian? We +see now how the learning of geometry on the part of the mother before +its birth will not set her baby upon that royal road to geometry of +which Euclid rightly denied the existence--any more than after its +birth. Such a thing does not happen--UNLESS WE ARE TO CALL IN +TELEPATHY." + +All this argument may seem quite convincing--at first. But when we begin +to consider the matter carefully, we begin to perceive the weak places +in the argument as above presented. In the first place, it is known that +emotions powerfully affect the condition, quality, and "life" of the +blood. We know that cheerful emotions impart certain uplifting qualities +to the blood, while depressing emotions correspondingly react upon it. +Fear, worry, fright, jealousy, etc., are actual poisons to the blood, +and have brought on diseased conditions to the persons manifesting these +emotions. Moreover, it is known that impaired quality of the blood +reacts upon the brain. Is it so unreasonable, then, to hold that +emotional states in the mother may react upon the mental and physical +condition of the unborn child, through the blood? Does not something +similar occur in the case of the babe, after its birth, when it is +affected by the conditions of its mother's milk brought on by her +depressing emotions, fright, etc.? This would seem to explain at least +the matter of emotional reactions between mother and unborn babe. + +But the case is not closed with the presentation of the evidence of +physiology, important though that may be. There is an entirely different +field of science to be drawn upon before the case is closed. The +orthodox physiologist makes the mistake of supposing that all mental +impulses and transmission of psychic energy require the service of +nerves as channels of transmission. While such channels are usually +required, we have good reasons for believing that there are exceptions +to the rule. There have been found tiny creatures, possessing life and +energy, performing the functions of nourishment, elimination, and even +of reproduction--and yet without a nervous system. In one well-known +instance, that of the moneron, we find not only an absence of a nervous +system but also the lack of organs of any kind--and yet the creature +lives, acts, moves, eats, thinks, and reproduces itself. + +Then, again, consider the moving cells of the blood, unconnected with +the brain, unattached to the nervous system, and yet rushing to the work +of repairing a wound, or of repelling an intruding germ, in obedience to +a mental command from the controlling subconscious mental regions of the +living creature. How does the mental impulse reach these cells and +others of similar nature in the system? If we were not so sure of the +facts, might we not feel inclined to say with Dr. Saleeby, in the above +quoted sentence: "Such a thing does not happen--unless we are to call in +telepathy." + +Moreover, examining Dr. Saleeby's statement, we see mention made of the +placenta at being "half made by the embryo, and half made by the +mother." How does this co-operation and co-ordination of effort and +subconscious will arise? How does the subconscious mentality of the +embryo know that the subconscious mentality of the mother is making its +half of the placenta, or vice versa? Again, how is the subconscious +mentality of the mother affected by the presence and development of the +child--how do her mammary glands respond to the growth and development +of the child? In short, how is the manifest co-operation and +co-ordination between the "nature" of the mother and the "nature" of the +child possible, unless there exists some psychical, as well as some +physical, relation between the two beings. + +The person conscientiously considering this subject must include in his +thought the discoveries of modern psychology concerning what is known as +the "subconscious mind," which controls the unconscious and instinctive +functions of the physical body, and also receives impressions and +suggestions from the surface consciousness of its owner. This factor +being admitted to our thought on the subject, we may find it possible to +accept the idea of material impressions from mother to child operating +from the subconscious mind of the mother to that of the child. In other +words, that there is a subconscious mental connection, as well as the +physical connection, between the mother and her unborn child. + +Many careful thinkers (and observers) find it just as easy to accept the +fact of this strange "sympathetic co-ordination" between a mother and +her unborn child as it is to accept the very frequent "sympathetic +sickness" of the husband during the pregnancy of his wife--or of the +"sympathetic labor pains" so often experienced by the husband during the +confinement of his wife. Both of the latter two cases occur too often to +permit the phenomenon to be denied off hand by those who would set aside +all facts not agreeing with their particular personal theories. There is +no nervous system connecting husband and wife, and of such cases the +critic like Dr. Saleeby might say: "Such a thing does not +happen--UNLESS WE CALL IN TELEPATHY!" The fact remains that many things +actually happen which according to the orthodox physiological theories +"CANNOT happen." But they DO happen, nevertheless, whether we call it +"telepathy" or merely label it "certain facts, the exact causes of which +Science in the present state of its knowledge (or ignorance) cannot +definitely determine." One irrefutable fact outweighs a ton of mere +general denials of possibility. + +It is recorded that the mother of Charles Kingsley believed in maternal +impressions, and during her period of pregnancy exercised her +imagination and emotions in the direction of wishing, and imagining, +that the coming child should have the same love of Devonshire scenery +that so delighted her. The result proved her theory, for though Kingsley +never saw Devonshire until he was a man of thirty years of age, every +Devonshire scene had a mysterious charm for him throughout his entire +life. It is said that Robert Burns was so strongly impressed parentally +by the old Scotch songs and ballads that his mother sung during her +pregnancy, that his whole nature longed to express itself in like +measure and substance. He always believed that his poetic spirit was +kindled by this tendency on the part of his mother during the period +preceding his birth. + +The mother of Napoleon Bonaparte during several months of her pregnancy, +accompanied her husband during his military campaigns in Corsica, and +during the entire term she lived in an atmosphere of battles, military +strategy, and troops. When the boy was very young he manifested an +unusual interest in war and conquest, and his whole mind had the +military bent, although his brothers were in no wise remarkable in this +direction. The artist, Flaxman, stated that his mother had related to +him how for several months prior to his birth she had spent many hours +each day studying drawings and engravings, and endeavoring to visualize +by memory the beautiful figures of the human body drawn by the masters. +The result was that from early childhood Flaxman manifested an intense +delight in drawing; and in after life his drawings were regarded as +masterpieces. He, and his mother, always attributed his talent to the +parental impressions above mentioned. + +"Buffalo Bill" was believed to owe his characteristics to the mental +states of his mother, the family living in Missouri during the days of +frontier fights and disturbances, the mother being called upon several +times to exercise resourceful courage and fortitude. A well-known worker +along the lines of liberal Christianity is said to have attributed his +tendencies in that direction to the prayers of his mother, during her +pregnancy, that the child might be true to the teachings of the Christ, +and should be a laborer in the cause of human brotherhood. This man, +relating the fact, said: "I may have been converted before I was born." +A well-known writer along the lines of moral philosophy is believed by +friends to owe his talent to the earnest thoughts and hopes of his +mother during pregnancy--she is said to have pictured the child as a son +destined to become a great moral philosopher, her mind being so firmly +fixed on this fact that she felt it was already an assured fact. + +The Greeks were wont to surround the pregnant women with beautiful +statuary, and it is recorded that in many cases the children afterward +born closely resembled these works of art and beauty. It is claimed that +many Italian women closely resemble the face shown in Raphael's +"Madonna," copies of this celebrated picture being quite common in +Italian households. Frances Willard, the temperance worker, is said to +have very closely resembled a young woman of whom her mother was very +fond. Many family resemblances are believed to have arisen in this way, +rather than by heredity. Zerah Colburn, the mathematical prodigy whose +feats astounded the scientific world in the early part of the last +century, is said to have derived his wonderful faculty from maternal +impressions of this kind; his mother is said to have occupied much of +her time during her pregnancy in studying arithmetic and working +problems, the study being quite new to her and proving very interesting. + +Cases similar to those above quoted might be duplicated almost +indefinitely. The story is practically the same in each and every case. +The principle involved is always that the pregnant mother took a decided +interest in certain subjects, studies, and work, and that the child when +born manifested at an early age similar tastes and inclinations. But far +more important to the average prospective parent is the fact that many +authorities positively claim that ANY PREGNANT MOTHER MAY CONSCIOUSLY +AND DELIBERATELY INFLUENCE AND SHAPE THE CHARACTER, PHYSICAL, MENTAL, +AND MORAL OF HER UNBORN CHILD. + +Newton well says, on this subject: "In the cases usually given to the +public bearing on this topic, the moulding power appears to have been +exercised merely by accident or chance; that is, without any intelligent +purpose on the part of mothers to produce the results. Can there be any +doubt that similar means, if purposely and wisely adopted, and applied +with the greater care and precision which enlightened intention secure, +would produce under the same law even more perfect results. Is it not +altogether probable that an intentional direction of the vital or mental +forces to any particular portion of the brain will cause a development +and activity in the corresponding portion of the brain of the offspring? +There seems to be no reasonable ground on which these propositions can +be denied. The brain is made up of a congeries of organs which are the +organs of distinct faculties of the mind or soul. It follows, then, that +if the mother during gestation maintains a special activity of any one +brain organ, or group of organs, in her brain, she thereby causes more +development of the corresponding organ or group in the brain of the +fetus. She thus determines a tendency in the child to special activity +of the faculties, of which such organs are the instruments. It is plain, +furthermore, that if any one organ or faculty may thus be cultivated +before birth, and its activity enhanced for life, so may any other--and +so may all. It would seem, then, clearly within the bounds of +possibility that a mother, by pursuing a systematic and comprehensive +method, may give a well-rounded and harmoniously developed organism to +her child--notwithstanding her own defects, which, under the unguided +operation of hereditary law, are likely to be repeated in her offspring. +Or it is within her power to impart a leading tendency in any specific +direction that she may deem desirable, for a life of the highest +usefulness. IN THIS WAY ANCESTRAL DEFECTS AND UNDESIRABLE HEREDITARY +TRAITS, OF WHATEVER NATURE OR HOWEVER STRONG, MAY BE OVERCOME, OR IN A +GOOD DEGREE COUNTERBALANCED BY GIVING GREATER ACTIVITY TO COUNTERACTING +TENDENCIES; and, in this way, too, it would appear the coveted gifts of +genius may be conferred. In other words, it would seem to be within the +mother's power, by the voluntary and intelligent direction of her own +forces, in orderly and systematic methods, both to mold the physical +form to lines of beauty, and shape the mental, moral, and spiritual +features of her child to an extent to which no limit can be assigned." + +I think that in the pages of this particular part of the book the +prospective parent may find hints and general directions toward a +clearly defined ideal, which is carefully studied, and as carefully put +into practice will produce results far beyond the dreams of the average +man and woman. The hope is a magnificent one, and the best testimony is +in favor of the possibility of its actual realization. + + + + +LESSON VIII + +EUGENICS AND CHARACTER + + +The rapidly growing interest in Eugenics, and the scientific +consideration of the world-wide decline in the birth-rate have drawn +attention to the study of the eugenic factors which determine the +production of high ability in offspring. Many distinguished +investigators have conducted long and exhaustive investigations for the +purpose of ascertaining and summarizing all possible biological data +concerning the parentage and birth of the most notable persons born in +European countries, and to a lesser extent in America. + +The investigations are now acquiring a fresh importance, because, while +it is becoming recognized that we are gaining a control over the +conditions of birth, the production of children has itself gained an +importance. The world is no longer to be bombarded by an exuberant +stream of babies, good, bad, and indifferent in quality, with mankind to +look on calmly at the struggle for existence among them. Whether we like +it or not, the quantity is steadily diminishing, and the question of +quality is beginning to assume a supreme significance. The question then +is being anxiously asked: "What are the conditions which assure the +finest quality in our children?" + +A German scientist, Dr. Vaerting, of Berlin, published just before the +War a treatise on the subject of the most favorable age in parents for +the production of offspring of ability. He treated the question in an +entirely new spirit, not merely as a matter of academic discussion, but +rather as a practical matter of vital importance to the welfare of +modern society. He starts by asserting that "our century has been called +the century of the child," and that for the child all manner of rights +are now being claimed. But, he wisely adds, there is seldom considered +the prime right of all the child's rights, i. e., the right of the child +to the best ability and capacity for efficiency that his parents are +able to transmit to him. The good doctor adds that this right is the +root of all children's rights; and that when the mysteries of +procreation have been so far revealed as to enable this right to be won, +we shall, at the same time renew the spiritual aspect of the nations. + +The writer referred to decided that the most easily ascertainable and +measurable factor in the production of ability, and efficiency in +offspring, and a factor of the greatest significance, is the age of the +parents at the child's birth. He investigated a number of cases of men +of ability and efficiency, along these lines, and made a careful summary +of his results. Some of his results are somewhat startling, and may +possibly require the corroboration of other investigators before they +can be accepted as authoritative; but they are worthy of being carefully +considered at the present time, pending such further investigation. + +Vaerting found that the fathers who were themselves not notably +intellectual have a decidedly more prolonged power of procreating +distinguished children than is possessed by distinguished fathers. The +former may become the fathers of eminent children from the period of +sexual maturity up to the age of forty-three or beyond. When, however, +the father is himself of high intellectual distinction, the records show +that he was nearly always under thirty, and usually under twenty-five +years of age at the time of the birth of his distinguished son, although +the proportion of youthful fathers in the general population is +relatively small. The eleven youngest fathers on Vaerting's list, from +twenty-one to twenty-five years of age, were with one exception +themselves more or less distinguished; while the fifteen oldest, from +thirty-nine to sixty years of age, were all without exception +undistinguished. + +Among the sons on the latter list are to be found much greater names +(such as Goethe, Bach, Kant, Bismarck, Wagner, etc.) than are to be +found among the sons of young and more distinguished fathers, for here +is only one name (Frederick the Great) of the same caliber. The elderly +fathers belonged to the large cities, and were mostly married to wives +very much younger than themselves. Vaerting notes that the most eminent +men have frequently been the sons of fathers who were not engaged in +intellectual avocations at all, but earned their living as humble +craftsmen. He draws the conclusion from these data that strenuous +intellectual energy is much more unfavorable than hard physical labor to +the production of marked ability in the offspring. Intellectual workers, +therefore, he argues, must have their children when young, and we must +so modify our social ideals and economic conditions as to render this +possible. + +Vaerting, however, holds that the mother need not be equally young; he +finds some superiority, indeed, provided the father is young, in +somewhat elderly mothers, and there were no mothers under twenty-three +on the list. The rarity of genius among the offspring of distinguished +parents he attributes to the unfortunate tendency to marry too late; and +he finds that the distinguished men who marry late rarely have any +children at all. Speaking generally, and apart from the production of +genius, he holds that women have children too early, before their +psychic development is completed, while men have children too late, when +they have already "in the years of their highest psychic generative +fitness planted their most precious seed in the mud of the street." + +The eldest child was found to have by far the best chance of turning +out distinguished, and in this fact Vaerting finds further proof of his +argument. The third son has the next best chance, and then the second, +the comparatively bad position of the second being attributed to the too +brief interval which often follows the birth of the first child. He also +notes that of all the professions the clergy come beyond comparison +first as the parents of distinguished sons (who are, however, rarely of +the highest degree of eminence), lawyers following, while officers in +the army and physicians scarcely figure at all. Vaerting is inclined to +see in this order, especially in the predominance of the clergy, the +favorable influence of an unexhausted reserve of energy and a habit of +chastity on intellectual procreativeness. + +It should be remembered, however, that Vaerting's cases on his list were +all those of Germans, and, therefore, the influence of the +characteristic social customs and conditions of the German people must +be taken into account in the consideration. + +Havelock Ellis in his well known work "Study of British Genius" dealt on +a still larger scale, and with a somewhat more precise method, with many +of the same questions as illustrated by British cases. After the +publication of Vaerting's work, Ellis re-examined his cases, and +rearranged his data. His results, like those of the German authority, +showed a special tendency for genius to appear in the eldest child, +though there was no indication of notably early marriage in the parents. +He also found a similar predominance of the clergy among the fathers, +and a similar deficiency of army officers and physicians. + +Ellis found that the most frequent age of the father was thirty-two +years, but that the average age of the father at the distinguished +child's birth was 36.6 years; and that when the fathers were themselves +distinguished their age was not, as Vaerting found in Germany, notably +low at the birth of their distinguished sons, but higher than the +general average, being 37.5 years. He found fifteen distinguished sons +of distinguished British fathers, but instead of being nearly always +under thirty and usually under twenty-five, as Vaerting found it in +Germany, the British distinguished father has only five times been under +thirty, and among these only twice under twenty-five. Moreover, +precisely the most distinguished of the sons (Francis Bacon and William +Pitt) had the oldest fathers, and the least distinguished sons the +youngest fathers. + +Ellis says of his general conclusions resulting from this investigation: +"I made some attempts to ascertain whether different kinds of genius +tend to be produced by fathers who were at different periods of life. I +refrained from publishing the results as I doubted whether the numbers +dealt with were sufficiently large to carry any weight. It may, however, +be worth while to record them, as possibly they are significant. I made +four classes of men of genius: (1) Men of Religion, (2) Poets, (3) +Practical Men, (4) Scientific Men and Sceptics. (It must not, of course, +be supposed that in this last group all the scientific men were +sceptics, or all the sceptics scientific.) The average age of the +fathers at the distinguished son's birth was, in the first group, 35 +years; in the second and third group, 37 years; and in the last group, +40 years. (It may be noted, however, that the youngest father of all the +history of British genius, aged sixteen, produced Napier, who introduced +logarithms.) + +"It is difficult not to believe that as regards, at all events, the two +most discrepant groups, the first and last, we come upon a significant +indication. It is not unreasonable to suppose that in the production of +men of religion in whose activity emotion is so potent a factor, the +youthful age of the father should prove favorable; while for the +production of genius of a more coldly intellectual and analytic type +more elderly fathers are demanded. If that should prove to be so, it +would become a source of happiness to religious parents to have their +children early, while irreligious parents should be advised to delay +parentage. + +"It is scarcely necessary to remark that the age of the mothers is +probably quite as influential as that of the fathers. Concerning the +mothers, however, we always have less precise information. My records, +so far as they go, agree with Vaerting's for German genius, in +indicating that an elderly mother is more likely to produce a child of +genius than a very youthful mother. There were only fifteen mothers +recorded under twenty-five years of age, while thirteen were over +thirty-nine years; the most important age for mothers was twenty-seven. + +"On all these points we certainly need controlling evidence from other +countries. Thus, before we insist with Vaerting that an elderly mother +is a factor in the production of genius, we may recall that even in +Germany the mothers of Goethe and Nietzsche were both eighteen at their +distinguished son's birth. A rule which permits of such tremendous +exceptions scarcely seems to bear the strain of emphasis." + +The student, however, must always remember that while the study of +genius and exceptionable talent is highly interesting, and even, as is +quite probable, not without significance for the general laws of +heredity, still we must beware of too hastily drawing conclusions from +it to bear on the practical questions of eugenics. Genius is rare--and, +in a certain sense, abnormal. Laws meant for application to the general +population must be based on a study of the general population. Vaerting, +himself, realized how inadequate it was to confine our study to cases of +genius. + +Another investigator, Marro, an Italian scientist, in his well-known +book on puberty which was published several years ago, brought forth +some interesting data showing the result of the age of the parents on +the moral and intellectual characters of school-children in Northern +Italy. He found that children with fathers below twenty-six at their +birth showed the maximum of bad conduct and the minimum of good; they +also yielded the greatest proportion of children of irregular, +troublesome, or lazy character, but not of really perverse children--the +latter being equally distributed among fathers of all ages. The largest +number of cheerful children belonged to the young fathers, while the +children tended to become more melancholy with ascending age of the +fathers. Young fathers produced the largest number of intelligent, as +well as of troublesome children; but when the very exceptional +intelligent children were considered separately, they were found to be +more usually the offspring of elderly fathers. + +As regarded the mothers, Marro found that the children of young mothers +(under twenty-one) are superior, both as regards conduct and +intelligence, though the more exceptionally intelligent children tended +to belong to more mature mothers. When the parents were both in the same +age-groups, the immature and the elderly groups tended to produce more +children who were unsatisfactory, both as regards conduct and +intelligence--the intermediate group yielding the most satisfactory +results of this kind. + +Havelock Ellis makes the following plea for further investigations along +these lines, in the interest of the well-being of the race: "But we have +need of inquiries made on a more wholesale and systematic scale. They +are no longer of a merely speculative character. We no longer regard +children as the 'gifts of God' flung into our helpless hands; we are +beginning to realize that the responsibility is ours to see that they +come into the world under the best conditions, and at the moments when +their parents are best fitted to produce them. Vaerting proposes that it +should be the business of all school authorities to register the ages of +the pupils' parents. This is scarcely a provision to which even the most +susceptible parent could reasonably object, though there is no cause to +make the declaration compulsory where a 'conscientious' objection +existed, and in any case the declaration would not be public. + +"It would be an advantage--although this might be more difficult to +obtain--to have the date of the children's marriage, and of the birth of +previous children, as well as some record of the father's standing in +his occupation. But even the ages of the parents alone would teach us +much when correlated with the school position of the pupil in +intelligence and conduct. It is quite true that there are unavoidable +fallacies. We are not, as in the case of genius, dealing with people +whose life-work is complete and open to the whole world's examination. + +"The good and clever child is not necessarily the forerunner of the +first-class man or woman; and many capable and successful men have been +careless in attendance at lectures, and rebellious to discipline. +Moreover, the prejudice and limitations of the teachers have to be +recognized. Yet when we are dealing with millions most of these +fallacies would be smoothed out. We should be, once for all, in a +position to determine authoritatively the exact bearing of one of the +simplest and most vital factors of the betterment of the race. We should +be in possession of a new clue to guide us in the creation of the man in +the coming world. Why not begin today?" + +Considerable attention on the part of the American thinking public has +been directed toward the investigations and researches of Casper L. +Redfield. Mr. Redfield combats the orthodox scientific position that the +acquired qualities are not transmitted to offspring; and he most +positively states that such characteristics are transmitted to +offspring, and are really the causes which have tended toward the +evolution and progress of the race. But he insists upon this vital +point, namely, that the parent must already have acquired improved +quality before he can transmit improvement to the offspring--and that +before he can have acquired this improved quality, he must have lived +sufficiently long to have experienced the causes which have developed +improvement in himself. Consequently, he holds that DELAYED PARENTAGE +PRODUCES GREAT MEN. + +Mr. Redfield several years ago offered a prize of two hundred dollars to +anyone who could show that a single one of the great men of history was +the product of a succession of young parents, or was produced by a line +of ancestry represented by more than three generations to a century. But +no one ever claimed the prize money. According to Mr. Redfield's +doctrine, race improvement is and will be accomplished as the result of +effort, physical and mental, upon the part of prospective parents, +particularly if the period of effort is sustained over a considerable +number of years previous to reproduction. + +The following quotations from Mr. Redfield's writing will give a general +idea of his lines of thought and his theories. He says: + +"At some time in the past there was a common ancestor for man and the +ape. At that time the mental ability of the man was the same as that of +the ape, because at that time man and the ape were the same person. From +that common ancestor there have been derived two main lines of descent, +one leading to man and the other to the ape of today. In the line +leading to man, mental ability has increased little by little so that +today the mental ability of the man is far above that of the ape. While +it may not be literally true for each and every generation between that +common ancestor and man of the present time, still we will commit no +error if we divide the total increase in mental ability by the number of +intervening generations and say that each generation in turn was a +little superior to that which produced it. Now it happens that mental +ability is something which is inherited--is transmitted from parent to +offspring. Take that fact with the fact that there has been a regular +(or irregular) increase in mental ability in the generations leading to +man, and it will be seen that each generation in succession transmitted +to its offspring more than it inherited from its parents. BUT A PARENT +CANNOT TRANSMIT SOMETHING WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE. Where and how did those +generations get that ability which they transmitted but did not +inherit?" + +Mr. Redfield in his writings shows that what is true of the human race +is true of high-bred domesticated animals, namely, the cow of high milk +producing breeds; the fast running and trotting horses; and the highly +developed hunting dogs. To each case he applies his question: "Where and +how did those generations of animals get that power which they +transmitted but did not inherit?" In his investigations he claims to +have discovered the secret, namely, that the ancestors, throughout +several generations, had each acquired the power which it transmitted, +which added to the inherited power raised the general power of the +stock. This arose from careful breeding, and directly from the fact that +the average age of the parent was much higher in the highly-bred stock +than in the "scrub" or ordinary run of stock. In other words, DELAYED +PARENTAGE PRODUCED BETTER OFFSPRING. + +Mr. Redfield proceeds to argue from these facts as follows: "At one +time man and ape reproduced at the same average age, whereas now they +reproduce at widely different ages. Going back to the time when man and +ape separated, our ancestors survived by physical and mental activity in +securing food and escaping from enemies. As time went on man reproduced +at later and later average age until now he reproduces at about thirty +years from birth of parent to birth of offspring. When time between +generations stretched out in the man line more than it did in the ape +line, the man acquired MORE MENTAL DEVELOPMENT BEFORE HE REPRODUCED than +did the ape, and he did this because he was mentally active more years +before reproducing. The successive generations leading to modern man +transmitted to offspring more than they inherited from their parents, +and the generations which did this are the same generations which +acquired, before reproducing, the identical thing which they transmitted +in excess of inheriting. + +"Coming now to those rare men of whom we have only a few in a century, +how were they produced? It should be noted that each one had two +parents, four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents. Also that they +are certainly improvements over their great-grandparents. If they were +not such improvements, then there would be many 'rare' cases in a +century. In looking into the pedigrees of these great men it is found +that they were sons of parents of nearly all ages, but were +predominantly sons of elderly parents. While we sometimes find +comparatively young parents in the pedigree of a great man, we never +find a succession of young parents. Neither do we find an intellectually +great man produced by a pedigree extending over three generations. The +great man is produced only when the average for three generations is on +the elderly side of what is normal. The average age of one thousand +fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers in the pedigrees of +eminent men was found to be over forty years. Great men rise from +ordinary stock only when several generations in succession acquire +mental efforts in excess amounts before reproducing." + +It is the opinion of the present writer that the theories of Mr. +Redfield are in the main true, and that in the future much valuable +information will be obtained along the same lines, which will tend to +corroborate his general conclusions. One's attention needs but to be +plainly directed to the matter, and then he will see that it is absurd +to think of a creature transmitting to his offspring qualities which +neither he or his mate had inherited or acquired. If there were no +transmission of acquired qualities there would be no improvement--and in +fact, we know that the bulk of inherited qualities were at some time in +the history of the race "acquired." And, reasoning along the same line, +we may see that the young parents who have not had as yet an opportunity +to acquire mental power cannot expect to transmit it to their +offspring--all that they can do is to transmit the inherited stock +qualities plus the small acquired power which they have gained in their +limited experience. And, finally, it is seen that offspring produced at +a riper age of parenthood, continued over several generations, tend +toward unusual ability and powers. Consequently, the people or nation +with a higher average age of parenthood may logically expect to attain +greater mental powers than the peoples lacking that quality. And what is +true of a people or nation is of course true of a particular family. + +The subject touched upon in this part of our book is one of the greatest +interest to careful students of Eugenics; and is one which calls for +careful and unprejudiced consideration from all persons having the +interest of the race at heart. + + + + +LESSON IX + +THE DETERMINATION OF SEX + + +The term "The Determination of Sex" is employed in two general senses in +scientific circles. + +The first usage is that of the biologist, and it includes within its +scope merely the discovery and understanding of the CAUSES which +determine whether the embryo shall develop into a male or into a female. +In the discussion of the subject from this standpoint there is but +little, if any, attention given to the question of whether the sex of +the unborn child may be determined by methods under the control of man. +The biologist simply studies the causes which seem to lead to the +production of an individual of one or the other sex, without regard to +whether these causes, when discovered, may or may not be amendable to +human control. + +An authority, speaking of this standpoint concerning the question +referred to, says: "We may discover the causes of storms or earthquakes, +and when our knowledge of them is sufficiently advanced we may be able +to predict them as successfully as astronomers predict eclipses, but +there is little hope that we shall ever be able to control them. So it +may be with sex; a complete understanding of the causes which determine +it may not necessarily give us the power of producing one or the other +sex at will, or even of predicting the sex in any given case. Whether we +shall ever be able to influence the causes of sex-determination cannot +as yet be foretold; at present, biologists are engaged in the less +practical, but immensely interesting, problem, of discovering what those +causes are." + +The second usage of the term, includes and embraces the idea of the +voluntary determination or control of the sex of the future child, by +means of certain methods or certain systems of treatment, etc. Of recent +years, science has been devoting considerable attention to the question +of whether or not man may not be able to produce any particular sex at +will, by means of certain systems or methods of procedure. Many theories +have been evolved, and many plans and methods have been advocated, often +with the expenditure of much energy and enthusiasm on the part of the +promulgators and their adherents. + +In this lesson there will be briefly presented to you the general +consensus of modern thought on the subject, with a general outline of +the favorite methods and systems advocated by the several schools of +thought concerned in the investigation. + +Professor Doncaster, the well-known authority on the subject, says: "But +little progress has been made in the direction of predicting the sex of +any child, and, if possible, even less in artificially influencing the +determination of its sex. When the general principles arrived at are +borne in mind, it must be confessed that the prospects of our ever +attaining this power of control or even of prediction are not very +hopeful, but the possibility of it cannot be yet regarded as entirely +excluded. The general conclusions arrived at are that sex is determined +by a physiological condition of the embryonic cells, that this condition +is induced, at least in the absence of disturbing causes, by the +presence of a particular sex-chromosome. [A "chromosome" is a portion of +the chromatin, or substance characteristic of the nucleus of the cell, +this nucleus seemingly controlling the life-processes of the cell.] But +there is evidence, which for the present at least cannot be neglected, +that certain extraneous conditions acting on the egg or early embryo may +perhaps be able to counteract the effect of sex chromosome. + +"Quite generally, then, there are two conceivable methods by which the +sex might be artificially influenced in any particular case; firstly, if +means could be found of ensuring that any particular fertilized ovum +received the required chromosomes; and, secondly, by the discovery of +methods which always effect the ovum or embryo in such a way as to +produce the desired sex. Many suggestions for applying both methods have +been made, some of which have attained considerable notoriety, but +hitherto none of them has stood the test of practical experience. In the +case of the higher animals, especially of the mammals, in which the +embryo develops in the maternal uterus until long after the sex is +irrevocably decided, it is obviously difficult to apply methods which +might influence the sex after fertilization, even if it were certainly +known that such methods were ever really effective. + +"Apart from the few experiments like those of Hertwig on rearing +tadpoles at different temperatures, there have been a very few cases in +which there is even a suggestion that the sex of the fertilized egg can +be modified by environment, and the belief that this is possible has +been entirely abandoned by many of the leading investigators of the +subject. It is probable, therefore, that if it will ever be possible to +predict or determine artificially the sex of a particular child, the +means will have to be sought in some method of influencing the output of +germ-cells in such a way that one kind is produced rather than the +other. It is in this way that Heape and others interpret the results of +their investigations; they find that certain conditions affect the +sex-ratio of cells, and they explain the result by assuming that UNDER +SOME CIRCUMSTANCES MALE-DETERMINING OVA ARE PRODUCED IN EXCESS, AND +UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, FEMALE-DETERMINING." + +Professor Rumley Dawson holds to the opinion that the male-determining +and female-determining ova are discharged alternately from the ovaries. +In woman one ovum is usually discharged each month, and it is maintained +that on one month the ovum is male-determining, and in the next, +female-determining. It is obvious that exceptions must occur, for boy +and girl twins are quite common, but if the cases which support the +hypothesis are taken by themselves, and the exceptions explained away, +it is possible to make out a strong case in favor of this theory. Some +authorities hold that the right ovary produces male-determining ova, and +the left ovary female-determining, and that the two ovaries discharge an +ovum alternately, but an impartial examination of the evidence for this +belief shows that it rests on very slender foundations. Experiments on +the lower animals have shown that after the complete removal of one +ovary the female may produce young of both sexes. Women, also, have +produced children of a particular sex after the corresponding ovary has +been removed, and it is hardly possible to believe that the removal in +all these cases was incomplete. On the whole it must be concluded that +the theory is insufficiently supported by the evidence. + +Another widely promulgated and vigorously supported theory is that which +holds that the sex of the future child may be determined by specific +nutrition of the mother before conception, and in some cases after +conception. Schenk's theory, advanced about 1900, attracted much +attention at the time. He based his method on the observation that a +number of women whose children were all girls all excreted sugar in +their urine, such as happens in the case of persons affected with +diabetes. From this he suspected that the physiological condition which +leads to the excretion of sugar was inimical to the development of +male-determining ova, and that males could be produced by its +prevention. He therefore recommended that those who desire a male child +should undergo treatment similar to that prescribed for diabetes for two +or three months before conception, and held that a boy would be produced +by these methods. Although this method has had considerable vogue, it +cannot be held to have been established on a scientific basis. + +Doncaster says "The general conclusion with regard to man must therefore +be that if sex is determined solely by the spermatozoon there is no hope +either of influencing or predicting it in special cases. On the other +hand, there is considerable evidence that the ovum has some share in the +effect, and if this is so, before any practical results are reached it +will be necessary to discover which of two conceivable causes of +sex-determination is the true one. It is possible that there are two +kinds of ova, as well as two kinds of spermatozoa, and that there is a +selective fertilization of such a kind that one kind of spermatozoon +only fertilizes one kind of ovum, the second kind of spermatozoon the +second kind of ovum. If this should prove to be the case, it is possible +that means might be found of influencing or predicting that kind of ovum +which is discharged under any set of conditions. Secondly, it is +possible that the ova are potentially all alike, but that their +physiological condition may under some circumstances be so altered that +the sex is determined independently of the spermatozoon. * * * It is +hardly possible to avoid the conclusion that the sex of the offspring +may be influenced, at least under certain circumstances, by the mother. +The search for means of influencing the sex of the offspring through the +mother is not of necessity doomed to failure. No results of a really +positive kind have been obtained hitherto, and some of the facts point +so clearly to sex-determination by the male germ-cell alone in man and +other animals that many investigators have concluded that the quest is +hopeless; but until an adequate explanation has been given of certain +phenomena discovered in the investigation of the subject, it seems more +reasonable to maintain an open mind, and to regard the control of sex in +man as an achievement not entirely impossible of realization." + +Another writer on the subject has said: "Every individual among the +higher animals, whether male or female, begins as an impregnated ovum in +the mother's body. Any such ovum contains elements of constitution from +both of its parents. In the earliest existence of this impregnated ovum, +there is a season of sexual indifference, or indecision, in which the +embryo is both male and female, having the characteristic rudiments of +each sex, only indifferently manifested. In this stage, the embryo is +susceptible of being influenced by external conditions to develop more +strongly in the one or the other direction and thus become distinctly +and permanently male or female. It is evident that this is the season in +the development of the individual in which influencing conditions and +causes must operate in deciding its sex, although it is possible in some +of the lower animals to alter the tendency of sex in the embryo from one +sex to the other, even after it has been quite definitely determined. It +is well established, in fact, that differences do not come from a +difference in the ova themselves; that is, there is not one kind of ova +from the female which becomes female, while other ova become male, for +it is possible to alter the tendency toward the one sex or the other +after the ovum has been fertilized and the embryo has begun its career +of development. This possible change in sex tendency in the embryo also +proves that sex is not decided by a difference in the spermatozoa; that +is some of the sperm cells from the father are not male, while others +are female, in their constitution. + +"It is incorrect to suppose, as has been held by some theorists, that +one testicle give rise to male spermatozoa and the other to female +spermatozoa, for both male and female offspring have been produced from +the same male parent after one testicle or the other has been removed. +The same is true in cases in which either ovary has been removed from +the mother; that is, male and female offspring are produced from mothers +in whom either ovary has been removed. In like manner, the sex of +offspring is shown not to be materially affected by the comparative +vigor of the parents; thus, a stronger father than mother does not +necessarily produce one sex to the exclusion of the other. These +negative decisions are important because they simplify the solution of +the problem of sex-determination, by excluding, more or less fully, +various causes which have been supposed to operate quite forcibly in +deciding the sex of offspring. Some of the more positive agencies that +enter into the determination of sex are found (1) in the influence of +nutrition upon the embryo during its indifferent stage of sexual +development, and (2) in the constitution and general condition of the +mother before and during the early stages of pregnancy. These two +factors appear to enter more fully than any others in the decision of +the sex in offspring, and deserve the greatest consideration. The +influence of food in supplying the embryo with nourishment for its +development is, perhaps, the most potent of these determining causes." + +Investigators along the line of theory indicated in the above last +quotation, i. e., the theory of sex determination by means of +nourishment of the mother and embryo, have presented a volume of reports +which demand respectful consideration. The general report may be said to +be the discovery that ABUNDANT NOURISHMENT DURING THE PERIOD OF SEXUAL +NEUTRALITY TENDS TO PRODUCE FEMALES; WHILE LACK OF ABUNDANT NUTRITION +DURING SUCH PERIOD TENDS TO PRODUCE MALES. + +These experiments, of course, have been chiefly performed upon the lower +animals. The frog has been a favorite subject of such experiments--the +tadpole stage being the one selected, because in that stage there exists +a lack of sex, the stage being one of sex neutrality. Professor Yung's +celebrated experiments will illustrate this class of experiments. Here +were chosen 300 tadpoles, which when left to themselves manifested a +ratio of 57 prospective females to 43 prospective males. These were +divided into three classes of 100 tadpoles each. Each class was then fed +upon one of several kinds of nutritious diet in order to ascertain the +change in sex-tendency due to such food. The first set, with an original +ratio of femaleness of 54 to 46, were fed abundantly on beef, and the +ratio of femaleness was changed to 78 to 22. The second class, with a +ratio of femaleness of 61 to 39, were fed on fish (specially nourishing +to frogs), and the ratio changed to 81 to 19. The third class, with a +ratio of 56 to 44, were fed upon a still more nutritious diet (i. e., +that of frogs' flesh), and the ratio was raised to 92 to 8. In short, +the experiments showed that the increase of nourishment in diet changed +every two out of three male-tendency tadpoles into females. The +experiment was held to prove that a rich diet, affording nourishment, +during the period of sexual neutrality in the embryo, tended to develop +femaleness. + +The advocates of this theory also point to the instance of the bees. +With the bees, the larva of ordinary worker-bees are fed ordinary food, +and do not develop sex; while the larva which is intended to produce the +queen-bee is fed specially nutritious "royal food," and consequently +develops larger size and full female sex powers. If the queen is killed, +or dies, the hive of bees proceeds to produce a new queen by means of +feeding a selected larva with the "royal food" and thus developing full +femaleness in it. It is said by some authorities that in cases in which +some other of the larva accidently receive, through mistake, crumbs of +the "royal food," they, too, grow to an extraordinary size, and develop +fertility. This fact is held by the advocates of the nutrition theory to +go toward establishing the fact that abundant nourishment of the embryo, +during the neutral stage, tends to produce femaleness in it. They also +claim that caterpillars which are very poorly nourished before entering +into the chrysalis stage usually develop into male butterflies, while +those highly nourished in the said stage tend to become females. +Experiments on sheep have shown that when the ewes are particularly well +nourished the offspring will show a large proportion of females. + +A writer, favoring the theory in question, says: "In general, it is +reasonable to infer that the higher sexual organization which +constitutes the female is to be attained in the greatest number of cases +by embryos which have superior vital conditions during the formative +period. Among human beings, some facts of general observation become +significant in the light of the foregoing inferences. After epidemics, +after wars, after seasons of privation and distress, the tendency is +toward a majority of male births. On the other hand, abundant crops, low +prices, peace, contentment and prosperity tend to increase the number of +females born. Mothers in prosperous families usually have more girls; +mothers in families of distress have more boys. Large, well-fed, fully +developed, healthy women, who are of contented and passive disposition, +generally become mothers of families abounding in girls; while mothers +who are small or spare of flesh, who are poorly fed, restless, unhappy, +overworked, exhausted by frequent childbearing, or who are reduced by +other causes which waste their vital energies, usually give birth to a +greater number of boys. As a general proposition, the facts and +inferences tend to establish the truth of the doctrine with women, that, +the more favorable the vital conditions of the mother during the period +in which the sex of her offspring is being determined, the greater the +ratio of females she will bear; the less favorable her vital conditions +at such times, the greater will be her tendency to bear males. That many +apparent exceptions occur does not disprove the general tendency here +maintained. Moreover, it is impossible to know in all cases what were +the conditions of the mother's organism at the time in which her child +was in its delicate balance between predominant femaleness and maleness; +else many cases which seemingly disprove the proposition would be found +to be forcible illustrations of its truth. Still further, it is probable +that other causes besides those here mentioned act with greater or less +effect in determining the sex of offspring." + +Based upon this general theory of the relation of nutrition to +sex-determination, many methods and systems have been devised by as many +authorities, and have been followed and promulgated by as many schools. +Without going into the almost endless detail which would be necessitated +by a synopsis of these various methods and systems, it may be said that +they all consist of plans having for their object the decrease of +nutrition of the woman in cases in which male children are desired, and +the increase of nutrition in cases in which female children are sought +for. This increase or decrease in nutrition is enforced for a reasonable +period before the time selected for the conception of the child, and +also for a reasonable period after the time of conception. The decrease +in nutrition does not consist of "starvation," but rather of a "training +diet" similar to that followed by athletics, and from which dietary all +rich foods, sweets, etc., are absent. In fact, the average dietary +advocated by the "Eat and Grow Thin" writers would seem to be almost +identical with that of the "male offspring" theorists. + +Many persons who have followed the methods and systems based on the +nutrition theory above mentioned claim to have been more or less +successful in the production of the particular sex desired, but many +exceptions to the rule are noted, and some writers on the subject are +disposed to regard the reported successes as mere coincidences, and +claim that the failures are seldom reported while the successes are +widely heralded. The present writer presents the claims of this school +to the attention of his readers, but without personally positively +endorsing the idea. He is of the opinion that the data obtainable is not +as yet sufficient to justify the strong claims made for the theory in +some quarters; but, at the same time, he does not hesitate to say that +there are many points of interest brought out in the presentation of the +theory, and that many thoughtful persons seem to accept the same as +reasonably well established and logical. + +Another theory which has been heard of frequently of late years is that +in which it is held that the ova are expelled in alternating sex, each +month. Thus, if a male ovum is expelled in January, the February ovum +will be a female one, according to this theory. Under this theory if the +date of conception of a child be ascertained, and the sex of the child +noted at its birth, it is a simple matter to count forward from the +menstrual period following which the child was conceived, and thus +determine whether the ovum of any succeeding period is male or female. +It should be noted, however, that the periods are regulated by the lunar +months, and not the calendar months. The fact that twins of different +sexes are sometimes born would seem to disturb this theory--but not more +than any other theory of sex-determination voluntarily produced, for +that matter. The several schools explain this apparent discrepancy by +the familiar saying that "exceptions prove the rule." + +Another theory of sex-determination is that which holds that when +conception occurs within a few days after the last day of menstruation, +the child will be a girl; and that when conception occurs at a later +period, the child will be a boy. Methods and systems based upon this +theory are also reported as being reasonably successful in producing +satisfactory results. But, inasmuch as there appears to be a great +difference in individual women in this respect (even according to the +claims of this school of sex-determination), it would seem that it would +be difficult to proceed with certainty in the matter in most cases. One +of the writers advocating this method, says: "Conception within five +days after the end of the menstrual period is almost certain to produce +a girl child; within five days to ten days, it may be either a boy or a +girl; from ten to fifteen days, it is almost sure to be a boy; from +eighteen to twenty-five days is the period of probable sterility, in +which conception is extremely unlikely to occur." + +In conclusion, it may be said that Nature undoubtedly has certain rules +of sex-determination which govern in these cases; and that it is +possible if not indeed probable that these rules may some day be +discovered by man, and turned to account; but that it is very doubtful +whether the secret has as yet been solved by the investigators. The +writer may be pardoned for suggesting that, in his opinion, if the +discovery is ever made it will likely be found to be very simple--so +simple that we have probably overlooked it because it was in too plain +sight to attract our attention. Nature's methods are usually very +simple, when once discovered. She hides her processes from man by making +them simple, it would seem. + + + + +LESSON X + +WHAT BIRTH CONTROL IS, AND IS NOT + + +The student of the progress of human affairs, or even the average person +whose knowledge of the doings of mankind is derived from a hasty and +casual reading of the daily newspapers and the popular magazines, cannot +plead ignorance of the growing interest in the general subject which is +embraced within the content of the term "Birth Control." + +But while the general meaning of the term is at least vaguely grasped by +the average member of the human crowd--the individual to whom we refer +as "the man on the street"--we find a startling condition of mental +confusion and often positive misconception concerning the essence and +spirit of the general idea expressed by the term in question. + +While the fact is a reflection upon the average intelligence of the +general public, it must be admitted that to the average person, or "the +man on the street," Birth Control means simply the teaching and practice +of certain methods whereby men and women may indulge their sexual +appetites, in or out of marriage, without incurring the liability or +risk of conception and child-bearing. The average person does not stop +to consider that such teachings and practices do not constitute "Birth +Control" at all, but are, rather, merely the theory and practice of +Birth Prevention, desirable only to those who seek sexual indulgences +without being called upon to shoulder the responsibilities attached by +Nature to the physical sexual union of men and women. + +The term "CONTROL" does not mean "prohibition," or "prevention"; but, on +the contrary, means "governing, regulating, or managing influence." +Birth Control, in the true meaning of the term, does not mean the +prevention or prohibition of the birth of children, but rather the +encouragement of the birth of children under the best possible +conditions and the discouragement of the birth of children under +improper or unfavorable conditions. + +Birth Control, in the true meaning of the term, does not mean theories +and practices which would tend to reduce the population of the civilized +countries of the world, but rather theories and practice which would +inevitably result in the production of an adequate ratio of increase in +the population of such countries, not only by reason of a normal +birth-rate, but also by reason of a diminishing death-rate among +infants--by the production of healthier children, accompanied by the +raising of the standard of the average child born in such countries. + +Birth Control, in the true meaning of the term, therefore, is seen to +consist not of the PROHIBITION or PREVENTION of human offspring, but +rather of the GOVERNING, REGULATING, AND MANAGING of the production of +human offspring, under the inspiration of the highest ideals and under +the direction of the highest reason, for the purpose of the advancement +and welfare of the race and that of the individuals composing the race. +Instead of being an anti-social and anti-moral propaganda, Birth Control +when rightly understood is perceived to be in accordance with the +highest social aims and aspirations, and in accordance with the highest +and purest morality of the race. + +Much of the opposition toward the general movement of Birth Control +which has been manifested by many well-meaning, though misinformed, +persons, has arisen by reason of the erroneous conception and +understanding of the term itself, and of misleading information +concerning the true nature of the best teachings on the subject. This +prejudice has been heightened by certain zealous but ill-balanced +advocates of the general movement who have overemphasized the incidental +feature of the limitation of offspring under certain conditions, and who +have appealed to the attention and interest merely of those who wished +to escape the responsibilities of parenthood. This has caused much +sorrow and distress to the many persons who have the highest ideals and +results in view, and who deplore this unbalanced propaganda under the +name, and apparently under the cloak of the general movement. Such +persons have felt inclined to cry aloud "Good Lord, deliver us from our +so-called friends!" + +One of the most distressing features of the popular prejudice against +Birth Control, arising from a total misconception of the subject, has +been the widely spread and popularly accepted notion that Birth Control +is practically analogous to abortion--or, at the best, but a more +refined and less repulsive and less dangerous form of abortion. In view +of the fact that one of the important results sought to be obtained by a +scientific knowledge of Birth Control actually is the prevention and +avoidance of the crime of abortion which has wrought such terrible havoc +among the women of civilized countries, it is most distressing and +discouraging to the conscientious and high-minded advocates of Birth +Control to have it said and believed that their teachings encourage and +justify abortion. + +A reference to any standard dictionary or textbook will reveal the fact +that "Abortion" means: "the premature expulsion of the human embryo or +foetus; miscarriage voluntarily induced or produced," etc. It is seen at +a glance that the essence and meaning of abortion consists in the +destruction of the human embryo which has resulted from conception. The +embryo human child must already exist in its elemental form, before it +can be destroyed by abortion. Therefore, if no such embryo form exists, +it cannot be destroyed, and therefore there can be no abortion in such a +case. And, it may positively be stated, no true advocate of Birth +Control can possibly justify, much less advocate, the destruction of the +human embryo or foetus, which act constitutes abortion. The difference +between true Birth Control teachings and methods, and that of the +advocates of abortion, is as great as the difference between the two +poles. Instead of the two being identical or similar, they are +diametrically opposed one to the other--they are logical "opposites," +each the antithesis of the other. + +Even in those forms or phases of the Birth Control propaganda in which +the use of "contraceptives," or "preventatives" is considered justified +in certain cases--and these forms and phases are far from being the most +important, as all students of the subject know--even in these +exceptional forms and phases of the general subject the idea of abortion +is combatted, and never justified or encouraged. A "contraceptive" +agency merely tends to prevent or obviate undesirable conception; it +never acts to destroy the result of previous and accomplished +conception. A "contraceptive" merely prevents the union of the male and +female elements of reproduction, and consequently the process from which +evolves the foetus or embryo. A leading medical authority has said +regarding this distinction: "In inducing abortion, one destroys +something already formed--a foetus or an embryo, a fertilized ovum, a +potential human being. In prevention, however, one merely prevents +chemically or mechanically the spermatozoa from coming in contact with +the ovum. There is no greater sin or crime in this than there is in +simple abstinence, in refraining from sexual intercourse." + +What then must we say when we consider the higher and more advanced +forms and phases of Birth Control, those phases and forms which may be +said to be mental or emotional "contraceptives," rather than physical? +Surely these cannot be considered as identical with or similar to +abortion. And when we consider those phases and forms of Birth Control +which are concerned with Pre-Natal Culture--the culture of the child +before its birth--can one, even though he be intensely prejudiced +against Birth Control, assert that there is to be found here anything +which in any way whatsoever can be considered as relating to the theory +or practice of abortion? And what must we say of the still higher phases +in which the teachings are concerned with the mental and physical +preparation of the parents prior to the conception of the child, to the +end that the child may have the best possible physiological and +psychological basis for its future well-being? Is not this the very +antithesis and opposite of all that concerns abortion or abortive +methods? + +The trouble about all great movements designed for the benefit of the +human race is that at the beginning there is attracted to the movement, +by reason of its novelty and "newness," certain elements which seize +upon certain incidental features of the general idea, make them their +own while excluding or ignoring the more important things, and then +exploit these incidental features in a sensational way, thereby +attracting public attention and gaining much undesirable notoriety, and +as a consequence bringing discredit and disfavor, prejudice and +misunderstanding, to the general movement. + +Birth Control has passed through this apparently inevitable experience, +and has suffered greatly thereby. But the Light is being thrown on the +Dark Places, and the more intelligent portion of the public is beginning +to realize that there is another side to the shield of Birth Control. +And, as a consequence, much of the original prejudice is disappearing, +and a new understanding of the subject is arising in the minds of many +of the best individuals of the race. It is the purpose of this book to +help to dispel the ignorance and misconception concerning this great +subject of Birth Control, and to aid in presenting the higher and nobler +aspects of the general movement to the attention of those who are +concerned with the advance and progress of the race as a whole, and of +the individual members thereof. + +The student of the subject of Birth Control will fall into grievous +error if he begins his consideration of the subject under the impression +that the questions concerned therein are new to the world of living +things. If the process of Birth Control were something which had +suddenly sprung into existence in the consciousness of man, without +having an antecedent activity in the history of the race, and of living +creatures in general, we might well hesitate to go further in the matter +without the most serious and prolonged consideration of the entire +principle by the careful thought of the wisest of the race. But while +such consideration is advisable, as in the case of any and all important +problems presenting themselves for solution and judgment, it is found +that those so considering the subject have a sound and firm foundation +upon which to base their thought and to test their conclusions. + +As many thoughtful students of the subject have pointed out to us, the +question of Birth Control has been with the race practically since the +beginning of human history; and it has its correspondences in the +instinctive actions of the lower forms of life. The chief difference is +that we are now seeking to deal with these problems consciously, +voluntarily, and deliberately, whereas in the past the race has dealt +with them more or less unconsciously, by methods of trial and error, +through perpetual experiment which has often proved costly but which has +all the more clearly brought out the real course of natural processes. + +We cannot hope to solve problems so ancient and so deeply rooted as +these by merely the rational methods of yesterday and today. To be of +value our rational methods must be the revelation in deliberate +consciousness of unconscious methods which go far back into the remote +past. Our deliberate methods will not be sound except in so far as they +are a continuation of those methods which, in the slow evolution of +life, have been found sound and progressive on the plane of instinct. +This is particularly true in the case of those among us who desire their +own line of conduct in the matter to be so closely in accord with +natural law, or the law of creation, that to question it would be +impious. + +It may be accepted without an extended argument or presentation of +evidence that at the outset the prime object of Nature seems to have +been that of Reproduction. There is evident, without doubt, an effort on +the part of Nature to secure economy of method in the attainment of ever +greater perfection in the process of reproduction, but we cannot deny +that the primary motive seems to be that of reproduction pure and +simple. The tendency toward reproduction is indeed so fundamental in +Nature that it is impressed with the greatest emphasis upon every living +thing. And, as careful thinkers have told us "the course of evolution +seems to have been more of an effort to slow down reproduction than to +furnish it with new facilities." + +Reproduction appears in the history of life even before sex manifests +itself. The lower forms of animal and plant life oftener produce +themselves without the aid of sex, and some authorities have argued that +the presence of sex differentiation serves rather to check active +propagation rather than to increase it. If quantity, without regard to +quality or variation, be the object of Nature, then that purpose would +have been better served by withholding sex-differentiation than by +evolving it. As Professor Coulter, a leading American botanist, has well +said: "The impression one gains of sexuality is that it represents +reproduction under peculiar difficulties." + +To those who find it difficult to assimilate this somewhat startling +idea, we now present a brief statement of the infinitely greater +facility toward reproduction manifested by living creatures lacking in +sex-differentiation as compared with those possessing it. It is seen that +bacteria among primitive plants, and protozoa among primitive animals, +are patterns of very rapid and prolific reproduction, though sex begins +to appear in a rudimentary form in very lowly forms of life. A single +infusorian becomes in a week the ancestor of millions, that is to say, +of far more individuals than could proceed under the most favorable +conditions from a pair of elephants in five centuries; and Huxley has +calculated that the progeny of a single parthenogenetic aphis, under +favorable circumstances, would in a few months outweigh the whole +population of China. It must be noted, however, that this proviso "under +favorable circumstances" reveals the weak point of Nature's early method +of reproduction by enormously rapid multiplication. Creatures so easily +produced are easily destroyed; and Nature, apparently in consequence, +wastes no time in imparting to them the qualities needed for a high form +of life and living. + +And, even after sex differentiation had attained a considerable degree of +development, Nature seemed slow to abandon her original plan of rapid +multiplication of individuals. Among insects so far advanced as the +white ants, the queen lays eggs at the enormous rate of 80,000 a day +during her period of active life. Higher in the scale, we find the +female herring laying 70,000 eggs at one period of delivery. But in both +of these cases we find the manifestation of that apparently invariable +rule of Nature, viz., that A HIGH BIRTH-RATE IS ACCOMPANIED BY A HEAVY +DEATH-RATE, whether that high death-rate be caused by natural enemies, +wars, or disease. + +At a certain stage of the evolutionary process, Nature seems to have +awakened to a realization of the fact that it was better, from every +point of view, to produce A FEW superior beings rather than a vast +number of inferior ones. Here, at last, Nature discloses a heretofore +hidden aim, namely, the production of quality rather than quantity; and +once she has started on this new path, she has pursued it with even +greater eagerness than that of reproduction pure and simple. And here we +pause to note a principle laid down by the students of Evolution, viz., +that ADVANCING EVOLUTION IS ACCOMPANIED BY DECLINING FERTILITY. + +This new stage of Nature's processes is marked by a constant and +invariable manifestation of diminished number of offspring, accompanied +by an increased amount of time and care in the creation and breeding of +each of the young creatures. Accompanying this, we find that the +reproductive life of the creature is shortened, and confined to more or +less special periods; these periods beginning much later, and ending +much earlier, and even during their continuance tending to operate in +cycles of activity. Here, we see, NATURE, GROWN WISER BY EXPERIENCE, +HERSELF BEGAN TO EXERCISE HER POWER IN THE DIRECTION OF BIRTH +CONTROL--THE USE OF PREVENTIVE CHECKS ON REPRODUCTION. + +A writer has said along these lines: "As reproduction slackened, +evolution was greatly accelerated. A highly important and essential +aspect of this greater individuation is a higher survival value. The +more complex and better equipped creature can meet and subdue +difficulties and dangers to which the more lowly organized creature that +came before--produced wholesale in a way which Nature seems to look +back on as cheap and nasty--succumbed helplessly without an effort. The +idea of economy began to assert itself in the world. It became clear in +the course of evolution that it is better to produce really good and +highly efficient organisms, at whatever cost, than to be content with +cheap production on a wholesale scale. They allowed greater +developmental progress to be made, and they lasted better. Even before +man began it was proved in the animal world that THE DEATH-RATE FALLS AS +THE BIRTH-RATE FALLS." + +Let us compare the lowly herring with the highly evolved elephant. The +herring multiplies with enormous rapidity and on a vast scale, and it +possesses a very small brain, and is almost totally unequipped to +grapple with the special difficulties of its life, to which it succumbs +on a wholesale scale. A single elephant is carried for about two years +in its mother's womb, and is carefully guarded by her for many years +after birth; it possesses a large brain, and its muscular system is as +remarkable for its delicacy as for its power, and is guided by the most +sensitive perceptions. It is fully equipped for all the dangers of life, +save for those which have been introduced by the subtle ingenuity of +modern man. Though a single pair of elephants produces so few offspring, +yet their high cost is justified, for each of them has a reasonable +chance of surviving to old age. This contrast, from the point of view of +reproduction, of the herring and the elephant, well illustrates the +principle of evolution previously referred to. It brings clearly into +view the difference between Nature's earlier and her later methods--the +ever increasing preference for quality over quantity. Unless we grasp +this underlying principle of Nature in its wider aspects we may fail to +perceive its operations in the case of man, which latter we may now +consider. + +It is, of course, impossible to speak positively regarding the +birth-rate and death-rate of the pre-historic primitive races of +mankind, for there is not data upon which to base such a report. But +reasoning upon the basis of conditions existing among the primitive +tribes of the present time we are justified in holding that in the early +stages of the evolution of the race there was manifested a high +birth-rate and a correspondingly high death-rate. Upon the basis of +conditions now existing among savage tribes it would appear that +primitive man has a higher birth-rate than the average of mankind today, +and likewise a higher death-rate. The rapidly increasing number of +children born to the tribe was counteracted by deaths among children +caused by neglect, poverty, and disease. In some cases the population +was prevented from becoming larger than the means of subsistence +justified by the practice of infanticide. + +As to the condition of the race in the early stages of "modern" +civilization, we have modern Russia as a surviving instance of this +stage. In modern Russia we find, side by side with the progress in +neighboring nations, conditions which a few centuries ago existed all +over Europe. Here we have an enormous birth-rate, and a terrible +death-rate caused by ignorance, superstition, insanitation, filth, bad +food, impure water, plagues, famines, and other accompaniments of +overcrowding and misery. We find a mortality among young children which +sometimes destroys more than half of the children born before they have +attained the age of five years. As high as is the Russian birth-rate, it +is a matter of record that at times the death-rate has actually exceeded +it. And among the survivors there is found a startlingly large +percentage of chronic and incurable diseases, with a large number of +cases of blindness and other defects. + +Similar results follow in China, where the birth-rate is exceptionally +high, and the death-rate correspondingly large; and where there is a +large percentage of inferior physical development and pathological +defects, the evil conditions which produce death also tending to produce +deterioration in the survivors. In both of these countries we have an +example of the result of unrestricted reproduction, and unrestricted +destruction--as among herrings, so among men. And yet this condition of +unrestricted reproduction is the logical goal of certain persons who, +inspired by the best possible intentions, in their ignorance and +criminal rashness would dare to arrest that fall in the birth-rate which +is now beginning to spread its influence in every civilized land. + +In Western Europe before the nineteenth century the population increased +very slowly. The enormous birth-rate was nearly equalled by the +exceedingly heavy death-rate caused by plagues, pestilences, and famine, +and by the frequent wars large and small. The mortality among young +children was particularly heavy. Writers have pointed out that the old +family records show frequently two or three children of the same +Christian name, the first child having died and its name given to a +successor. + +During the last quarter of the eighteenth century, when machinery was +introduced and a new industrial era opened, the birth-rate rose rapidly. +Factories springing up gave increased support to many, and as children +were employed as "hands" in the mills at an early age, the richest +family was the one with most children. The population began to increase +rapidly. But soon disease, misery, and poverty arose from filth and +insanitation, immorality and crime, overcrowding and child-labor, drink +and lack of sane courses of conduct. + +In time, however, progress set in, and social reformers began the great +movement for the betterment of the environment, sanitation, shorter +hours of labor, and restriction of child-labor, factory regulation, etc. +And when the environment is bettered, the death-rate drops, and the +birth-rate accompanies it on its downward progress. As Leroy-Beaulieu +says: "The first degree of prosperity in a rude population with few +needs tends toward prolificness of reproduction; a later degree of +prosperity, accompanied by all the feelings and ideas stimulated by the +reduction of such prolificness." + +The law of the reduction of reproduction in response to the improvement +of environment is a natural law, arising from fixed biological +principles. This is because when we improve the environment we improve +the individual situated in that environment; and the improvement of the +individual has always resulted in a check upon reproduction. We must +remember, however, that this change is not the result of conscious or +voluntary action; instead it is the result of unconscious activities and +instinctive urge. As Sir Shirley Murphy has said: "Birth Control is a +natural process, and though in civilized men, endowed with high +intelligence, it necessarily works in some measure voluntarily and +deliberately, it is probable that it also works, as in the evolution of +the lower animals, to some extent automatically." + +Science shows us that even among the most primitive micro-organisms; +when placed under unfavorable conditions as to food and environment, +they tend to pass into a reproductive phase and by sporulation or +otherwise begin to produce new individuals rapidly. This, of course, +because of the fact that their death-rate is increased, and an increased +birth-rate must be manifested in order to maintain a balance. If the +environment be improved, the death-rate decreases, and this is followed +by a fall in the birth-rate, according to the constant laws of Nature +manifesting in such cases. + +The same law is seen to be manifested in the case of Man. Improve his +environment, and his death-rate drops, which is accompanied by a +falling birth-rate. Here, once more we see the application of the +scientific axiom "Improve the environment and reproduction is checked." +As Leroy-Beaulieu has said: "The tendency of civilization is to reduce +the birth-rate." And as Professor Benjamin Moore has said: "Decreased +reproduction is the simple biological reply to good economic +conditions." And as Havelock Ellis has said: "Those who desire a higher +birth-rate are desiring, whether they know it or not, the increase of +poverty, ignorance, and wretchedness." + +Among men, Birth Control has now evolved from the unconscious and +instinctive phase, and is now unfolding and manifesting on the plane of +conscious and voluntary activity. The influence of deliberate intention +and conscious design is now one of the important factors in the process. +Here at this point we reach a totally new aspect of reproduction. In the +past stages of evolution the original impetus toward reproduction has +been checked and directed by Nature, working along instinctive and +unconscious lines; and the result has been an extreme diminution of the +number of off-spring; a prolongation of the time devoted to the breeding +and care of each new member of the family, in harmony with its greatly +prolonged life; a spacing out of the intervals between the offspring; +and, as a result, a vastly greater development of each individual, and +an ever better equipment for the task of living. All this was slowly +attained automatically, without any conscious volition on the part of +the individuals, even when they were human beings, who were the agents. + +Now, however, we are confronted with a change which we may regard as, in +some respects, the most momentous sudden advance in the whole history of +reproduction, namely, the process of reproductive progress now become +conscious and deliberately volitional. Birth control, no longer +automatic, is now being directed by human mind and will precisely to the +attainment of ends which Nature has been struggling after for millions +of years; and, being consciously and deliberately directed, it is now +enabled to avoid many of the pitfalls into which the unconscious method +fell. + +Havelock Ellis says: "The control and limitation of reproductive +activity by conscious and volitional effort is an attempt by open-eyed +intelligence and foresight to attain those ends which Nature through +untold generations has been painfully yet tirelessly struggling for. The +deliberate co-operation of Man in the natural task of Birth Control +represents an identification of the human will with what we may, if we +choose, regard as the divinely appointed law of the world. We can well +believe that the great pioneers, who, a century ago, acted in the spirit +of this faith may have echoed the thought of Kepler when, on discovering +his great planetary law, he exclaimed in rapture: 'O God! I think Thy +thoughts after Thee!'" + +The following brief general history of the modern Birth Control movement +is quoted from Havelock Ellis, and will be of interest to students of +the subject: "The pioneers of modern Birth Control were English. Among +them Malthus occupies the first place. That distinguished man, in his +great and influential work, 'The Principles of Population,' in 1798, +emphasized the immense importance of foresight and self-control in +procreation, and the profound significance of birth limitation for human +welfare. Malthus, however, relied on ascetic self-restraint, a method +which could only appeal to the few; he had nothing to say for the +regulation of conception in intercourse. That was suggested twenty years +later, very cautiously by James Mill, the father of John Stuart Mill, in +the 'Encyclopaedia Britannica.' Four years afterwards, Mill's friend, +the Radical reformer, Francis Place, advocated this method more clearly. +Finally, in 1831, Robert Dale Owen, the son of the great Robert Owen, +published his 'Moral Physiology,' in which he set forth the ways of +preventing conception; while a little later the Drysdale brothers, +ardent and unwearying philanthropists, devoted their energies to a +propaganda which has been spreading ever since and has now conquered the +whole civilized world. + +"It was not, however, in England but in France, so often at the head of +an advance in civilization, that Birth Control first firmly became +established, and that the extravagantly high birth rate of earlier times +began to fall; this happened in the first half of the nineteenth +century, whether or not it was mainly due to voluntary control. In +England the movement came later, and the steady decline in the English +birth-rate, which is still proceeding, began in 1877. In the previous +year there had been a famous prosecution of Bradlaugh and Mrs. Besant +for disseminating pamphlets describing the methods of preventing +conception; the charge was described by the Lord Chief Justice, who +tried the case, as one of the most ill-advised and injudicious ever made +in a court of justice. But it served an undesigned end by giving +enormous publicity to the subject and advertising the methods it sought +to suppress. There can be no doubt, however, that even apart from this +trial the movement would have proceeded on the same lines. The times +were ripe, the great industrial expansion had passed its first feverish +phase, social conditions were improving, education was spreading. The +inevitable character of the movement is indicated by the fact that at +the very same time it began to be manifested all over Europe, indeed in +every civilized country of the world. + +"At the present time the birth-rate (as well as usually the death-rate) +is falling in every country of the world sufficiently civilized to +possess statistics of its own vital movement. The fall varies in +rapidity. It has been considerable in the more progressive countries; it +has lingered in the more backward countries. If we examine the latest +statistics for Europe, we find that every country, without exception, +with a progressive and educated population, and a fairly high state of +social well-being, presents a birth-rate below 30 per 1,000. We also +find that every country in Europe in which the mass of the people are +primitive, ignorant, or in a socially unsatisfactory condition (even +although the governing classes may be progressive or ambitious) shows a +birth-rate of above 30 per 1,000. France, Great Britain, Belgium, +Holland, the Scandinavian countries, and Switzerland are in the first +group. Russia, Austro-Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the Balkan countries +are in the second group. The German Empire was formerly in the second +group, but now comes within the first group, and has carried on the +movement so energetically that the birth-rate of Berlin is already below +that of London, and that at the present rate of decline the birth-rate +of the German Empire will before long sink to that of France. Outside +Europe, in the United States just as much as in Australia and New +Zealand, the same progressive movement is proceeding with equal +activity." + +The same authority sums up the present attitude of the advocates of +scientific and rational Birth Control, as follows: "The wide survey of +the question of birth limitation has settled the question of the +desirability of the adoption of preventing conception, and finally +settled those who would waste out time with their fears that it is not +right to control conception. We know now on whose side are the laws of +God and Nature. We realize that in exercising control over the entrance +gate of life we are not fully performing, consciously and deliberately, +a great human duty, but carrying on rationally a beneficial process +which has, more blindly and wastefully, been carried on since the +beginning of the world. There are still a few persons ignorant enough or +foolish enough to fight against the advance of civilization in this +matter; we can well afford to leave them severely alone, knowing that in +a few years all of them will have passed away. It is not our business to +defend the control of birth, but simply discuss how we may most wisely +exercise that control." + + + + +LESSON XI + +THE FETICH OF THE BIRTH-RATE + + +To the student of the progress of the human race the consideration of +the state of public opinion regarding the Birth-rate of nations is of +great interest. To the careful observer there is evident the gradual +evolution of intelligent public opinion on this subject even in the +comparatively short space of time in which the present generation has +played its part on the great stage of human development. + +Public opinion on this subject during the period named may be said to +have passed through three general stages. These stages are, of course, +more clearly defined among the peoples of the most prosperous and +intelligent countries, as for instance, in Western Europe and America, +and particularly in England, France, and the United States. While the +peoples of certain of these countries have passed through these stages +somewhat more rapidly than have others, still it is perceived that each +of these peoples have in the main followed the same general course. + +The first stage of this evolution of popular opinion may be said to have +been begun about 1850, and to have ended about 1880. In this stage the +ideal of a large and rapidly increasing birth-rate became a popular +fetich before which all men and women were supposed to fall down and +render worship. In this period public opinion manifested great +satisfaction and joy in the evidences of a high and rapidly increasing +birth-rate. It was held that this increasing birth-rate tended toward +the success and glory of the particular nation, and incidentally to the +race as a whole. The idea of QUANTITY was elevated to the throne of +public favor, and the question of QUALITY was ignored or overlooked. + +This period was one of an unusual expansion of industry, and the rising +birth-rate was regarded as a token that the world was destined to be +exploited and eventually governed by the people of those nations who +were able to demonstrate the greatest efficiency in industrial pursuits, +and who at the same time were wise enough to increase their respective +populations by an increasing birth-rate. The populace were excited by +the idea of the dominance and prosperity of their own countrymen, while +the leaders of industry were delighted with the idea of an increasing +supply of laborers which would tend to keep down the rate of wages which +otherwise would have reached proportions which would have interfered +with competition with other countries. At the same time, the militarists +were secretly delighted by the signs of an increasing supply of military +material with which to build up gigantic armies. + +A writer on the state of public opinion on this subject during this +period has well said: "It seemed to the more exuberant spirits that a +vast British Empire, or a mighty Pan-German, might be expected to cover +the whole world. France, with its low and falling birth-rate, was looked +down at with a contempt as a decadent country inhabited with a +degenerate population. No attempt to analyze the birth-rate, to +ascertain what are really the biological, social, and economic +accompaniments of a high birth-rate, made any impression on the popular +mind. They were drowned in a general shout of exultation." + +But this period of uncritical optimism was followed by a natural +reaction. The pendulum stopped in its course, and soon began to swing in +the opposite direction. Here, about 1880, the second stage may be said +to have begun. Public opinion began to manifest a subtle change, and +this mental attitude was accompanied by a physical manifestation in the +form of a decreasing birth-rate. The rate of births began to fall +rapidly, and has continued to fall steadily since that time. + +The writer above quoted from says of this second period: "In France the +birth-rate fell slowly, in Italy more rapidly, and in England and +Prussia still more rapidly. As, however, the fall began earliest in +France, the birth-rate was lower there than in the other countries +named. For the same reason it was lower in England than in Prussia, +although England stands in this respect at almost exactly the same +distance from Prussia today (1917) as thirty years ago, the fall having +occurred at the same rate in both countries. It is quite possible that +in the future it may become more rapid in Prussia than in England, for +the birth-rate of Berlin is lower than the birth-rate of London, and +urbanization is proceeding at a more rapid rate in Germany than in +England." + +It is not difficult to arrive at the psychological reason underlying +this great change in public opinion, as manifested in this second stage. +In the first place, the wonderful era of world-expansion was arrested, +by natural causes well understood by students of sociology. The +ambitious dreams of world-empires were rudely interrupted. Moreover, +public opinion was being affected by a quiet education along the lines +of sociology and economics. + +The working classes began to perceive, on the one hand, the tendency of +overpopulation to hold down, or even decrease, the scale of wages. The +evils of over-production, and of under-consumption were dimly perceived. +And, on the other hand, the capitalists began to perceive that another +factor was at work--one which they had failed to include in their +optimistic calculations. Instead of the cheaper wage rate which they had +expected by reason of the over-abundance of human material, they found +that the growth of popular education in the democratic countries had +caused the working classes to demand greater comforts of life, and to +oppose the cheapening of human labor. And at the same time, the masses +began to revolt against the idea of raising children to become "cannon +fodder" for ambitious autocratic rulers. The masses began to protest +against selling their labor and their lives so cheaply. + +These changed viewpoints of the working classes began to result in +attempts on their part to form associations to resist the tendency on +the part of capitalists to force down the scale of wages to fit the +increased population. Trade unions flourished and became powerful, and +the same impulse carried many into the ranks of socialism, and still +beyond into the fold of anarchism and syndicalism. And, here note this +significant fact, with these new perceptions and these new movements +among the masses, THE BIRTH-RATE BEGAN TO FALL RAPIDLY. + +The writer above quoted from says of this period: "The pessimists were +faced by horrors on both sides. On the one hand, they saw that the +ever-increasing rate of human production which seemed to them the +essential condition of national, social, even moral progress, had not +only stopped but was steadily diminishing. On the other hand, they saw +that, even so far as it was maintained, it involved, under modern +conditions, nothing but social commotion and economic disturbance. There +are still many pessimists of this class alive among us even today, alike +in England and Germany, but a new generation is growing up, and this +question is now entering another phase." + +It would seem that the race is now well started in the third period, +phase, or stage of this conception of the birth-rate. Even the Great War +is not likely to seriously interrupt its ultimate progress, though +conditions in all civilized countries will unquestionably be disturbed +by the unusual conditions now prevailing and caused by the great +conflict. The spirit of this third stage seems to be that the Truth is +to be found between the two extremes, viz.: (1) the extreme of passive +optimism of the first stage; and (2) the extreme of passive pessimism of +the second stage. It realizes that there is excellent ground for hope in +better things; but it equally realizes that hope alone is vain, and will +accomplish nothing unless it is accompanied with and directed by a clear +intellectual vision manifested in individual and social action based on +that clear intellectual vision. + +The writer above quoted from says of this developing period: "It is +today beginning to be seen that the old notion of progress by means of +reckless multiplication is vain. It can only be effected at a ruinous +cost of death, disease, poverty, and misery. We see this in the past +history of Western Europe, as we still see it in the history of Russia. +Any progress effected along that line--if 'progress' it can be +called--is now barred, for it is utterly opposed to those democratic +conceptions which are ever gaining greater influence among us. Moreover, +we are now better able to analyze demographic phenomena, and are no +longer satisfied with any crude statements regarding the birth-rate. We +realize that they need interpretation. They have to be considered in +relation to the sex-constitution and the age-constitution of the +population, and ABOVE ALL, THEY MUST BE VIEWED IN RELATION TO THE INFANT +MORTALITY RATE. + +"The bad aspect of the French birth-rate is not so much its lowness as +that it is accompanied by a high infantile mortality. The fact that the +German birth-rate is higher than the English ceases to be a matter of +satisfaction when it is realized that German infantile mortality is +vastly greater than English. A HIGH BIRTH-RATE IS NO SIGN OF A HIGH +CIVILIZATION. BUT WE ARE BEGINNING TO FEEL THAT A HIGH INFANTILE +DEATH-RATE IS A SIGN OF A VERY INFERIOR CIVILIZATION. A LOW BIRTH-RATE +WITH A LOW INFANT DEATH-RATE NOT ONLY PRODUCES THE SAME INCREASE IN +POPULATION AS A HIGH BIRTH-RATE WITH A HIGH DEATH-RATE, WHICH ALWAYS +ACCOMPANIES IT (FOR THERE ARE NO EXAMPLES OF A HIGH BIRTH-RATE WITH A +LOW DEATH-RATE), BUT IT PRODUCES IT IN A WAY WHICH IS FAR MORE WORTHY OF +OUR ADMIRATION IN THIS MATTER THAN THE WAY OF RUSSIA AND CHINA WHERE +OPPOSITE CONDITIONS PREVAIL." + +The evolutionary process which all students of sociology clearly +perceive to have been underway in the matter of the attitude of public +opinion toward the birth-rate, and which is now underway with increased +impetus, is perceived to be a natural process. It is a natural process +which has been underway from the beginning of the living world. For a +long time it operated and manifested along unconscious and instinctive +lines of activity, but now it has emerged into the light of human +consciousness and manifests along the lines of conscious, voluntary, and +deliberate human action. + +In its present state of evolutionary progress human thought along these +lines has found expression in what is generally known as "Birth +Control." The process which has been working slowly through the ages, +attaining every new forward step with waste and pain, is henceforth +destined to be carried out voluntarily, in the light of human reason, +foresight, and self-restraint. The rise of Birth Control may be said to +correspond with the rise of social and sanitary science in the first +half of the nineteenth century, and to be indeed an essential part of +that movement. + +The new doctrine of Birth Control is now firmly established in all the +most progressive and enlightened countries of Europe, notably in France +and England; in Germany, where formerly the birth-rate was very high, +Birth Control has developed with extraordinary rapidity during the +present century. In Holland its principles and practice are freely +taught by physicians and nurses to the mothers of the people, with the +result that there is in Holland no longer any necessity for unwanted +babies, and this small country possesses the proud privilege of the +lowest death-rate in Europe. + +In the free and enlightened Democratic communities on the other side of +the globe, in Australia and New Zealand, the same principles and +practice are generally accepted, with the same beneficent results. On +the other hand, in the more backward and ignorant countries of Europe, +Birth Control is still little known, and death and disease flourish. +This is the case in those eight European countries which come at the +bottom of the list of the Birth Control scale, and in which the +birth-rate is the highest and the death-rate the heaviest--the two rates +maintaining such a constant correspondence as to lead to the inevitable +conclusion that they are associated as cause and effect. + +But even in the more progressive countries Birth Control has not been +established without a struggle, which has frequently ended in a +hypocritical compromise, its principles being publicly ignored or denied +and its practice privately accepted. For, at the great and vitally +important point in human progress which Birth-Control represents, we see +really the conflict of two moralities. The morality of the ancient world +is here confronted by the morality of the new world. + +The old morality, knowing nothing of science and the process of Nature +as worked out in the evolution of life, contented itself with assuming +as a basis the early chapters of Genesis in which the children of Noah +are represented as entering an empty earth which it is their business +to populate diligently. So it came about that for this morality, still +innocent of eugenics, recklessness was almost a virtue. Children were +held to be given by God; if they died or were afflicted by congenital +disease, it was the dispensation of God, and, whatever imprudence the +parents might commit, the pathetic faith still ruled that "God will +provide." + +But in the new morality it is realized that in these matters Divine +action can only be made manifest in human action, that is to say through +the operation of our own enlightened reason and resolved will. Prudence, +foresight, self-restraint--virtues which old morality looked down upon +with benevolent contempt--assume a position of first importance. In the +eyes of the new morality the ideal woman is no longer the meek drudge +condemned to endless and often ineffectual child-bearing, but the free +and instructed woman, able to look before and after, trained in a sense +of responsibility alike to herself and to the race, and determined to +have no children but the best. + +Such were the two moralities which came into conflict during the +nineteenth century. They are irreconcilable and each firmly rooted, one +in ancient religion and tradition, the other in progressive science and +reason. Nothing was possible in such a clash of opposing ideas but a +feeble and confused compromise such as we find still prevailing in +various countries of Old Europe. This is not a satisfactory solution, +however inevitable, and is especially unsatisfactory by the consequent +obscurantism which placed difficulties in the way of spreading a +knowledge of the methods of Birth Control among the masses of the +population. For the result has been that while the more enlightened and +educated have exercised a control over the size of their families, the +poorer and more ignorant--those who should have been offered every +facility and encouragement to follow in the same path--have been left, +through a conspiracy of silence, to carry on helplessly the bad customs +of their forefathers. This social neglect has had the result that the +superior family stocks have been tampered by the recklessness of the +inferior stocks. + +In America, we find the two moralities in active conflict today. Until +recently America has meekly accepted at the hand of Old Europe the +traditional prescription. On the surface, the ancient morality had been +complacently, almost unquestionably, accepted in America, even to the +extent of tacitly permitting the existence of a vast extension of +abortion, under the surface of society--a criminal practice which ever +flourishes where Birth Control is neglected. + +But today, a new movement is perceptible in America. It would seem that, +almost in a flash, America has awakened to the true significance of the +issue. With that direct vision of hers, that swift practicality of +action, and above all, that sense of the democratic nature of all social +progress, we see her resolutely beginning to face this great problem. In +her vigorous tongue she is demanding "What is all this secrecy about, +anyway? Let us turn on the Light!" And the best authorities agree that +America's answer to the demand will be of the greatest importance, and +of immense significance to the whole world. + +In concluding this portion of our discussion, I ask my readers to +consider the following quotations from writers who have touched upon the +question of the stimulation of the birth-rate by the State, for the +purpose of military policy. These quotations speak for themselves, and +need but little comment. + +The first authority, a German, whose name has escaped me for the moment, +laments the falling birth-rate in his country, and urges his own nation +to stimulate it by offering bounties; he says: "Woe to us if we follow +the example of the wicked and degenerate people of other nations. Our +nation needs men. We have to populate the earth, and to carry the +blessings of our Kultur all over the world. In executing that high +mission we cannot have too much human material in defending ourselves +against the aggression of other nations who are jealous of us and our +achievements and progress. Let us promote parentage by law; let us +repress by law every influence which may encourage a falling birth-rate; +otherwise there is nothing left us but speedy national disaster, +complete and irremediable." + +Havelock Ellis, an Englishman, says: "In Germany for years past it has +been difficult to take up a serious periodical without finding some +anxiously statistical article about the falling birth-rate, and some +wild recommendations for its arrest. For it is the militaristic German +who of all Europeans is most worried by this fall; indeed Germans often +even refuse to recognize it. Thus today we find Professor Gruber +declaring that if the population of the German Empire continues to grow +at the rate of the first five years of the present century, it will have +reached 250,000,000 at the end of the century. By such a vast increase +in population, the Professor complacently concludes, 'Germany will be +rendered invulnerable.' But Gruber's estimate is entirely fallacious. +German births have fallen, roughly speaking, about 1 per 1,000 of the +population, every year since the beginning of the century, and it would +be equally reasonable to estimate that if they continue to fall at the +present rate (which we cannot, of course, anticipate) births will +altogether have ceased in Germany before the end of the century. The +German birth-rate reached its climax forty years ago (1871-1880) with +40.7 per 1,000; in 1906 it was 34 per 1,000; in 1909 it was 31 per +1,000; in 1912 it was 28 per 1,000; in an almost measurable period of +time, in all probability before the end of the century, it will have +reached the same low level as that of France, when there will be but +little difference between the 'invulnerability' of France and of +Germany, a consummation which, for the world's sake, is far more +devoutly to be wished than that anticipated by Gruber." + +Writers of Teutonic sympathies have asserted that the aggressive +attitude of Germany at the beginning of the Great War was to be +legitimately explained and apologized for on the ground that the War was +the inevitable expansive outcome of the abnormally high birth-rate of +Germany in recent times. Dr. Dernburg, the German statesman, said not +very long ago: "The expansion of the German nation has been so +extraordinary during the past twenty-five years that the conditions +existing before the war had become insupportable." Another writer has +said: "Of later years there has arisen a movement among German women for +bringing abortion into honor and repute, so that it may be carried out +openly and with the aid of the best physicians. This movement has been +supported by lawyers and social reformers of high position." + +Thus, it would seem that a birth-rate stimulated by unusual +circumstances or by deliberate State encouragement, seemingly draws upon +it the operation of natural laws which tend to increase its death-rate +by War, as well as by an increased number of abortions, and an increased +death-rate. It would seem as natural laws operate to bring down the +population to normal by war if the other factors do not operate +sufficiently rapidly and efficiently. + +Havelock Ellis makes the following interesting statement: "If we survey +the belligerent nations in the war we may say that those who took the +initiative in drawing it on, or at all events were most prepared to +welcome it, were Germany, Austria, Serbia, and Russia--all nations with +a high birth-rate, and in which the fall of the birth-rate has not yet +had time to permeate. On the other hand, of the belligerent peoples of +today, all indications point to the French as the people most +intolerant, silently but deeply, of the war they are so ably and +heroically waging. Yet the France of the present, with the lowest +birth-rate, was a century ago the France of a birth-rate higher than +that of Germany today, and at that time the most militarist and +aggressive of nations, a perpetual menace to Europe." + +Finally, let us quote Havelock Ellis once more; he says: "When we +realize these facts we are also enabled to realize how futile, how +misplaced and how mischievous it is to raise the cry of 'Race Suicide.' +It is futile because no outcry can affect a world-wide movement of +civilization. It is misplaced because the rise and fall of the +population is not a matter of birth-rate alone, but of the birth-rate +combined with the death-rate, and while we cannot expect to touch the +former we can influence the latter. It is mischievous because by +fighting against a tendency which is not only inevitable but altogether +beneficial, we blind ourselves to the advance of civilization and risk +the misdirection of our energies. How far this blindness may be carried +we see in the false patriotism of those who in the decline of the +birth-rate, fancy they see the ruin of their own particular country, +oblivious of the fact that we are concerned with a phenomenon of +world-wide extension. The whole tendency of civilization is to reduce +the birth-rate. We may go further, and assert with the distinguished +German economist, Roscher, that the chief cause of the superiority of a +highly civilized state over lower stages of civilization is precisely a +greater degree of forethought and self-control in marriage and +child-bearing. Instead of talking about Race Suicide, we should do well +to observe at what an appalling rate, even yet, the population is +increasing; and we should note that it is everywhere the poorest and +most primitive countries, and in every country (as in Germany) the +poorest regions, which show the highest birth-rate." + +The same authority says: "One last resort the would-be patriotic +alarmist seeks when all others fail. He is good enough to admit that a +general decline in the birth-rate might be beneficial. But, he points +out, it affects social classes unequally. It is initiated, not by the +degenerate and unfit, with whom we could well dispense, but by the very +best classes in the community, the well-to-do and the educated. One is +inclined to remark, at once, that a social change initiated by its best +social class is scarcely likely to be pernicious. Where, it may be +asked, if not among the most educated classes, is any process of +amelioration to be initiated? We cannot make the world topsy-turvy to +suit the convenience of topsy-turvy minds. All social movements tend to +begin at the top and to permeate downwards. This has been the case with +the decline of the birth-rate, but it is already well marked among the +working classes, and has only failed to touch the lowest stratum of all, +too weak-minded and too reckless to be amenable to ordinary social +motives. The rational method of meeting this situation is not a +propaganda in favor of procreation--a truly imbecile propaganda, since +it is only carried out and only likely to be carried out, by the very +class which we wish to sterilize--but rather by a wise policy of +regulative eugenics. We have to create the motives, and it is not an +impossible task, which will act even upon the weak-minded and reckless +lowest social stratum." + + + + +LESSON XII + +THE ARGUMENT FOR BIRTH CONTROL + + +Let us now consider the general and special arguments advanced in favor +of rational and scientific Birth Control, as stated by the advocates +thereof. + +GENERAL ARGUMENT. The general argument in favor of Birth Control may +well be begun by the statement that rational and scientific Birth +Control is not the fixing upon the race of a new and unfamiliar practice +or policy, but is rather the scientific correction of a practice and +policy which is now followed by the majority of married persons in +civilized countries, though in a bungling, unscientific, and frequently +a harmful manner. The modern advocates of scientific methods of Birth +Control seek to replace these bungling, unscientific, and frequently +harmful methods by sane, scientific, harmless methods, approved of by +capable physicians and other experienced and capable authorities, and +under the sanction of the law rather than contrary to it. + +The advocates of Birth Control seek to place upon a scientific basis, +under cover and protection of the law, a subject which heretofore has +been but imperfectly known, and more imperfectly practiced in some form +by the majority of married couples, and which has heretofore been under +condemnation of the law so far as concerned the actual dissemination of +information concerning methods of contraception. They hold that it is +the veriest hypocrisy to pretend ignorance of the fact that the great +majority of married couples in civilized communities know and practice +to some extent contraceptive methods--usually imperfectly and +bunglingly, it must be added. + +One has but to consider the families of married couples, and to count +their children, to become aware that at least some form of contraception +has been known and practiced in many cases. This is particularly true of +the more intelligent and cultured members of civilized society, among +whom we find large families of children to be the exception, and small +families to be the general rule. Among the less intelligent and +uncultured classes the reverse of this condition is found. + +It is hypocritical folly to assert that these small families to be found +among the more intelligent classes of society are due to the fact that +the husbands and wives are physically incapable of procreating +off-spring--the mere suggestion produces an incredulous smile from the +reader. No one who is acquainted with the habits and customs of married +people would in good faith offer such an explanation. Rather is it +tacitly acknowledged by all thinking persons that such married couples +practice some form of Birth Control, or else commit the crime of +abortion. All physicians, particularly those who practice in the large +cities, are fully informed as to the appalling facts concerning the +prevalence of abortion among the women of the "respectable" classes, and +are likewise fully informed as to the terrible consequences so +frequently arising from this criminal course. + +The question, then, to many intelligent persons is not so much that of +"Should contraception be employed in order to avoid excessively large +families?" as that of "Should not contraception be employed to obviate +the crime of abortion with its terrible train of consequences?" And the +Birth Control propaganda which is so vigorously underway in all +civilized countries may be stated to be designed for the following +purposes: (1) to replace abortion, and other harmful methods of +restricting the size of families, with rational and scientific methods +of contraception; and (2) to supply to married persons the best +scientific knowledge concerning the regulation of the size of families, +and the methods of producing the best kind of children, under the best +conditions, and at the times best adapted for their proper care and +well-being. These advocates of the Betterment of the Race face the facts +of human nature and married life fearlessly, instead of trying to cover +them over with pretty words and sentimental generalities. They take +"things as they are," and not as certain persons insist that "they +should be"--they live in a world of facts and try to better things as +they find them, instead of trying to live in a fool's paradise and +contenting themselves with denying the existence of the facts which they +consider "ugly." + +Dr. William J. Robinson, one of the leading American workers in the +field of Birth Control, ably presents the main contention of the Birth +Control advocates as follows: + +"We believe that under any conditions, and particularly under our +present economic conditions, human beings should be able to control the +number of our offspring. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW MANY CHILDREN +THEY WANT TO HAVE, AND WHEN THEY WANT TO HAVE THEM. And to accomplish +this result we demand that the knowledge of controlling the number of +offspring, in other and plainer words, the knowledge of preventing +undesirable conception, should not be considered criminal knowledge, +that its dissemination should not be considered a criminal offense +punishable by hard labor in Federal prisons, but that it should be +considered knowledge useful and necessary to the welfare of the race and +of the individual; and that its dissemination should be permissible and +as respectable as is the dissemination of any hygienic, sanitary or +eugenic knowledge. + +"There is no element of force in our teachings; that is, we would not +force any family to limit the number of children against their will, +though we would endeavor to create a public opinion which would consider +it a disgrace for any family to have more children than they can bring +up and educate properly. We would consider it a disgrace, an anti-social +act, for any family to bring children into the world which they must +send out at an early age into the mills, shops, and streets to earn a +living, or must fall back upon public charity to save them from +starvation. + +"Public opinion is stronger than any laws, and in time people would be +as much ashamed of having children whom they could not bring up properly +in every sense of the word, as they are now ashamed of having their +children turn out criminals. Now, no disgrace can attach to any poor +family, no matter how many children they have, because they have not got +the knowledge, because society prevents them from having the knowledge +of how to limit the number of children. But if that knowledge became +easily accessible, and people still refused to avail themselves of it, +then they would properly be considered as anti-social, as criminal +members of society. As far as couples are concerned who are well-to-do, +who love children, and who are well capable of taking care of a large +number, we, that is, we American limitationists, would put no limit. On +the contrary, we would say: 'God bless you, have as many children as you +want to; there is plenty of room yet for all of you.'" + +Another writer, a celebrated English thinker along these lines, has said +of the general argument in favor of Birth Control: + +"It used to be thought that small families were immoral. We now begin to +see that it was the large families of old which were immoral. The +excessive birth-rate of the early industrial period was directly +stimulated by selfishness. There were no laws against child-labor; +children were produced that they might be sent out, when little more +than babies, to the factories and the mines to increase their parents' +incomes. The diminished birth-rate has accomplished higher moral +transformation. It has introduced a finer economy into life, diminished +death, disease, and misery. It is indirectly, and even directly, +improving the quality of the race. The very fact that children are born +at longer intervals is not only beneficial to the mother's health, and +therefore to the children's general welfare, but it has been proved to +have a marked and prolonged influence on the physical development of +children. + +"Social progress, and a higher civilization, we thus see, involve A +REDUCED BIRTH-RATE AND A REDUCED DEATH-RATE. The fewer the children +born, the fewer the risks of death, disease, and misery to the children +that are born. The fact that civilization involves small families is +clearly shown by the tendency of the educated and upper social classes +to have small families. As the proletariat class becomes educated and +elevated, disciplined to refinement and to foresight--as it were +aristocratised--it also has small families. Civilizational progress is +here on a line with biological progress. The lower organisms spawn their +progeny in thousands, the higher mammals produce but one or two at a +time. The higher the race, the fewer the offspring. + +"Thus diminution in quantity is throughout associated with augmentation +in quality. Quality rather than quantity is the racial ideal now set +before us, and it is an ideal which, as we are beginning to learn, it is +possible to cultivate, both individually and socially. That is why the +new science of eugenics or racial hygiene is acquiring so immense an +importance. In the past, racial selection has been carried out crudely +by the destructive, wasteful, and expensive method of elimination, +through death. In the future, it will be carried out far more +effectively by conscious and deliberate selection, exercised not merely +before birth, but before conception and even before mating. Galton, who +recognized the futility of mere legislation to elevate the race, +believed that the hope of the future lay in eugenics becoming a part of +religion. The good of the race lies, not in the production of a +super-man, but of a super-humanity. This can only be attained through +personal individual development, the increase of knowledge, the sense of +responsibility toward the race, enabling men to act in accordance with +responsibility. THE LEADERSHIP IN CIVILIZATION BELONGS NOT TO THE NATION +WITH THE HIGHEST BIRTH-RATE, BUT TO THE NATION WHICH HAS THUS LEARNT TO +PRODUCE THE FINEST MEN AND WOMEN." + +Let us now proceed to a consideration of the special arguments in favor +of rational and scientific Birth Control as advanced by its leading +advocates. + +The advocates of rational and scientific Birth Control have presented +the strongest points of their case in their replies to those opposing +the general idea, and without positively taking the stand that the +burden of the proof in the argument concerning Birth Control rested upon +those opposing the idea, have practically assumed that position. They +claim that the right to Birth Control is so self-evident, and its +application so generally recognized (though usually sought to be +smothered with silence) that the case in favor of Birth Control is +really quite apparent to anyone seriously considering the same without +prejudice. The opposing side of the question is held by them to be +represented principally by statements based on prejudice and +disingenuous statements, which are capable of being turned against those +advancing them. + +And, the present writer, likewise is of the opinion that the strongest +possible case for Birth Control is presented in the answer to the +arguments advanced by the opponents thereof. But, before proceeding to +the latter phase of the argument, it may be well to examine briefly the +several leading points of argument advanced by the advocates of rational +and scientific Birth Control, in order to clear the way for the answers +to the opposite side of the question. The reader is, therefore, invited +to consider the said points, briefly presented in the following +paragraphs: + +BIRTH CONTROL ENCOURAGES MARRIAGE. The advocates of Birth Control hold +that a scientific knowledge of contraception would speedily result in a +large increase of marriages, particularly among persons of limited +incomes. Persons who have not been able to accumulate the "little nest +egg" which prudent persons consider a requisite on the part of those +contemplating marriage and the responsibilities of rearing a family of +children, are in many cases caused to hesitate about contracting +marriage, and often relinquish the idea altogether. Many of these +persons are well adapted for marriage, being of the domestic temperament +and having the home ideal prominent in their mental makeup. + +The increasing number of bachelors and unmarried women past thirty years +of age, who are in evidence in all large centers of population at the +present time, is undoubtedly due to a great extent to the fear on the +part of these men and women regarding the proper support of a family of +children. Many men and women feel that the man is able to earn enough to +support himself and wife comfortably, by the exercise of economy, but +that the said earnings are not sufficient to provide properly for a +family of children. Some would be willing to have one or two children, +born after the couple have well established themselves, but are +appalled at the thought of bringing into the world a practically +unlimited number of little children for whom they would not be able to +provide properly. + +These people shrink at the idea of abortion, and doubt the efficacy of +the popular so-called contraceptive methods of which their friends tell +them, and they either defer the marriage until later in life, or else +give up the idea altogether as being impossible for them under the +existing circumstances. A scientific knowledge of the subject would give +to such persons--and there are many thousands of such--an assurance of +their ability to safely and properly control and regulate the size of +their families, and would lead to many a marriage which would otherwise +be out of the question. + +If it is agreed that the marriage state is the one normal to the average +man and woman, and that marriages are in the interests of society--and +few would seek to dispute this--then it would seem that anything that +would tend to encourage marriage among the right kind of persons should +receive the encouragement of society and be fully protected by the laws +of society; and that the old prejudice against the subject, and the laws +which discourage the same, and place a penalty upon the dissemination of +scientific methods leading to the said result, are unworthy of civilized +society and modern thought. + +EARLIER MARRIAGES AND CURB ON PROSTITUTION. It is generally conceded by +students of sociology that earlier marriages tend to decrease the causes +of the evil of prostitution, illicit sexual relations, and general +sexual morality; and the consequent spread and existence of the venereal +diseases which have followed in the trail of such relations. And it is +likewise conceded that prostitution is an evil, and a cancer spot upon +modern social life, and that venereal diseases constitute a frightful +menace to the health and physical welfare of the race. Therefore, it +would seem that anything which would promote early marriages among +healthy, intelligent young men and women would be a blessing to the race +and to society. And as these earlier marriages are unquestionably +prevented in a great number of cases by reasons of the fear of +inadequate financial support for large families of children, it would +seem to follow that the best interests of society would be served by the +encouragement by public opinion, under the protection of the law, of the +teaching by competent authorities upon the subject of rational and +scientific methods of Birth Control. + +HEALTH OF WIVES. The advocates of Birth Control lay considerable stress +upon the fact that a scientific knowledge of Birth Control would +practically obviate the state of broken-down health so common among +married women, particularly among those who have been compelled to bear +large numbers of children during the first few years of married life. +Many a young married woman is in bad health--often reaching the state of +chronic invalidism--as the result of having had to bear too many +children, and in too close succession. + +Not only is the above the case, but there is to be found on all sides +many cases of invalidism and shattered health caused by the horrible +practice of criminal abortion. It is doubted whether anyone outside of +medical circles can even faintly begin to realize the frequency of this +practice of abortion among the well-to-do, and those in "comfortable +circumstances"--not to speak of the countless deaths which arise from +the prevalence of this curse. Were a physician to even faintly indicate +the number of cases coming under his personal professional attention, in +which the patient is suffering from the effects of one or more +abortions, he would be accused of gross exaggeration, and would be +condemned as a sensationalist. + +Without going into detail concerning these things, the writer states +that it is a matter of common knowledge among physicians that in every +large city there are thousands of unscrupulous (including those who call +themselves physicians) who are kept busy every week in the year +performing criminal operations designed to produce abortions. Some of +these practitioners have many regular patients--women who visit them +regularly for the purpose of having abortions produced by criminal +operations. It seems almost incredible, but it is a veritable fact, that +there are to be found many women in the large cities who actually boast +to their friends of the number of operations of this kind they have had +performed on them. + +Surely, any instruction which would prevent the physical breakdown of so +many women by reason of excessive child-bearing on the one hand, and +abortion on the other hand, would seem to be worthy of the hearty +support of society, and the encouragement of its laws, rather than the +reverse. So true does this seem, that it is difficult to realize that +there are any intelligent persons who would condemn such instruction as +evil and harmful to society. That such persons do exist is a striking +proof of the persistence of ancient superstitions and the survival and +tenacity of old prejudices. + +MORALITY OF MARRIED MEN. It is a matter of common knowledge among +physicians, and students of sociology, that many married men, +particularly those living in the large cities, indulge in extra-marital +or illicit sexual relations, with prostitutes and other women of loose +morals, and this not because these men are naturally vicious, depraved +or licentious, but rather because they fear causing their wives to bear +them more children--the wives either being in delicate or broken-down +health, or else the family already too large to be reared properly in +justice to the children. + +Many persons who would see only what "ought to be," and who refuse to +see "things as they are" in modern society, will be disposed to +pooh-pooh the above statement, and to accuse those making it to be +sensational or even morbid on the subject. But those who are brought in +close contact with men and women, as are family physicians and +specialists, as well as honest students of sociology, know only too well +that the above is not an over-statement, but is rather a very +conservative recital of certain unpleasant, but true, facts of human +society. + +JUSTICE TO THE CHILDREN. The advocates of scientific Birth Control hold +that a scientific knowledge along the lines favored by them would +prevent the gross injustice to children which is now only too obvious to +anyone who candidly considers the matter without prejudice. The child +brought into the world, unwanted, undesired, unprepared for, and +unprovided for before and after birth, is handicapped from the very +start of its existence upon earth. The present state of affairs works a +terrible injustice upon countless children brought into the world in +such conditions. Nothing that the present writer could put into words +would state this fact more concisely and clearly than the following +statement made by Dr. Wm. J. Robinson, a leading authority along these +lines, who has said: + +"The responsibility of bringing a child into the world under our present +social and economic conditions is a very great one. The primitive savage +or the coarse ignorant man does not care. It does not bother him what +becomes of his offspring; if they get an education, if they have enough +to eat, if they learn a trade or a profession, well--if they don't, +also well; if they achieve a competence or a decent social position, he +is satisfied--if not, he can't help it. God willed it so. But, on the +other hand, the cultured, refined man and woman look at the matter +differently. The thought of bringing into the world a human being which +may be physically handicapped, which may be mentally inferior, which may +have a hard struggle through life, which may have to go through endless +misery and suffering, fills them with anguish. * * * * * + +"We see about us millions of working men and women who go through life, +from cradle to grave, without a ray of joy, without anything that makes +life worth living. In the higher classes we see a constant, hard, +infuriated struggle to make a living, to make a career, and the spectre +of poverty is almost as unremittingly before the eyes of the middle and +professional classes as it is before the eyes of the laborer. And all +over we see ignorance, superstition, beliefs bordering on insanity, +hardness, coarseness, rowdyism, brutality, crime and prostitution; +prostitution of the body, and what is worse, prostitution of the mind, +the hiding or selling of one's convictions for a mess of pottage. And +our prisons, asylums, and hospitals are not decreasing, but increasing +in number and inmates. + +"It is my sincerest and deepest conviction that we could accomplish +incomparably more if only a small part of the energy and money now spent +on philanthropic efforts were expended in teaching the women, the +married women of the poor, how to limit the number of their children; in +other words, how to prevent conception. It would work a wonderful reform +in the lives of the poor, and our slums would be metamorphosed in ten +years. * * * It is we who are to blame now for the large families of +the poor, and for this reason we are morally obligated to give them the +financial and medical aid that they demand. But when effectual means +are put into their hands for limiting the number of their offspring, +then they, and not we, will be to blame if they do not make use of +them. * * * * + +"The rich and the upper-middle classes, those to whom several children +would be the least burden, are quite familiar with the various means of +prevention. The poorer middle classes use preventives recommended by +their friends; these preventives sometimes succeed, sometimes fail, and +sometimes ruin the woman's health. While the very poor, the +wage-earners, those who can least afford to have unlimited progeny, +knowing no means of prevention, go on breeding to their own and to the +community's detriment. The result, as you can plainly see, is a general +lowering of the physical and mental stamina of the race. For if the +cultured and the well-to-do do not breed, or have only a few children, +while the poor and the ignorant go on having a numerous progeny for +which they cannot well provide, and which they cannot afford to educate +properly, it stands to reason that the percentage of the uneducated, the +unfit and the criminal, must go on constantly increasing. And this is +something that no lover of humanity can look upon with equanimity." + +Surely the above recited special points of argument in favor of Birth +Control seem to be statements of self-evident facts to the unprejudiced +mind, do they not? And the person of this kind who considers them +carefully for the first time usually finds himself wondering what +rational argument can be fairly urged on the other side of this +important question. And, when he acquaints himself with the arguments of +"the other side" he usually finds himself even more established in the +belief that scientific Birth Control is advisable, sane, and along the +lines of the mental evolution of the race. At any rate, it is difficult +to escape the conviction that the burden of proof needed to controvert a +proposition so nearly self-evident as intelligent and scientific Birth +Control, must be placed squarely upon the shoulders of those opposing +the proposition. + + + + +LESSON XIII + +THE ARGUMENT AGAINST BIRTH CONTROL + + +The argument against Birth Control, urged by those who are opposed to +the dissemination of scientific information on the subject, may be +reduced to a few general points. These points of objection I shall now +state, together with the rejoinder to each as given by the advocates of +the proposition. I think that these points cover the main argument +advanced against Birth Control, and I shall endeavor to state them as +fully and as fairly as possible. + +OPPOSED TO RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS. One of the most common arguments +advanced against Birth Control is the one which holds that the idea is +opposed to religious teachings. The statement, however, is usually made +in a vague general way, the charge of "irreligious" being hurled without +explanation, and usually without any attempt to show any proof of the +accusation. + +As a matter of fact, as the advocates of Birth Control have pointed out, +there is nothing whatsoever in the New Testament which in fairness may +be construed as indicating Birth Control as sinful; in fact, it has been +frequently asserted by authorities on the subject that there is nothing +to be found in either the Old Testament or the New Testament which +directly or indirectly prohibits the limitation of offspring, or which +encourages the production of an unlimited number of children regardless +of all other conditions. + +Nor do the majority of the various religious denominations seem to have +in their statements of doctrine and living anything in the nature of +prohibition along the lines indicated above. It is true, however, that +the Roman Catholic Church does quite positively, and vigorously, +condemn and prohibit the use of contraceptive methods among its members; +and I have been informed that its priests place such methods in the +category of methods producing abortion, both being regarded as +practically identical with infanticide. I have been informed, however, +that in this Church the restriction of marital relations to certain +periods of the month in which conception is held to be not so likely to +be effected, with abstinence at other periods, is a method of limiting +offspring that does not come under the ban, particularly if there be a +reasonable excuse offered for the desire to limit the size of the +family; though, as a rule, even such method is frowned upon unless the +reasonable excuse be forthcoming. + +In the case of members of the Catholic Church--and these only--there may +seem to be warrant for the objection to Birth Control as "contrary to +religion," it being assumed that the teachings and rules of the Church +constitute the true measure of "religion." To such there is, of course, +only one answer, and that is that if the teaching or practice of Birth +Control methods be held by them to be "contrary to religion" (according +to their definition of "religion") then they have merely to adhere to +the said religious teachings, and to refuse to learn anything about +Birth Control. The matter undoubtedly is one entirely for the exercise +of their own judgment and conscience. There is no desire on the part of +the advocates of Birth Control to insist that such people must limit the +size of their families--or for that matter that there is any "must" +about it for anyone whatsoever. + +But we must not lose sight of the fact that the laws and customs of +society in general are not based upon, or bound up with, the teachings +and rules of this particular Church. On the contrary, particularly in +the instance of Marriage and Divorce, many of our customs sanctioned by +our laws permit and sanction things which are not countenanced or +approved of by the Church in question. But just as persons outside of +that Church are in no way bound by the teachings or rules thereof in the +matter of Marriage and Divorce, so are they in no way bound by the +teachings and rules of the said Church concerning the limitation of the +size of families. The Church in question does not regard "civil +marriages" as true marriages at all--yet our laws, and general public +opinion, countenance such marriages; and it is extremely probable that +within a comparatively short time the status of Birth Control will +likewise manifest the same conflict between State and Church. But just +as no Catholic is COMPELLED to accept or practice civil marriage, so no +Catholic will be compelled to accept or practice Birth Control. + +Religion is entirely a matter of individual belief and faith, and binds +no one not agreeing with its precepts. There is no union of Church and +State in this country, or in most other modern civilized countries; and +we are not under the jurisdiction of the Church in matters of conscience +or conduct, unless we voluntarily so place ourselves under such +jurisdiction and control. The argument that Birth Control which is based +upon the assertion that it is opposed to the edicts or dogmas of some +particular Church organization, is found to be no true argument for the +reasons given above; and such argument must be dismissed as fallacious +by those who base their judgments and conduct upon the dictates of +science, reason, and common-sense, rather than upon the dogmas or +decrees of any Church organization. The answer to those who urge that +"Birth Control is contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church" is: +"Well, what of it? if you are not a Catholic!" + +The force of the above objection to Birth Control becomes important when +we find that those who are opposed to Birth Control merely because their +Church condemns it do not content themselves with letting alone the +subject, but would also endeavor to fasten the rule of their Church upon +the rest of society. While such persons are undoubtedly acting in good +faith, and inspired by motives which seem good to them, they should stop +to remember that general society refuses to accept the rules of their +Church in the matter of Marriage and Divorce, and is likely to refuse a +like attempt to fasten upon it the rules of the Church in the case of +Birth Control. The general public, here and in the first mentioned +cases, will insist upon entering a plea of "LACK OF JURISDICTION." + +In the cases of persons outside of the Church in question who may +consider Birth Control to be contrary to their religious convictions and +teachings, there is to be made the same answer given above, namely, that +the advocates of Birth Control are not trying to force anything upon +those who entertain such religious or conscientious scruples--they would +leave such persons free to follow the dictates of their own conscience +or the religious teachings favored by them. But at the same time they +would demand the legal and moral right to follow the dictates of their +own conscience and reason, and would insist upon their right to receive +legal protection for the dissemination of their scientific teachings. +All that the advocates of Birth Control are claiming is the right of +free speech and free knowledge concerning this subject which they deem +concerned with the future progress and well-being of the race. + +The argument against Birth Control which is based upon the claim that it +is "irreligious," arises from the general tradition based upon the +Hebrew conception of a Deity who bade the legendary first families of +the race to "increase and multiply." According to the scriptural +narrative this authoritative command was addressed to a world inhabited +by eight people. From such a point of view a world's population of a few +thousand persons would have seemed inconceivably great. But the old +legendary command has become a tradition which has survived amid +conditions totally unlike those under which it arose. + +Under this old traditionary conception reproduction was regarded as a +process in which men's minds and wills had no part. To those holding it, +knowledge of Nature was still too imperfect for the recognition of the +fact that the whole course of the world's natural history has been an +erection of barrier against wholesale and indiscriminate reproduction. +Thus it came about that under the old dispensation, which is now forever +passing away, to have as many children as possible and to have them as +often as possible--providing that certain ritual prescriptions were +fulfilled--seemed to be a religious duty. + +Today the conditions have altogether altered, and even our own feelings +have altered. We no longer feel with the ancient Hebrew who bequeathed +his ideals, though not his practices, to Christendom, that to have as +many wives and concubines and as large a family as possible is both +natural and virtuous and in the best interests of religion. We realize, +moreover, that such claimed Divine Commands were the expression of the +prophets and rulers of the people to whom they were addressed, and in +accordance with the ideals concerning race-betterment which were held by +these self-constituted authorities. + +To the educated men and women of today, it is seen that these ideals of +human-betterment (no longer imposed upon the people under the guise of +Divine Commands, but rather by an appeal to their reason and judgment) +are no longer based upon the sanctification of the impulse of the +moment, but rather involve restraint of the impulse of the moment as +taught by the lessons of foresight and regard for the future which the +race has received. We no longer believe that we are divinely ordered to +be reckless, or that God commands us to have children who, as we +ourselves know, are fatally condemned to disease or premature death. +Matters which we formerly believed to be regulated only by Providence, +are now seen to be properly regulated by the providence, prudence, +foresight, and self-restraint of men themselves. These characteristics +are those of moral men, and those persons who lack these characteristics +are condemned by our social order to be reckoned among the dregs of +mankind. Our social order is one in which the sphere of procreation +could not be reached or maintained by the systematic control of +offspring. + +More and more is Religion perceived to be more than a mere matter of the +observance of certain ritual and ceremonies, or the belief in certain +dogmas. More and more is true religion seen to be vitally concerned and +bound up with the relations of man to man, and the welfare of society in +general. More and more is it being perceived that anything which is +decidedly anti-social, or opposed to the best interests of +human-betterment, is not truly "religious," no matter how sanctified by +tradition, or bound up with ritual and ceremonies it may be. + +The spirit of modern Christianity is seen to consist of two fundamental +principles, viz.: (1) the love of God; and (2) the Golden Rule. The +conscientious Christian who uses head and heart in harmony and unison, +cannot avoid the conclusion that the avoidance of the bringing into the +world of offspring destined by social and economic conditions to +misery, poverty, and sin, is more in accordance with the true spirit of +Christianity than opposed to it--the ancient dogmas and traditions of +the Church to the contrary notwithstanding. Modern religion is based +upon Reason as well as upon Faith, and it is safe to predict the time +when Birth Control will not only be sanctioned by "religion," but also +encouraged by it. + +IS IT IMMORAL? Akin to the objection urged against Birth Control on the +score of conflict with religious teachings, we find the one which states +that "it is IMMORAL." Morality means "quality of an action which renders +it right or good; right conduct." Right conduct or "good" action depends +upon the effect of the conduct or action upon the individual, other +individuals, or society in general. The standards of morality, right +conduct, and good actions have changed from time to time in the history +of the race, and are not fixed. Reason teaches that that which is for +the benefit of the individual and the race is and must be "moral," and +that which is harmful to the individual and the race is and must be +"immoral." + +As to whether Birth Control is helpful or harmful to the individual and +the race--moral or immoral--the individual student of the question must +decide for himself after having given the subject careful and +unprejudiced consideration. The advocates of Birth Control hold that +every fair argument and consideration of the question must bring the +unprejudiced person to the conviction that the ideals advanced by them +are in the direction of the betterment of the race, and the increased +happiness of the individuals composing the race. If such be the case, +then Birth Control must be regarded as positively "moral" in character +and principles, and its teachings directly in the interests of +"morality." + +So true is the above statement that every argument of the advocates of +Birth Control is based upon the assumption of its "morality," in the +sense of making for human betterment. If it be shown that the teachings +are in anywise "immoral," in the sense indicated, then no one would be +quicker to condemn them than the intelligent and conscientious advocate +of Birth Control, for the reason that his whole case is based upon the +inherent "morality" of his ideals. + +Any one who has made a careful and unprejudiced study of the subject of +Birth Control will discard the idea that a tendency so deeply rooted in +Nature as is Birth Control can ever be in opposition to morality. It can +only be so held as contrary to morality when men confuse the eternal +principles of morality, whatever they may be, with their temporary +applications, which are always becoming modified in adaptation to +changing circumstances. + +The old ideals of morality placed the whole question of procreation +under the authority (after God) of men. Women were in subjection to men, +and had no right of freedom, no right to responsibility, no right to +knowledge, for, it was believed, if they were entrusted with any of +these they would abuse them at once. This view prevails even today in +some civilized countries, and middle-aged Italian parents, for instance, +will not allow their daughters to be conducted by a man even to Mass, +for they believe that as soon as they are out of their sight they will +be unchaste. That is their morality. + +Our morality today is different. It is inspired by different ideas, and +aims at a different practice. We are by no means disposed to rate highly +the morality of a girl who is only chaste so long as she is under her +parents' eyes; for us, indeed, that is much more like immorality than +morality. We, today, wish women to be reasonably free; we wish them to +be trained in a sense of responsibility for their own actions; we wish +them to possess knowledge, more especially in the sphere of sex, once +theoretically opposed to them, which we now recognize as peculiarly +their own domain. + +Our ideal woman today is not she who is deprived of freedom and +knowledge in the cloister, even though only the cloister of her own +home; but rather the woman who being instructed from early life in the +facts of sexual physiology and sexual hygiene, is also trained to +exercise judgment, will, self-restraint, and self-responsibility, and +able and worthy to be trusted to follow the path which is right +according to the highest ideals of the society of which she is a part. +That is the only kind of morality which now seems to us to be worth +while. + +And, as any unprejudiced intelligent person is forced to admit, there is +nothing in the policy of scientific Birth Control to run contrary to +such an ideal of moral womanhood. + +But the relation of Birth Control to morality is, however, by no means a +question which concerns women alone. It equally concerns men. Here we +have to recognize, not only that the exercise of control over +procreation enables a man to form a marriage of faithful devotion with +the woman of his choice at an earlier age than would otherwise be +possible, but it further enables him, throughout the whole of his +married life, to continue such relationship under circumstances which +might otherwise render them injurious or else undesirable to his wife. + +That the influence exerted by a general knowledge of scientific methods +of Birth Control would suffice to entirely abolish prostitution it is +foolish to maintain, although it would undoubtedly tend to decrease the +social evil. And even the partial elimination of prostitution would be +in the interests of general morality, not only in the direction of +lessening the brutal demand of women to serve in the ranks of +prostitution, but also in many other ways of importance to society as a +whole. The decrease of venereal disease would follow a decrease in +prostitution caused by a general knowledge and practice of scientific +methods of Birth Control on the part of married people; and it must be +remembered that venereal disease spreads far beyond the patrons of +prostitution and is a perpetual menace to others who may become innocent +victims. And any influence that serves to decrease prostitution and the +spread of venereal disease, must be placed in the category of "moral," +and certainly not in the opposite one. + +The objection is frequently heard that the general knowledge of +scientific methods of contraception would lead to increased illicit +relations among unmarried persons, particularly among the young people. +This argument is apparently based upon the belief, or fear, that the +fear of conception is the only thing which prevents many persons from +indulging in illicit relations. It assumes that a large portion of our +womankind are chaste simply because of fear of pregnancy; and that this +fear once removed these women would at once plunge into such relations. +In other words, it assumes that mentally and in spirit these women are +already unchaste, but are restrained from physical unchastity by reason +of the fear of conception. + +The answer of the advocates of Birth Control takes direct issue with the +above contention. On the contrary, it asserts that the chastity of our +women is the result of their general training, education, heredity, +observance of the accepted customs and standards of their community, +religious and moral training, etc. The woman who is chaste simply +through fear, usually manages to allay that fear in one way or another, +often by mistaken methods which work great harm to the woman and the +community in general. The general knowledge of scientific contraceptive +methods might result in such women manifesting their inclinations and +desires in a "safer" manner, but this "safety" would not consist of +protection against conception (for that they already think they have) +but rather of a protection against the dangers of abortion and similar +evil practices. + +Some of the writers go further in this matter, as for instance Dr. +Robinson, who says: "If some women are bound to have illicit relations, +is it not better that they should know the use of scientific preventives +than that they should become pregnant, disgracing and ostracising +themselves, and their families; or that they should subject themselves +to the degradation and risks of an abortion; or failing this, take +carbolic acid or bichloride, jump into the river, or throw themselves +under the wheels of a running train?" + +The objection to Birth Control on the ground that it would increase +illicit relations among men and women by means of removing the fear of +physical consequences, seems to many careful thinkers to be akin to the +old objection (now happily passing away) to the dissemination of the +knowledge of the treatment of venereal diseases, and to the public cure +of such diseases, on the ground that by so doing a part of the fear +concerning illicit relations was removed, and thereby illicit relations +actually encouraged. The result of this fallacious argument was the +enormous spread of venereal diseases, to the great hurt of the race; and +the encouragement of quacks and charlatans who fattened on the gains +received from the sufferers from this class of complaints. The argument +against Birth Control on similar grounds will be seen to be equally +fallacious, and capable of equally evil consequences, if the matter be +fairly and carefully considered. + +Illicit relations, if prevented or regulated at all by society, must be +so regulated or prevented by other means than fear of conception. Such +fear, though it may deter for a short time, will usually be overcome in +time if the desire and temptation remain sufficiently strong. It is +doubtful whether any considerable number of women remain chaste for any +length of time simply by reason of fear of conception. If such fear be +the only remaining deterring factor, it will usually be swept away in +time under continued temptation, opportunity, and desire. Chastity and +virtue must have a far more solid foundation than such fear; and +experience repeatedly shows that such fear is but as shifting sand +sought to be employed as a foundation for the structure of chastity. + +There is no reason whatsoever for believing that the scientific +knowledge of contraceptive methods, if generally possessed by married +people under the sanction of the law and society, would result in any +more cases of illicit relations than exist at the present time. It +might, it is true, result in less evil consequences of such relations in +some cases, as Dr. Robinson has so clearly pointed out in the above +quotation; but the relations in such cases would exist in either event. +Fear of conception, like fear of infection, has never, and will never +entirely prevent illicit relations between men and women; and to oppose +scientific information in the one case on these grounds, is as futile as +to oppose scientific treatment in the other case on the same grounds. +And when it is considered how society in general is injured by the +withholding of such information or treatment, respectively, the argument +in favor of such suppression of scientific truth and method is seen to +be actually dangerous to society and sub-service of the public good. + +I would like to add a few words concerning the question of morality in +the matter of practicing scientific Birth Control. To me what I shall +say in the succeeding paragraphs of this chapter have a vital bearing on +the whole subject, and should be taken into serious consideration by the +fair-minded and conscientious student of the subject. Here follows my +thought in the matter: + +In my consideration of the arguments against scientific Birth Control I +am impressed with one particular thought which refuses to be silenced, +but which insists upon persistently presenting itself to my +consciousness. This particular thought may be expressed as follows: It +is admitted by unprejudiced students of the subject that the educated +and cultured portions of the civilized countries of modern times do +actually practice, to some extent, in some form, manner, or degree, the +limitation of offspring--no honest observer will dispute this statement. +This being so, does it not seem that the race should fairly and +squarely, honestly and frankly, face this question and decide whether or +not such rules of conduct are "right" or "wrong"--"moral" or +"immoral"--and to what extent, if any, they should be permitted or +encouraged to be practiced toward the ends of individual and race +happiness and betterment. + +If the decision is totally against this rule of conduct, then it should +be vigorously denounced, and all honest people should refrain from it. +If, on the contrary, the decision should be that this mode of conduct, +or some phases of it, are justified, then, in the name of Honesty and +Truth, let us turn on the full light of general information, knowledge, +and instruction on the subject, under the full protection of the laws +and public opinion. Why should we not throw aside the mask of cowardly +hypocrisy, and stand before the world showing ourselves as just what we +really are? + +My thought, in essence, is that the chief "wrong," and "immorality" +about the whole matter consists in our present practice of doing one +thing in private, and condemning the same thing in public. There can be +no excuse, to the intellectually honest person at least, for the course +of tacitly holding that a certain thing is "all right for us," while +"all wrong for the other folks." + +IS IT INJURIOUS TO HEALTH? It is sometimes urged against Birth Control +that the use of contraceptive methods is injurious to the health of +women, in some cases a long list of physical and mental ills being given +as possible of being caused by such methods. Opposed to this is the +contention of the members of the medical profession who have arrayed +themselves on the side of scientific Birth Control. The latter +authorities positively contradict the assertion that women's health is +injured by the practice of rational and scientific methods of Birth +Control; although these authorities freely admit, in fact they CLAIM, +that certain unscientific methods and practices popular among certain +persons--such as the use of certain chemicals and mechanical +appliances--undoubtedly have resulted in physical harm, and they +strongly advise against the use of such bunglesome methods. + +One of the leading medical advocates of scientific Birth Control in the +United States throws down the gauntlet squarely before those of his +profession, and others, who urge this objection to scientific Birth +Control, in the following challenging words: "I challenge any physician, +any gynecologist, to bring forth A SINGLE AUTHENTICATED CASE in which +disease or injury resulted from the use of modern methods of prevention. +I know they cannot do it." And others in the ranks of the medical +profession have made similar assertions and claims. The unprejudiced +person who will consult the best medical authorities on the subject will +unquestionably agree that the best medical opinion of the day holds that +scientific Birth Control is not in fairness to be open to this +objection. + +IS BIRTH CONTROL UNNATURAL? Another favorite argument of the opponents +of scientific Birth Control is the broad statement and claim that "all +voluntary attempts to limit procreation are unnatural," and therefore +wrong. This objection, while usually offered without any particular +argument, explanation, or proof, must be carefully and honestly met and +answered by the fair-minded advocate of Birth Control. + +In the first place, it may as well be admitted that regulation, +restriction, or control of the procreative functions by application of +the intellect or reasoning processes IS unnatural, in the sense of not +being indicated by Nature and enforced through the instinctive actions +of the race. The only instinct which primitive man seems to have had in +this case (and these he held in common with the lower animals) was that +of free and unlimited sexual intercourse, in response to his instinctive +desires, with this exception (and this exception should be carefully +noted), i. e.: that the male respected the instinctive disinclination to +cohabit during the period in which the woman was pregnant, and often +also during the period in which she nursed her infant. This instinct, +unhappily for the race, the "civilized" man has overridden until it has +practically ceased to manifest its voice. + +The lower animals, obeying this primitive instinct, do not manifest +violation of this law of Nature. On the contrary, the female will not +allow the male to approach her at such times, and will fight savagely at +any attempt to violate this instinctive law of her nature. The male +usually recognizes the existence of this law, and makes no attempt to +violate it, but should he attempt the same he is defeated by the female +as above stated. It has remained for Man alone to override and violate, +and to eventually render nul and void this wise instinctive provision of +Nature. + +But beyond this there is no "natural," instinctive regulation of the +sexual activities of animal or man, other than the desires of the male +and female. If civilized man adhered wholly to the "natural" in this +respect, he would obey the voice of instinct alone, and would show +reason and intellect the door in such matters, and would also bid +defiance to all legal or ecclesiastical authority when it sought to +"control" his activities along these lines. But, it is needless to say, +such is not the case. Not only has the Law of the Church insisted upon +certain "control" of these matters--as witness the laws against +adultery, illicit relations, incest, bastardy, etc.--but man, himself, +has asserted a greater and still greater voluntary control over the +reproductive functions as he has risen in the scale of civilization and +culture. + +Today it is only the lowest and least cultured classes of society who +(to use the expressive but somewhat inelegant term) persist in "breeding +like pigs." All other classes exercise a greater or less degree of +"control" of some kind in the matter of limitation of offspring. In +making this broad assertion I, of course, have in mind not only the +modern methods urged by the advocates of scientific contraception, but +also the "control" and regulation observed by married persons in either +total abstinence from the marital relations for a stated time, or else +the abstinence from such relations during certain portions of the lunar +month, the latter method (somewhat uncertain, however, in its efficacy +in some cases) being apparently favored by certain ecclesiastical +authorities as the "only moral" method. + +In view of the above facts, which might be enlarged and extended if +necessary, it is seen that as soon as man rises above the level of the +beast or savage--as soon as he begins to manifest culture and +civilization--he begins to exercise a certain "control" over the +procreative FUNCTION, and in the direction of the limitation of the +size of his family of offspring. The contention of the modern advocates +of scientific Birth Control is that the "new ideas" on the subject are +simply a natural and inevitable evolution from the degrees of "control" +which man has exercised since the time he emerged from savagery. The +later developments are no more "unnatural" than the earlier--nor the +accepted methods and forms any more "natural" than those which are now +opposed by the more conservative elements of society. + +When anyone begins to talk about things being "natural" or "unnatural," +respectively, he should tread softly and watch his steps carefully. For +at every step he treads upon instances of "unnatural" modes and methods +of living. Strictly speaking, it is "unnatural" to wear clothes, or to +cook food, or to live in houses, or to ride in conveyances or on +horseback. All of these things have been evolved by the use of intellect +and reason, and are not instinctive or "natural" to man. Birds build +nests, wasps build shelter, hornets build homes, bees build honey-combs, +worms build cocoons, snails build shells--all by instinct and +"naturally"--and the young of such species do not have to be TAUGHT how +to do these things. But the young of the human race requires to be +taught such things as above mentioned as having been evolved by man in +the course of his rise from savagery--instinct will not do it for them. +And all of these things outside the plane of instinct, and within the +plane of intellect, cannot be called "natural" in the strict sense of +the term. + +You think that I am exaggerating the matter, perhaps. Well, then, I ask +you to consider the meaning of the two terms which I have employed so +freely in the foregoing paragraphs: First, let us consider the term, +"NATURAL"; we find it defined as "FIXED OR DETERMINED BY NATURE, AND, +THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO NATURE, AND NOT ARTIFICIAL, ASSUMED, OR +ACQUIRED." Next, let us consider the term, "INSTINCT"; we find it +defined as "NATURAL IMPULSE, OR UNCONSCIOUS, INVOLUNTARY, OR UNREASONING +PROMPTING TO ANY ACTION." It will be seen, accordingly, that merely the +most elemental and primitive activities of man are "natural" in this +sense; and that all his acquired activities and methods are "not +natural." + +The activities of man which are in the "not natural" class may be either +desirable for the individual and the race, or else undesirable for both. +Therefore, it will be seen, all such activities must be subjected to the +test of reason and experience in order to determine whether they are in +the best interests of the individual and the race, or else opposed to +these. This is the only sane method of testing the validity and +desirability of such things--Birth Control among the others. The claim +of "not natural," if applied at all, must be extended to ALL things +which are not strictly "natural" or instinctive--it is casuistical to +apply the term in reproach to certain things and to withhold it from +others in the same general class. + + + + +LESSON XIV + +RACE SUICIDE + + +A favorite argument of certain opponents of scientific Birth Control is +that such teachings and modes of conduct tend toward Race Suicide, and +the consequent weakening and final destruction of the human race by +means of "bleeding it white" by draining from it its normal supply of +children. Those who hold this view argue that if Birth Control methods +become popular, and sanctioned by the law and public opinion, then the +race will eventually die out and disappear from the face of the earth. +Some vary the argument by insisting that those nations favoring Birth +Control would suffer decline and gradual extinction at the hands of +other nations opposed to scientific methods of regulating the number and +frequency of offspring. This is a serious charge against Birth Control, +which if proved would probably serve to array all right-thinking persons +against it. + +But the advocates of Birth Control seriously and positively controvert +and deny the validity and truth of this argument. On the contrary they +claim that scientific Birth Control would not only keep up the +population of all countries, or any country, to a normal standard +proportionate to its ability to sustain properly such population, but +will also act to render that population stronger and better, physically, +mentally and morally, and far more efficient in every way owing to +improved quality of the stock. The first requisite is met by THE +REDUCTION OF THE DEATH RATE to meet the decreasing birth-rate; and the +second requisite is met by the improvement of the stock by proper +rearing and training made possible by the decreased size of the average +family. BIRTH CONTROL SERVES TO ELIMINATE THE WASTE CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE +INFANT MORTALITY, and to thus fully counterbalance the decreased birth +rate. + +The advocates of Birth Control assert that the natural instinct of +parenthood, the love of children, and the desire for offspring and the +perpetuation of the family name and stock, are too firmly rooted and +grounded in human nature to be seriously affected by such knowledge and +practice on the part of the race. They point to the fact that in many +families in which intelligent modes of Birth Control are favored, and in +which the size of the family has been limited to a few children, the +children are, as a rule, better cared for and provided for, better +reared and better educated, than in the case of families in which +children are brought into the world without thought or reason, and +without the possibility of proper care and rearing. Birth Control, say +its advocates, will not do away with children, but will merely regulate +their number to rational limits, and at appropriate intervals between +births. Moreover, it is claimed, that while the birth-rate in such +families may be smaller, THE DEATH-RATE IS ALSO SMALLER. And, at the +last, it is the number of children that SURVIVE that counts with the +race, not those who merely are BORN. + +The fact that many persons consult physicians for a cure for sterility, +and go to great trouble and expense to further the bearing of children, +and the fact many childless couples adopt children rather than to have a +childless home, are evidence of the fact that there is no danger of the +parental instinct dying out. It is the experience of physicians +generally that the patients who desire information regarding scientific +contraceptive methods are usually those who already have as many +children as they can well take care of, and not those who wish to escape +parenthood in toto. + +We are constantly reminded that the size of the average family is much +smaller than it was a hundred years ago--but still the race is rapidly +increasing, owing to the decreased death-rate resulting from a better +knowledge of hygiene and medicine. Moreover, it is positively asserted +that the "old time large family" frequently had one father but several +mothers--the husband marrying several times in order to replace with a +new life the old wife who had broken down and died from overwork and +excessive childbearing. + +It is claimed that in Holland, in which Birth Control is recognized by +law, and where it is legally sanctioned and even encouraged among those +who are not able to support large families, statistics show that the +population is increasing more rapidly than before, owing to the +decreased mortality of infants and young children arising from the +better care of those who are born. + +Dr. Robinson says on this point: "Here we have a whole country, Holland, +in which the prevention of conception is legally sanctioned, in which +the use of preventives is practically universal--and is this country +dying out? On the contrary, it is increasing more rapidly than before, +because we have this remarkable and gratifying phenomenon to bear in +mind, that WHEREVER THE BIRTH-RATE GOES DOWN, THE DEATH RATE GOES DOWN +PARI PASSU, OR EVEN TO A STILL GREATER DEGREE. This can be proven by +statistics from almost every country in the world. For instance, in 1910 +the birth-rate in Holland was 32, and the mortality 18; in 1912 the +birth-rate fell to 28, but then the mortality rate fell still lower, +namely to 12, so we see an actual gain in population, instead of a loss. +And the physical constitution of the people has been improving * * *. +And in New Zealand, where the sale of contraceptives is practically +free, the birth rate is now 20, and the mortality rate is 10. Does that +look like race suicide? On the contrary, there is a steady increase at +the rate of ten per cent, while sickness and death of children, with +their attendant economic and emotional waste, are reduced to a minimum." + +Not only are the children of small families as a rule better cared for, +from economic reasons easy to discern, but it is also a fact that the +health of the mothers is far better, and consequently the health of the +children when born is better than the average. One has but to look +around him upon the families who boast of having had eight, ten, and +twelve children born to them, to see what a frightful average percentage +of deaths of infants and young children is present, and which brings +down the number of the survivors. + +Dr. Alice Hamilton, in "The Bulletin of the American Academy of +Medicine," for May, 1910, reports that she has investigated the families +of 1,600 wage workers, and found the following death rate per 1,000 +birth among them, viz.: + + Families of 4 children and less 118 deaths per 1,000 births + Families of 6 children 267 deaths per 1,000 births + Families of 7 children 280 deaths per 1,000 births + Families of 8 children 291 deaths per 1,000 births + Families of 9 children or more 303 deaths per 1,000 births + +Dr. Hamilton sums up her investigation as follows: + +"OUR STUDY OF THE POORER WORKING CLASS SHOWS THAT CHILD MORTALITY +INCREASES PROPORTIONATELY AS THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN INCREASE, UNTIL WE +HAVE A DEATH RATE IN FAMILIES OF 8 CHILDREN AND OVER WHICH IS TWO AND A +HALF TIMES AS GREAT AS THAT IN FAMILIES OF 4 CHILDREN AND OVER." + +The facts above mentioned, and other facts of the same nature which will +be disclosed in the progress of our consideration of the matter in the +present book, have evidently been overlooked, deliberately or otherwise, +by the fanatics in this country and in Europe who have been preaching to +the people that a falling birth-rate means a decaying nation. Careful +students of sociology now dismiss altogether the statement so often +made that a falling birth-rate means "an old and decaying community." +The Germans for years have contemptuously been making this remark about +France, but today they have been forced to recognize an unexpected +vitality in the French, while, in fact, their own birth-rate has been +falling more rapidly than that of France. + +Nor is it true that a falling birth-rate means a falling population. The +French birth-rate has been steadily falling for a number of years, yet +the French population has been steadily increasing all the time, though +less rapidly than it would had not the death-rate been abnormally high. +It is not the number of babies born that counts, but the net result in +surviving children. An enormous number of babies are born in China; but +an enormous number die while still babies. So that it is better to have +a few babies of good quality than a large number of indifferent quality, +for the falling birth-rate is more than compensated by the falling +death-rate. In England, as the statistics show, while the birth-rate is +steadily falling, the population has been steadily growing. + +Small families and a falling death-rate are not merely no evil--they are +a positive good. They are a gain for humanity. They represent an +evolutionary rise in Nature and a higher stage in civilization. We are +here in the presence of a great fundamental principle of progress which +has been working through life from the beginning. + +At the beginning of life on the earth, reproduction ran riot. Of one +minute organism it is estimated that, if its reproduction were not +checked by death or destruction, in thirty days it would form a mass a +million times larger than the sun. The conger-eel lays fifteen million +eggs, and if they all grew up, and reproduced themselves on the same +scale, in two years the whole sea would become a wriggling mass of eels. +As we approach the higher forms of life, reproduction gradually dies +down. The animals nearest to man produce few offspring, but they +surround them with parental care, until they are able to lead +independent lives with a fair chance of surviving. The whole process may +be regarded as a mechanism for slowly subordinating quantity to quality, +and to promoting the evolution of life to even higher stages. + +This process, which is plain to see on the largest scale throughout +living nature, may be more minutely studied, as it acts within a +narrower range, in the human species. Here we statistically formulate it +in the terms of birth-rate and death-rate; by the mutual relationship of +the two courses of the birth-rate and death-rate we are able to estimate +the evolutionary rank of a nation, and the degree in which it has +succeeded in subordinating the primitive standard of quantity to the +higher and later standard of quality. + +Especially in Europe we can investigate this relationship by the help of +statistics which in some cases extend back for nearly a century. We can +trace the various phases through which each nation passes, the effects +of prosperity, the influence of education and sanitary improvement, the +general complex development of civilization, in each case moving +forward, though not regularly and steadily, to higher stages by means of +a falling birth-rate, which is to some extent compensated by a falling +death-rate, the two rates nearly always running parallel, so that a +temporary rise in the birth-rate is usually accompanied by a rise in the +death-rate, by a return, that is to say, towards the conditions which we +find at the beginning of animal life, and a steady fall in the +birth-rate is always accompanied by a fall in the death-rate. + +It is thus clear that the birth-rate combined with the death-rate +constitutes a delicate instrument for the measurement of civilization, +and that the record of their combined curves registers the upward or +downward course of every nation. The curves, as we know, tend to be +parallel, and when they are not parallel we are in the presence of a +rare and abnormal state of things which is usually temporary or +transitional. + +A study of the statistics of European countries furnishes us with +evidence of the facts above stated. It is instructive to perceive how +closely the birth-rate and the death-rate of the several European +countries agree. It is perceived that THE EIGHT COUNTRIES OF EUROPE +WHICH REGISTER THE HIGHEST BIRTH-RATE ARE THE IDENTICAL COUNTRIES +REGISTERING THE HIGHEST DEATH-RATE. This is as might be expected, for a +very high birth-rate seems fatally to involve a very high death-rate. +The study of the following table may prove interesting--it certainly is +instructive. In the following table the European countries having the +highest birth-rate are stated in the order of rank according to size of +such rate; and the countries having the heaviest death-rate are stated +in the order of their rank in size of such rate: + + Highest European Birth-Rate. Highest European Death-Rate. + + Russia. Russia. + Roumania. Roumania. + Bulgaria. Hungary. + Serbia. Bulgaria. + Hungary. Spain. + Italy. Serbia. + Austria. Austria. + Spain. Italy. + +Moreover, Japan, with a rather high birth-rate, has the same death-rate +as Spain; and Chile, with a still higher birth-rate, has a higher death +rate than Russia. So, we see, that among human peoples we find the same +laws prevailing as among animals, and the higher nations of the world +differ from those which are less highly evolved precisely as the +elephant differs from the herring, though within a narrower range, that +is to say, BY PRODUCING FEWER OFFSPRING AND TAKING BETTER CARE OF THEM. + +So, when we get to the root of the matter, the whole question of "Does +Birth Control tend toward Race Suicide?" becomes clear, and we are able +to answer, positively, "It certainly does not; on the contrary it tends +toward Race Progress and Race Betterment." We see that there is really +no standing ground in any country for the panic-monger who bemoans the +fall of the birth-rate, and storms against small families. The falling +birth-rate is a world-wide phenomenon in all countries that are striving +toward a higher civilization along lines which Nature laid down from the +beginning. We cannot stop it if we would, and if we could we should be +merely impeding civilization. It is a movement which rights itself and +tends to reach a just balance. + +Instead of trying to raise the birth-rate by offering a bonus on babies +as has been proposed in some quarters, it would be saner and better +calculated for the betterment of the race to offer a bonus upon young +men and women who attained maturity with a definite high standard of +physical and mental development. As a writer on the subject has well +said: "But we need not therefore fold our hands and do nothing. There is +much still to be effected for the protection of motherhood and the +better care of children. We cannot, and should not, attempt to increase +the number of children born; there is still far more misery in having +too many babies than in having too few; a bonus on babies would be a +misfortune, alike for the parents and the State. BUT WE MAY WELL WORK +FOR THE BETTER QUALITY OF BABIES. There we should be on very safe +ground. More knowledge is necessary so that all would-be parents may +know how they may best become parents, and how they may, if necessary, +best avoid it. Procreation by the unfit should be, if not prohibited by +law, at all events so discouraged by public opinion that to attempt it +would be considered disgraceful. Much greater public provision is +necessary for the care of mothers during the months before, as well as +in the period after, the child's birth. Along such lines as these we may +hope to increase the happiness of the people and the strength of the +State. We need not worry about the falling birth-rate." + +The more that one intelligently examines the argument against Birth +Control based upon fear of Race Suicide, the more one becomes convinced +that not only is there "nothing to it," but that every fact brought to +light in the inquiry reveals itself in the nature of proof of the +desirability of Birth Control as a factor of Race Evolution, rather than +evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the more inquiry and investigation +that such argument brings forth, the stronger is the case disclosed for +Birth Control, and the greater the amount of public opinion created in +its favor. + +In all considerations of the general question of Race Suicide, one must +take note of the general question of Eugenics or Human Breeding. This +because the sound breeding of the race operates in a direction +diametrically opposed to Race Suicide, while unsound breeding operates +directly in favor thereof. + +When we consider the general subject of Eugenics we touch upon the +highest ground, and are concerned with our best hopes for the future of +the world. There can be no doubt that Birth Control, considered as a +phase of Eugenics, is not only a precious but also an indispensable +instrument in moulding the coming man to the measure of our developing +ideals. Without Birth Control we are powerless in the face of the awful +evils which flow from random and reckless reproduction. With it we +possess a power so great that some persons have professed to see in it a +menace to the propagation of the race, amusing themselves with the idea +that if people possess the means to prevent the conception of children +they will never have children at all. It is not necessary to discuss +such a grotesque notion seriously. + +The desire for children is far too deeply implanted in mankind and +womankind alike ever to be rooted out. If there are today many parents +whose lives are rendered wretched by large families and the miseries of +excessive child-bearing, there are an equal number whose lives are +wretched because they have no children at all, and who snatch eagerly at +any straw which offers the smallest promise of relief to the craving. +Certainly there are people who desire marriage, but--some for very sound +and estimable reasons and other for reasons which may less well bear +examination--do not desire children at all. + +For the class of married people who do not desire children at all, +contraceptive methods, far from being a social evil, are a social +blessing. For nothing is as certain as that it is an unmixed evil for a +community to possess unwilling, undesirable parents. Birth Control would +be an unmixed blessing if it merely enabled us to exclude such persons +from the ranks of parenthood. We desire no parents who are not competent +and willing parents. Only such parents are fit to father and to mother a +future race worthy to rule the world. + +It is sometimes said that the control of conception, since it is +frequently carried out immediately upon marriage, will tend to delay +parenthood until an unduly late age. Birth Control has, however, no +necessary result of this kind, and might even act in the reverse +direction. A chief cause of delay in marriage is the prospect of the +burden and expense of an unrestricted flow of children into the family; +and it is said that in Great Britain, since 1911, with the extension of +the use of contraceptives, there has been a slight but regular increase +not only in the general marriage rate but also in the proposition of +early marriage. The ability to control the number of children not only +enables marriage to take place at an early age, but also makes it +possible for the couple to have at least one child soon after marriage. +The total number of children are thus spaced out, instead of following +in rapid succession. + +It is only of late years that the eugenic importance of a considerable +interval between births has been fully recognized, as regards not only +the mother--this has long been recognized--but also the children. The +very high mortality of large families has long been known, and their +association with degenerate conditions and with criminality. However, of +recent years, evidence has been obtained that families in which the +children are separated from each other by intervals of more than two +years are both mentally and physically superior to those in which the +interval is shorter. Investigators have found that children born at only +a short interval after the birth of a previous child are notably +defective, even at the age of six, in a large percentage of cases; and +when compared with children born at a longer interval, or with first +children, they are, on the average, three inches shorter and three +pounds lighter. These are facts of the most vital significance. + +Thus when we calmly survey, in however summary a manner, the great field +of life affected by the establishment of voluntary human control over +the production of the race, we can not see a cause for anything but +hope. It is satisfactory that it should be so, for there can be no doubt +that we are here facing a great and permanent fact in civilized life. +With every rise in civilization, indeed with all evolutionary progress +whatever, there is what seems to be an automatic fall in the birth-rate. +That fall is always normally accompanied by a fall in the death-rate, so +that a low birth-rate frequently means a high rate of natural increase, +since most of the children born survive. + +Thus in the civilized world of today, notwithstanding the low birth-rate +which prevails as compared with earlier times, the rate of increase in +the population is still appalling--nearly half a million a year in Great +Britain, over a million in Austro-Hungary, and three-quarters of a +million in Germany. When we examine this excess of births in detail we +find among them a large proportion of undesired and undesirable +children. There are two alternative methods working to diminish this +proportion: the method of regulating conception under the methods of +scientific Birth Control, or the bungling substitutes for the same, on +the one hand, and the method of preventing live births after conception +by means of the abominable practice of abortion. + +There can be no doubt about the enormous extension of the practice of +abortion in all civilized countries, even although some of the +extravagant estimates of its frequency in countries, the United States +for example, be discarded as unwarranted. The burden of bearing +excessive children on the overworked and underfed mothers of the working +classes becomes at last so intolerable that almost anything seems better +than another child. As a woman in Yorkshire once said to an English +investigator of this evil: "I'd rather swallow the druggist's shop and +the man in it, than have another kid." + +A community which takes upon itself the responsibility of encouraging +abortion lays itself open to severe criticism. And it must be admitted +that just as all those who work for Birth Control are really diminishing +the frequency of abortion, so every attempt to discourage Birth Control +promotes abortion. We have to approach this problem calmly, in the light +of Nature and reason. We have each of us to decide on which side to +range ourselves. For it is a vital problem concerning which we cannot +afford to be indifferent. + +There is no desire here to exaggerate the importance of Birth Control. +It is not a royal road to the millennium of the race; and like all other +measures which the course of progress forces us to adopt, it has its +disadvantages. But fairness and honest thought should admit freely that +so far as is concerned the question of its being a factor toward Race +Suicide, we must pronounce a verdict of "Not Guilty" upon Birth Control. +On the contrary, the contrary course of teaching and practice, if +carried to their full logical conclusion, would inevitably bring the +race to such a stage of degeneracy, and retrogression to primitive type, +that a fate far worse than suicide would befall the human race. For the +race, as well as the individual, may commit "suicide" and an end to its +career, not only by a will-not-to-live but also by a will-to-degenerate. + +The face of Birth Control is set toward the rising sun of Race +Betterment, not toward the setting sun of Racial Decline. Its ideas are +those of Race Life, not of Race Death. It bids the race not to perish, +but rather to live on in greater strength, happiness, and efficiency. +Birth Control is in full accord with the Racial Will-to-Live, and not +opposed to it. All humanity, all civilization, all human progress, call +upon us to take our stand upon this vital question of Birth Control. +And, as a writer has well said, in doing so we shall each of us be +contributing, however humbly, to that "one far-off event, to which the +whole creation moves." + + + + +LESSON XV + +BIRTH CONTROL METHODS + + +The general subject of Birth Control necessarily includes the special +subject of Birth Control Methods, viz., of the methods of association +between husband and wife under which offspring is conceived only at such +times as desired, and consequently only in the number desired. + +These methods may be grouped into three general classes, as follows: + +I. METHODS OF CONTINENCE (TOTAL OR TEMPORARY). In the practice of the +methods under this class, there is an avoidance of sexual relations +between husband and wife, either continuously or for certain periods +during which the liability to conception is great. + +II. METHODS OF SEMI-CONTINENCE. In the practice of the methods under +this class, there is a partial manifestation of the sexual relation +accompanied by an absence of the manifestation of the procreative +functions. + +III. METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION. In the practice of the methods under this +class, the usual manifestations of the sexual relation are observed, +accompanied by an avoidance of the union of the male and female elements +of reproduction which result in conception. + +The student of the subject of Birth Control, of course, familiarizes +himself or herself with each of the several classes of methods above +noted, for the purpose of understanding the characteristic distinctions +between them, and the respective advantages and disadvantages of each +class. In the following pages each class will be briefly considered, +that the student may acquire a general understanding thereof, and may be +enabled to reason intelligently concerning them. In this presentation +there will be sought a fair statement of each class, without any desire +to influence the student for or against either of them. + + +Continence. + +Continence (which in this special sense means the avoidance of sexual +relations between husband and wife), in the strict sense, is based upon +the idea that the sexual relation should not be exercised except for the +purpose and intent of procreation. In the restricted usage of the term, +it refers to the abstinence from sexual intercourse during stated +periods in which the liability to conception is greatest. + +Rev. Sylvanus Stall, the author of several widely-read works on the +subject of Sex, says of strict continence: "One theory is that the +reproductive function is not to be exercised except for the purpose of +procreation. * * * There are some married people, more numerous than +some suppose, who have adopted the idea of uniform continence, and who +call the reproductive nature into exercise for the purpose of +procreation only, and who assert that the maintenance of continence +secures not only the greater strength and better health, but greater +happiness also. * * * While the results of our investigations do not +enable us to assert that it is the true theory, we are yet prepared to +say that it is worthy of thoughtful consideration. If it is possible for +married people to maintain absolute continence for a period of six +months or a year, it must be conceded that it would be possible to +extend that time to a longer period. The maintenance of this theory +would require such a degree of self-control as is far beyond the +possession of the great mass of humanity. We fear, also, that there are +but few, even if they entered upon a life union with such thought and +intention, who would be willing to maintain their principles for any +considerable period. * * * The other theory, and that which many men +and women who are eminent for their learning and religious life hold to +be the correct theory, is that while no one has a right to enter upon +the marriage relation with the fixed purpose of evading the duty of +parenthood, yet that procreation is not the only high and holy purpose +which God has had in view in establishing the marriage relation, but +that the act of sexual congress may be indulged in between husband and +wife for the purpose of expressing their personal endearments, and for +quickening those affections and tender feelings which are calculated to +render home the place of blessing and good which God intended. * * * It +is held by those who advocate this theory, that while it would be +possible to restrict the exercise of the reproductive functions to the +single purpose of procreation, yet in the great majority of instances +the effort to live by that theory would generally result in marital +unhappiness. * * * Due regard is not only to be paid to the perpetuity +of the race, but to the well-being and perpetuity of the individual." + +The advocates of continence, except for the purpose of procreation, +advance many arguments and evidence to justify their contention that +this is the only course justified by Nature and Morality. We need not +present this argument here, for it is outside the particular question +now under consideration. However, in all fairness and justice, there +should be presented here the general outline of their argument that +there is no rational basis for the widely accepted idea that abstinence +from sexual relations is in any way harmful or detrimental to the health +and physical well-being of the human race. + +The advocates of continence cite the cases of many continent men who +have been noted for their vigor and activity; and claim that such cases +also justify their claim that continence makes for the sound mind in the +sound body of mankind. The following quotations from authorities will +give the general spirit of this contention. + +Dr. Kellogg says: "It has been claimed by many, even physicians, and +though with but a slight show of reason, that absolute continence, after +a full development of the organs of reproduction, could not be +maintained without a great detriment to health. It is needless to +enumerate all the different arguments employed to support this position, +since they are, with a few exceptions, too frivolous to mention." Dr. +Mayer says: "This position is held by men of the world, and many +physicians share it. This belief appears to us erroneous, without +foundation, and easily refuted. No peculiar disease nor any abridgement +of the duration of life can be ascribed to such continence. * * * Health +does not absolutely require that there should ever be an emission of +semen, from puberty to death, though the individual live a hundred +years." Dr. Kellogg also says: "This has been amply confirmed by +experiments upon animals, as well as by the experience of some of the +most distinguished men who have ever lived, among whom may be mentioned +Sir Isaac Newton, Kant, Paschal, Fontenaille, and Michael Angelo. These +men never married, and lived continent lives. Some of them lived to be a +very great age, retaining to the last their wonderful abilities. In view +of this fact, there is certainly no danger." + +Another writer has said: "The Greek athletes training for the great +Olympic Games were compelled to observe strict continence, the +experience being that by this course they were able to conserve their +vigor and strength much better. The prize-fighters of today are +compelled by their trainers to observe strict continence during the +period of training. Many of the former champions who went to pieces +suddenly, owe their downfall to a violation of this rule." Another has +said: "Chastity, even continence, is the prime necessity of the +successful athlete." Dr. Kellogg forcefully says: "Breeders of stock who +wish to secure sound progeny will not allow the most robust stallion to +associate with mares as many times during the whole season as some of +these salacious human males perform a similar act within a month." + +Dr. Warbasse has said: "Testicular fluid in the seminal vesicles, under +unexciting conditions, does not require to be discharged at intervals. I +have not been able to find in the studies of the physiologists that its +retention is abnormal or unhygienic. * * * I do not conceive of a man +suffering from the ills of continence who has been cast away on a desert +island, with no immediate prospect of relief, and whose mind and hands +are occupied with raising grain, catching fish for subsistence, and +constructing a boat for escape. All that has been said of men may be +said of women." + +Dr. Talmey has said: "Continence, if long continued, has been claimed to +be the cause of impotence. But there is no valid reason for this belief. +To prove the harmfulness of continence an analogue is brought forward +between the atrophy of a muscle in enforced idleness and the injury to +the sex organs in enforced abstinence. But the proof is somewhat feeble. +The essential organs of generation are not muscles, but glands, and who +has ever heard of a tear gland atrophying for lack of crying. * * * +There is no valid proof of the harmfulness of total abstinence in a +healthy individual. A perfectly healthy man is never injured by +abstinence. At least there is no sufficient proof that he ever was; but +there are unmistakable proofs that total abstinence does not harm the +individual." + +Dr. Stockham has said: "The testes may be considered analogous to the +salivary and lachrymal glands, in which there is no fluid secreted +except at the demand of their respective functions. The thought of food +makes the mouth water for a short time only, while the presence of food +causes abundant yield of saliva. It is customary for physicians to +assume that the spermatic secretion is analogous to bile, which, when +once formed, must be expelled. But substitute the word 'tears' for bile, +and you put before the mind an idea entirely different. Tears, as +falling drops, are not essential to life and health. A man may be in +perfect health and yet not cry once in five or even fifty years. The +lachrymal fluid is ever present, but in such small quantities that it is +unnoticed. Where are tears while they remain unshed? They are ever +ready, waiting to spring forth when there is an adequate cause, but they +do not accumulate and distress the man because they are not shed daily, +weekly, or monthly. The component elements of the tears are prepared in +the system, they are on hand, passing through the circulation, ready to +mix and flow whenever they are needed; but if they mix, accumulate and +flow without adequate cause, there is a disease of the lachrymal glands. +While there are no exact analogies in the body, yet the tears and the +spermatic fluids are much more closely analogous in their normal manner +of secretion and use than are the bile and the semen. Neither flow of +tears nor of semen is essential to life or health. Both are largely +under the control of the imagination, the emotions, and the will; and +the flow of either is liable to be arrested in a moment of sudden mental +action." + +Parkhurst says: "The prostatic fluid, according to Robin, is secreted at +the moment of ejaculation. The remaining element of the spermatic +secretion is produced, under normal circumstances, only as required, +either for impregnation or for the maintenance of the affectional +function. The theory that the sperm is naturally secreted only as it is +required, brings it into harmony with other secretions. The tears, the +saliva, and the perspiration, are always required in small quantities, +and the secretion is continuous; but if required in great quantities, +the secretion becomes great almost instantly. The mother's milk is +chiefly secreted just as it is required for the infant, and when not +required the secretion entirely ceases; yet it recommences the moment +the birth of another child makes it necessary. * * * A man accustomed to +abstinence will not suffer from any accumulation of secretions, while a +man whose absorbing glands have never had occasion to take up the +secretions will be in trouble; just as a dairy cow which has not been +milked will be in trouble, though if running wild she would never have +any necessity for milking. * * * The objection that man needs physical +relief from a continuous secretion is answered by the admitted fact that +men not deficient in sexual vigor live for months, and probably for +years, in strict abstinence, and with no physical inconvenience such as +is often complained of by men who happen to be deprived of their +accustomed indulgence for a week or two at a time." + +Dr. Nystrom, the eminent Swedish writer on the subject, however, utters +the following warning to those who would make hasty generalizations on +the subject: "In speaking of relative abstinence or regulation and +command of the sexual instinct, I warn against absolutism in this +regard, and especially against the generalizing of abstinence as +possible for everybody. Although abstinence during an entire lifetime +does not injure certain individuals, it cannot be endured by others for +some length of time without undesirable consequences. I therefore oppose +the principle of absolute continence as in the main false. It may +possibly be applied to a few deeply religious or philosophical persons, +but not to the majority of normal people, despite good resolutions and +habits. * * * We must consider the different bodily constitutions and +passions--why some people without difficulty, others with the greatest +difficulty, can master their feelings regarding sexual relations. * * * +May those who try to better humanity in sexual respects first give their +attention to the subject when well prepared with a rich experience and +deep study, for otherwise they cannot give advice which can be followed, +and their work should fail as being contrary to human nature." + +TEMPORARY CONTINENCE. Many married couples who are desirous of +preventing too-frequent conception, or conception following too soon +after the birth of the youngest child, practice the method of refraining +from the marital sexual relations during certain periods in which +conception is most likely to occur. This custom is said to be favored by +those acting under the advice of their religious instructors, and who +regard all methods of birth-control other than continence as sinful. +Even the most orthodox objectors to birth-control as a general principle +seem to regard this particular method as free from objection, providing +that the married couple do not seek to entirely escape parenthood in +this manner. + +This plan is based upon the well-known, and well-established +physiological principle that THE TIME IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE MENSTRUAL +PERIOD, AND STILL MORE, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PERIOD IS THE MOST +FAVORABLE TO CONCEPTION. Impregnation is most likely to occur just after +the menstrual period; while from about two weeks after the beginning of +the period, to a few days before the beginning of the next period, is +the time of comparative sterility when impregnation and conception are +the least likely to occur. Consequently, the authorities hold that the +period of from ten to fifteen days after the END of the menstruation is +one peculiarly free from the probability of impregnation and conception. + +This plan of temporary continence, continuing during the period in which +conception is most probable, and terminating when that period has +passed each month, until the new period approaches, is followed by many +married couples with the full approval of the conscience and their +religious guides. In many cases the result fulfills the expectations, +though as there is a considerable variation observed among different +women there is no absolute certainty to the plan considered as a +birth-control method--at the best it is but taking advantage of the law +of probabilities, the chances being in favor of the result sought. + + +Semi-Continence. + +Semi-Continence (in the sense in which the term is employed herein) +consists of the abstinence from the exercise of the procreative +functions, while there is a partial manifestation of the sexual +relation. Under various fanciful names, backed by as many curious +theories, this birth-control method is practiced by very many married +couples in this and other countries. + +Among the earlier advocates of this general class of birth-control +methods was Noyes, the founder of the one-time famous Oneida Community, +who taught the doctrine of what he called "Male Continence." The gist of +his teaching was as follows: That the sexual relation (in its entirety) +should be exercised solely for the purpose of reproduction, all else +being contrary to nature. But, he held, notwithstanding this, there was +possible and proper a certain degree of such physical relation which, +while not opposing Nature's laws of reproduction, yet was sufficient to +afford a complete manifestation of the "affectional desire and +function." In other words, as a writer has expressed it, "that one might +manifest a marked degree of sexual gratification and still remain +continent, while feeling none of the irksome restraints of continence." + +Noyes claimed that his community followed this plan with satisfactory +results, the ordinary sexual relations being manifested only when +reproduction was specially desired and deliberately decided upon. Noyes +claimed that in this way there was no secretion of the seminal fluid, +and therefore no waste of the same, and no unnatural practices such +attached to the common custom of "tricking Nature" by methods of +preventing impregnation and conception. Parkhurst (who, as we shall see +presently, followed Noyes) objected to the Noyes plan, claiming that "it +necessarily stimulates into activity the generative functions of the +sexual batteries, and this not only causes a wasteful use of sperm, but +diverts the sexual batteries from their affectional function, +diminishing amative attraction." + +In the year 1896, Dr. Alice B. Stockham, of Chicago, published a book +called "Karezza" which has since attained an enormous sale, the leading +principle of which seems to have been almost similar to that of Noyes, +as above stated. The book was built around the idea previously announced +by the same author in an earlier book, which she stated as follows: "By +some a theory called 'secular absorption' is advanced. This involves +intercourse without culmination." In her book "Karezza" this author +further stated: "Karezza so consummates marriage that through the power +of will, and loving thoughts, the crisis is not reached, but a complete +control by both husband and wife is maintained throughout the entire +relation, a conscious conservation of the creative energy. * * * It is +both a union on the affectional plane, and a preparation for the best +possible conditions for procreation." + +About 1882, Henry M. Parkhurst published a booklet called "Diana," which +since that time has passed through several editions, and has had a large +number of readers. The principle advocated is radically different from +that of Noyes or Dr. Stockham, above mentioned, although some of the +writings of Dr. Stockham seem to favor the Parkhurst idea as much as the +one advanced by herself. Parkhurst, as we may see by reference to a +quotation from him in connection with the Noyes' idea, did not approve +of the "male continence" as taught by the latter, although he seems to +have considered it a step in the right direction. + +The gist of the Parkhurst idea is expressed in the following quotations +from his booklet, "Diana": "In order to secure proper and durable +relations between the sexes, it is necessary to live in harmony with the +law of Alphism, that is ABSTINENCE EXCEPT FOR PROCREATION. But if that +principle is adopted alone, no means being taken to provide for the due +exercise of the sexual faculties, it will likely be abandoned or lead to +a life of asceticism. In order to make Alphism practicable for ordinary +men and women, another law has to be observed, that is, the law of +SEXUAL SATISFACTION FROM SEXUAL CONTACT; understanding by the term +'contact' not merely physical external contact, but using the term in +its more general sense to include sexual companionship, or even +correspondence, bringing the minds into mental contact. The observance +of this law will lead to complete and enduring satisfaction in +abstinence. + +"It is an observed fact that contact incites to activity the affectional +action, * * * extending over the whole frame, and by their activities +satisfies them, without calling into action the special generative +function of the generative organs. And it is also an observed fact that +the repression of this affectional activity naturally creates a desire +for the exercise of the other; so that a true remedy for sexual +intemperance is the full satisfaction of the affectional mode of +activity by frequent and free sexual contact. Sexual satisfaction may be +obtained by personal presence, conversation, a clasp of the hands, +kissing, caressing, embracing, personal contact with or without the +intervention of dress. + +"The exercise of the affectional function tends to satiety and +exhaustion in the same way as all other physical or mental exercise; but +if it is not carried to excess it is a permanent benefit. * * * The +principle of Alphism will tend to diminish prostitution, not only by +diminishing sexual intemperance, even if the principle is not at once +accepted in practice to the full extent, thus diminishing the temptation +of the present generation, and the hereditary temptation of future +generations; but also by correcting the physiological error which has +led astray so many, i. e., that total abstinence is not conducive to +health, or to the highest physical pleasure, but that the ordinary +physical relation is an essential feature in male existence. + +"To avoid misapprehension, these two theories should be clearly defined +and the distinction between them explained. The doctrine of Alphism is +confined to one principle, i. e., THE LAW OF ABSTINENCE EXCEPT FOR +PROCREATION. Those who believe in this doctrine may be divided into +different classes. Some believe in it as a matter of duty, to be +enforced by precept and self-denial; and some believe in it as a matter +of right, requiring no self-denial. In the latter is included the +doctrine of 'Diana,' which may be defined as THE LAW OF SEXUAL +SATISFACTION FROM SEXUAL CONTACT. In other words, Dianism is Alphism as +the result of sexual equilibration." + +The general idea of Parkhurst, and those who have followed his teachings +in some modified or adapted form, may be said to be based upon the +following general proposition: That there is a dual function in the +sexual relations, which may be stated as follows: (1) the function +exercised from purely physiological causes, and which expresses the +desire for the relation resulting in procreation; and (2) the function +exercised from emotional causes, and which expresses what may be called +the "affectional desire," i. e., the desire for the embrace, caress, +fondling, and general companionship with the loved one of the other sex. + +The first one of these phases, i. e., the reproductive function, is +manifested by the lower animals as well as by man, and is elemental and +primitive in character. It is often manifested by man without the +accompaniment of the affectional function, and at times seems to be +almost entirely divorced from the idea of high human affection. The +second one of these phases, i. e., the affectional function, usually +accompanied the procreative function in the human sexual relation, at +least in the highest forms of that relation. But also, it may be and +often is manifested independently of the procreative function by men and +women of refinement. In fact, it would seem to be the form of physical +attraction accompanying the very highest phase of love, particularly in +women. + +It is this affectional function which is manifested by betrothed lovers +in their beautiful period of mutual understanding, sympathy, and +affection. It is that characteristic of the courting days which is so +precious to the woman, but which is too often sadly missed by the wife +after the honeymoon. It exists often before the fires of passion are +kindled, and it persists often after the flame of passion has died away. +It is the expression of the purest love of youth, and of the tenderest +affection of age. It is this form of sexual relation, physical though it +may be, that is the outgrowth of evolution in man. May it not be that in +this way man has "improved upon the sexual habits of the animals"; and +that when man violates the natural restrictions held sacred by animal +life, and indulges in excessive sexual relations in and out of season, +that he is really manifesting a degenerative tendency instead of taking +an upward step on the evolutionary scale. + +There have been many excellent authorities who have held that this +affectional function, and its manifestation, is far better calculated to +satisfy the sexual instincts of advanced men and women than is the +ordinary physical sexual relation. They claim that in the higher form of +this affectional relation is to be found the secret of the joy, bliss, +and happiness of the betrothed lovers, which alas! too often disappear +when the other form of the relation is manifested, particularly when +manifested to excess in the manner customary to so many married men. +They claim that in the recognition of this fact of human life and love +is to be found the secret of married happiness between wedded advanced +and cultured individuals. They assert that the experience of the race, +rightly considered and understood, full proves this contention. + +Edward Carpenter has the following to say on this point: "It is a matter +of common experience that the unrestrained outlet of the purely physical +desire leaves the nature drained of its higher love-forces. * * * There +are grounds for believing in the transmutability of the various forms of +the passion, and grounds for thinking that the sacrifice of a lower +phase may sometimes be the only condition on which a higher and more +durable phase can be attained; and that, therefore, restraint (which is +absolutely necessary at times) has its compensation. Anyone who has once +realized how glorious a thing love is in its essence, and how +indestructible, will hardly need to call anything that leads to it a +sacrifice; and he is indeed a master of life who, accepting the grosser +desires as they come to his body, and not refusing them, knows how to +transform them at will into the most rare and fragrant flowers of human +emotion * * * Between lovers, then, a kind of hardy temperance is to be +recommended--for all reasons, but especially because it lifts their +satisfaction and delight in each other out of the regions of +ephemeralities (which too often turn into dull indifference and satiety) +into the region of more lasting things--one step nearer at any rate to +the eternal kingdom. + +"How intoxicating, indeed, how penetrating--like a most precious +wine--is that love which is the sexual transformed by the magic of the +will into the emotional and spiritual! And what a loss, on the merest +ground of prudence and the economy of pleasure, is the unbridled waste +along physical channels! So nothing is so much dreaded between lovers as +just this--the vulgarization of love--and this is the rock upon which +marriage so often splits. There is a kind of illusion about physical +desire similar to that which a child suffers from when, seeing a +beautiful flower, it instantly snatches the same and destroys in a few +moments the form and fragrance which attracted it. He only gets the full +glory who holds back a little, and he only truly possesses who is +willing if need be not to possess. * * * It must be remembered, however, +that in order for a perfect intimacy between two people their physical +endearment must by the nature of the case be free to each other. The +physical endearment may not be the object for which they come together; +but, if it is denied, its denial will bar any real sense of repose and +affiance, and make their mutual association restless, vague, tentative +and unsatisfied. I think, from various considerations, that, generally, +even without the actual physical sex-act, there is an interchange of +vital and ethereal elements--so that it may be said that there is a kind +of generation taking place within each of the persons concerned, through +their mutual influence on each other, as well as that more specialized +generation which consists in the propagation of the race." + +Count Tolstoi said on this subject: "The difference in organization +between man and woman is not only physiological but extends also into +other and moral characteristics, such as go to make manhood in man, and +womanhood (or femininity) in woman. The attraction between the sexes is +based not merely upon the yearning for physical union, but likewise upon +that reciprocal attraction exerted by the contrasting qualities of the +sexes each upon the other, manhood upon womanhood, and womanhood upon +manhood. The one sex endeavors to complement itself with the other, and +therefore the attraction between the sexes demands a union of spirit +precisely identical with the physical union. + +"The tendency toward physical and spiritual union forms two phases of +manifestation of one and the same fountain-head of desire, and they bear +such intimate relations to each other that the gratification of the one +inclination inevitably weakens the other. So far as the yearning for +spiritual union is satisfied, to that extent the yearning for physical +union is diminished or entirely destroyed; and, vice versa, the +gratification of the physical desire weakens or destroys the spiritual. +And, consequently, the attraction between the sexes is not only physical +affinity leading to procreation, but is also the attraction of opposites +for one another, capable of assuming the form of the most spiritual +union in thought only, or of the most animal union, causing the +propagation of children, and all those varied degrees of relationship +between the one and the other. The question of upon which footing the +relation between the sexes is to be established and maintained, is +settled by deciding what method of union is regarded at any given time, +or for all time, as good, proper, and therefore desirable. * * * + +"The nearer the union approaches the extreme physical boundary, the more +it kindles the physical passions and desires, and the less satisfaction +it gets; the nearer it approaches the opposite extreme spiritual +boundary, the less new passions are excited and the greater is the +satisfaction. The nearer it is to the first, the more destructive it is +to animal energy; the nearer it approaches the second, the spiritual, +the more serene, the more enjoyable and forceful is the general +condition. * * * Taking into consideration the varying conditions of +temperament, and above all what the contracting parties regard as good, +proper, and desirable, marriage for some will approach the spiritual +union, and for others the physical; but the nearer the union approaches +the spiritual the more complete will be the satisfaction. The substance +of what has been said is this: that the relation between the sexes have +two functions, i. e., the reproductive, and the affectional; and that +the sexual energy, if only it have no conscious desire to beget +children, must be always directed in the way of affection and love. The +manifestation which this energy assumes depends upon custom or reason; +the gradual bringing of the reason into accord with the principles +herein expounded, and a gradual reorganization of customs consonant with +them, results in saving men from many of their passions, and giving them +satisfaction for their higher sexual instincts and desires." + +Some capable writers on the subject have held that in the practice of +the methods of semi-continence, such as have been referred to in the +foregoing pages of this part of the book, there may lie the danger of +excessive stimulation of the sexual centres, without the safety-valve of +the physical and nervous relief which follows as a natural sequence in +the ordinary sexual relations. The advocates of these methods, however, +reply that such objections while valid in the case of persons who +practice the same only because opportunity prevents the performance of +the usual physical relation, still have no true application to those who +adopt these methods in a conscientious and honest manner, and who +maintain THE PROPER MENTAL ATTITUDE toward the whole question. + +These advocates say that the MENTAL EFFECT upon the secretions of the +body must be taken into account in all considerations of the question. +They say that just as the gastric juice will begin to flow in response +to the mental image or idea of food, and the mother's milk in response +to the cry of the child for food, so do the sexual secretions, direction +of the circulation, and other physiological activities result from the +mental pictures or idea of sexual congress. They hold that if the mind +of the husband be filled with mental images of sexual congress, then +there is set into operation the process of secretion of seminal fluids, +and the consequent engorgement of the blood-vessels concerned therewith, +which are denied the normal physiological relief, and accordingly +produce bad effects upon the nervous system. But they likewise claim +that if the mind of the husband entertains ideas merely of physical +endearment and caress as "an end to itself," then there is no mental +incentive toward the secretion of the seminal fluids, and the constant +engorgement of the blood-vessels, and no nerve force is generated--and +therefore no nerve-shock is experienced by reason of frustrated +manifestation and expression. + +Parkhurst says regarding the point just mentioned: "In the relations +between the sexes, the question of how the association of the husband +and the wife shall stimulate the affectional or generative action or +sexual batteries must depend greatly upon their habits of association. +We have only to accustom ourselves to associating the relation with the +affectional action, by repeated repetition when the affectional action +is all that is felt or thought of, in order to cultivate such habits and +associations as will make the association tend to REPRESS passional +desires, by the direction of the sexual forces into the channel of +affectional attraction and functioning. * * * The form of the sexual +manifestation will be largely influenced, by the mind, and largely by +force with these principles, and the gradual formation of habits +consistent therewith, will make more and more evident their beneficial +operation." + +There is much interest now being taken by thinking people in some phases +of the general subject of semi-continence, and many thoughtful and +conscientious persons find in it at least the promise of a worthy and +honest solution of the problem of Continence as applied to Birth +Control. Such persons claim to find in this general class of Birth +Control methods a happy medium between the rigid practice of absolute +Continence in the marriage relations, on the one hand, and the more +popular methods of Contraception, on the other hand. + + +Contraception. + +We now come to the consideration of the subject of Contraception, pure +and simple, the methods of which contemplate the manifestation of the +usual physical sexual relations between husband and wife, accompanied by +an avoidance of the union of the male and female elements of +reproduction which result in conception. + +It should once more be positively emphasized that BY CONTRACEPTION IS +NOT MEANT ABORTION. ABORTION means "the premature expulsion of the human +embryo or foetus; miscarriage." CONTRACEPTION, on the other hand, means +simply the prevention of the union of the male and female elements of +reproduction, and consequently, the preventing of the process which +evolves the foetus or embryo. CONTRACEPTION IS PREVENTION; ABORTION IS +DESTRUCTION. There is here a difference as wide as the poles. As Dr. +William J. Robinson says, in a paragraph previously quoted in this +book: "In inducing abortion, one destroys something already formed--a +foetus, or an embryo, a fertilized ovum, a potential human being. In +prevention, however, one merely prevents chemically or mechanically the +spermatozoa from coming in contact with the ovum. There is no greater +sin or crime in this than there is in simple abstinence, in refraining +from sexual intercourse." + +Unfortunately for the cause of scientific Birth Control in America, the +laws of the United States (and of most of the separate States) at +present prevent the public dissemination by written or printed words, or +by public teaching of information concerning the contraceptive methods +known to all intelligent physicians and others who have made a +scientific study of the subject. The conveyal of such information, in +the manner stated, is made a criminal offence, subject to heavy fines +and imprisonment. Though there is a strong movement underway on the part +of many intelligent and earnest citizens of this country, having for its +object the repeal of such prohibitive laws, and the passage of careful +legislation designed to give the dissemination of such instruction a +legal and certain status, under the restrictions imposed by common +sense, intellectual honesty, and the best interests of the race--to +place it upon the same footing as in certain advanced European +countries--the fact remains that at the present time no person may give +such information without subjecting himself to indictment and probable +conviction as a law-breaker and enemy of society. UNDER THE +CIRCUMSTANCES, OF COURSE, THERE HAS BEEN, AND WILL BE, NO ATTEMPTS TO +FURNISH SUCH FORBIDDEN INFORMATION IN THIS BOOK. So long as these laws +stand unrepealed on the statute books, they must be observed by all law +abiding citizens. + +Dr. Wm. J. Robinson, an authority on the subject, says: "We believe +that under any conditions, and particularly under our present economic +conditions, human beings should be able to control the number of their +offspring. They should be able to decide how many children they want to +have, and when they want to have them. And to accomplish this result we +demand that the knowledge of controlling the number of offspring, in +other and plainer words, the knowledge of preventing undesirable +conception, should not be considered a criminal offence punishable by +hard labor in Federal prisons, but that it should be considered +knowledge useful and necessary to the welfare of the race and of the +individual; and that its dissemination should be as permissible as is +the dissemination of any hygienic, sanitary or eugenic knowledge." + +THE ONLY POSSIBLE RELIEF FROM THE PRESENT CONDITION IS SEEN BY CAREFUL +THINKERS TO BE IN THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC AS TO THE NEEDS OF THE +CASE, AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF +RATIONAL AND PROPER BIRTH CONTROL, TO THE END THAT PUBLIC OPINION, ONCE +SEEING THE TRUTH IN THE CASE, MAY BE SUFFICIENTLY STRONG AS TO BRING +ABOUT A CHANGE IN THE PRESENT ANTIQUATED AND BIGOTED LAWS. BUT, SO LONG +AS THE LAWS REMAIN ON THE STATUTE BOOKS, THEY MUST BE OBSERVED AND +OBEYED. EDUCATION, NOT ANARCHY, IS THE TRUE REMEDY. + +The following general remarks on the subject of Contraception, by +Havelock Ellis, the well-known English authority of the subject of Sex +in Modern Society, may perhaps prove interesting to students of the +general subject: Ellis says: "Many ways of preventing conception have +been devised since the method which is still the commonest was first +introduced, so far as our certainly imperfect knowledge extends, by a +clever Jew, Onan (Genesis, Chap. XXXVIII) whose name has since been +wrongly attached to another practice with which the Mosaic record in no +way associates him. There are now many contraceptive methods, some +dependent on precautions adopted by the man, others dependent upon the +woman, others again which take the form of an operation permanently +preventing conception, and, therefore, not to be adopted save by couples +who already have as many children as they desire, or else who ought +never to have children at all and thus wisely adopt a method of +sterilization. It is unnecessary here, even if it were otherwise +desirable, to discuss these various methods in detail. It is even +useless to do so, for we must bear in mind that no method can be +absolutely approved or absolutely condemned. Each may be suitable under +certain conditions and for certain couples, and it is not easy to +recommend any method indiscriminately. We need to know the intimate +circumstances of individual cases. For the most part, experience is the +final test. + +"Forel compared the use of contraceptive devices to the use of +eyeglasses, and it is obvious that, without expert advice, the results +in either case may sometimes be mischievous or at all events +ineffective. Personal advice and instruction are always desirable. In +Holland nurses are medically trained in a practical knowledge of +contraceptive methods, and are thus enabled to enlighten the women of +the community. This is an admirable plan. Considering that the use of +contraceptive measures is now almost universal, it is astonishing that +there are yet so many 'civilized' countries in which this method of +enlightenment is not everywhere adopted. Until it is adopted, and a +necessary knowledge of the most fundamental facts of sexual life brought +into every home, the physician must be regarded as the proper adviser. +It is true that until recently he was generally in these matters a blind +leader of the blind. Nowadays it is beginning to be recognized that the +physician has no more serious and responsible duty than that of giving +help in the difficult path of sexual life. Very frequently, indeed, even +yet, he has not risen to a sense of his responsibilities in this matter. +It is well to remember, however, that a physician who is unable or +unwilling to give frank and sound advice in this most important +department of life, is unlikely to be reliable in any other department. +If he is not up to date here, he is probably not up to date anywhere. + +"Whatever may be the method adopted, there are certain conditions which +it must fulfill, even apart from its effectiveness as a contraceptive, +in order to be satisfactory. Most of these conditions may be summed up +in one: the most satisfactory method is that which least interferes with +the normal process in the act of intercourse. Every sexual act is, or +should be, a miniature courtship, however long marriage may have lasted. +No outside mental tension or nervous apprehension must be allowed to +intrude. Any contraceptive proceeding which hastily enters the +atmosphere of love immediately before or immediately after the moment of +union is unsatisfactory and may be injurious. It even risks the total +loss of the contraceptive result, for at such moments the intended +method may be ineffectively carried out, or neglected altogether. No +method can be regarded as desirable which interferes with the sense of +satisfaction and relief which should follow the supreme act of loving +union. No method which produces a nervous jar in one of the parties, +even though it may be satisfactory to the other, should be tolerated. +Such considerations must for some couples rule out certain methods. We +cannot, however, lay down absolute rules, because methods some couples +may find satisfactory prove unsatisfactory in other cases. Experience, +aided by expert advice, is the only final criterion. + +"When a contraceptive method is adopted under satisfactory conditions, +with a due regard to the requirements of the individual couple, there is +little room to fear that any injurious results will be occasioned. It is +quite true that many physicians speak emphatically concerning the +injurious results to husband or to wife of contraceptive devices. +Although there has been exaggeration, and prejudice has often been +imported into this question, and although most of the injurious results +could have been avoided had trained medical help been at hand to advise +better methods, there can be no doubt that much that has been said under +this head is true. Considering how widespread is the use of these +methods, and how ignorantly they have often been carried out, it would +be surprising indeed if it were not true. But even supposing that the +nervously injurious effects which have been traced to contraceptive +practices were a thousandfold greater than they have been reported to +be--instead of, as we are justified in believing, considerably less than +they are reported--shall we therefore condemn contraceptive methods? To +do so would be to ignore all the vastly greater evils which have +followed in the past from unchecked reproduction. It would be a +condemnation which, if we exercised it consistently, would destroy the +whole of civilization and place us back in savagery. For what device of +man, ever since man had any history at all, has not proved sometimes +injurious? + +"Every one of even the most useful and beneficial of human inventions +has either exercised subtle injuries or produced appalling catastrophes. +This is not only true of man's devices, it is true of Nature's in +general. Let us take, for instance, the elevation of man's ancestors +from the quadrupedal to the bipedal position. The experiment of making a +series of four-footed animals walk on their hind-legs was very +evolutionary and risky; it was far more beset by dangers than is the +introduction of contraceptives; we are still suffering all sorts of +serious evils in consequence of Nature's action in placing our remote +ancestors in the erect position. Yet we feel that it was worth while; +even those physicians who most emphasize the evil results of the erect +position do not advise that we should go on all-fours. It is just the +same with a great human device, the introduction of clothes. They have +led to all sorts of new susceptibilities to disease and even tendencies +to direct injury of many kinds. Yet no one advocates the complete disuse +of all clothing on the ground that corsets have sometimes proved +harmful. It would be just as absurd to advocate the complete abandonment +of contraceptives on the ground that some of them have been misused. If +it were not, indeed, that we are familiar with the lengths to which +ignorance and prejudice may go we should question the sanity of anyone +who put forward so foolish a proposition. Every great step which Nature +and man have taken in the path of progress has been beset by dangers +which are gladly risked because of the advantages involved. We must +never loose sight of the immense advantages which Man has gained in +acquiring a conscious and deliberate control of reproduction." + + THE END. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + +Numerous minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Variations in spelling (e.g. fetus/foetus), capitalization, and +hyphenation have not been standardized. Where a misspelling was used five +or more times (e.g. umbillical), no correction has been made. No attempt +has been made to correct factual errors or poorly constructed sentences. + +The following corrections were also made to the text: + +p. 11: femininists to feminists (modern feminists) + +p. 12: phenomena to phenomenon (phenomenon of pregnancy) + +p. 27: laceration to lactation (lactation or nursing) + +p. 27: is to are (there are found severe cramps) + +p. 36: "of" added (period of gestation) + +p. 73: degeration to degeneration (degeneration and actual Race Suicide) + +p. 84: "in" added (in men in general) + +p. 85: "for" added (for inebriety) + +p. 92: strongly to strong (the woman most strong sexually) + +p. 104: "the" added (the best ability and capacity) + +p. 110: "are" added (there are unavoidable fallacies) + +p. 113: grandparents to great-grandparents (eight great-grandparents) + +p. 135: individualation to individuation (greater individuation) + +p. 139: "is" added (This is because) + +p. 143: below to above (shows a birth-rate of above 30) + +p. 154: "of" added (who of all Europeans) + +p. 170: preventitives to preventives (use preventives recommended) + +p. 190: weaking to weakening (consequent weakening) + +p. 192: passi paru to pari passu (goes down pari passu) + +p. 196: furnish to furnishes (furnishes us with evidence) + +p. 198: "of" added (general question of Eugenics) + +p. 200: "not" added (we can not see a cause) + +p. 203: SEMI-CONCEPTION. to SEMI-CONTINENCE. (METHODS OF +SEMI-CONTINENCE.) + +p. 209: "are" removed ("some people are without" to "some people +without") + +p. 217: "be" removed ("must be by the nature" to "must by the nature") + +p. 222: potention to potential (potential human being) + +p. 226: "both" removed ("to both husband or to wife" to "to husband or +to wife") + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Private Sex Advice to Women, by R. B. Armitage + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40623 *** |