SEX KN QWLE D GE

FO R WO M EN A N D G I R LS

WH AT EV ER Y WO M A N
AN D GI R L SH OU LD KN OW

BY
'

WILLIA M J R O B INSO N M D
.
, . .

of the D at
e p r me t of
n G t — ay a a ol y o o t l
en i o Urin r Dise ses an d Derm t og . Br n x H
sp i a
o al
Editor of the Ameri can J u rn olo y
of Ur g an d Ser ology ; Editor of
T he C ri ti c an d de ;
°

o a al al Wo
Au th r of Tre tmen t of Sexu Impote n ce an d Other Sexu Di sordersgn M en an d men ;
a oo Wo
Tre tmen t of G n rrhea m M en an d ao
men ; Li mi t ti n of 080 m by the Preven
m
o o o ol G l Wo
ti n of C n cepti n ; Sex Kn w edge for i r s an d " men ; Sexu a Problems of
o ay ol al
T d ; Never-T d T es ; Eu gen ics an dMa a lo
rri ge , etc Fel w of the
Yo a y M a M al o
.

New rk Ac dem of
Am
edi ci n e, of the eri c n edi c Ed i t rs
o at o a al ao Yo
Ass ci i n , Ameri c n M edic Associ ti n , New rk State
M l o ty
edi ca S cie a o al
. I n tern ll a l
ti n e Gese sch ft for Sexu a
a G
forschu ng, meri c n
A o a o m a
en etic Ass ci ti n . A eri c n
at o a
Associ i n for the Adv n cemen t of Sci en ce.
a a at
Ameri c n Urologi c l An n ot i on , etc . etc. .

A w o man may kn o w more th a

n a
is con t in ed
t he may n ot kn ow

II JRWQPRAJ QHD

S E C O N D E D I TI O N

1 9 17

C R ITI C AN D GU IDE C OM PANY

1 2 MT n orm s m ax WEST
.
.

IQEWV YI EUK
 Fox m an y year s the thor h as been receivin g r e
au

qu e st s t o wri te an el emen tary sex book pre sen tin g ,

th e vari ou s sex proble ms whi ch ar e of im port an ce to

m an an d boy, an d t o woman an d gi rl from hi s po in t ,

“
of vie w . Y ou ar e co n de mn i n g the e xi sti n g sex
book s How wou ld you i mpart sex kn owledge to th e
.

ave rage ma le an d fe male 1 Thi s w as th e su b st an ce

of man y qu e sti on s I have given my an swe r in S ex
.

Kn owle dge for M en pu bli she d sever al mon th s

,

ag o an d in th e pr e sen t volu me
, Thi s con tain s th e
.

mi n i mu m of Wh at eve ry woman an d gi rl sh ou l d
kn ow ’
reg ardin g thei r sex Tho se women an d
.
—
m en — who wan t mor e kn owle dge on th e su bj e ct o f
sex m ay con su l t th e au thor s Woman : Her S ex an d
’ ‘

W J
. . B .

Febr u ary 1 , 1 91 7,
1 2 M ou n t M orris Park West ,
 C O N T E NTS

I . TH E P AR AI I OU N T N EED OE S Ex K N OWLEDGE FOR

WOM EN AN D GIR LS

TH E FEM ALE S EX OR GAN S : THEIR A NATOMY

'

TH E P HYS I OLOGY or TH E FEI I ALE SEx OR GAN S

TH E S Ex I N STIN GI ‘

MEN S IR U ATI ON
'

AB NOR M ALI TIE S OE ME NS TR U ATI ON

TH E H YGIEN E OE M ENSTR U ATI ON
FEGUN DATI ON OE FER TILI"ATI ON

TH E DI SOR DER S or PR E GNAN C Y

WHEN TO ENGAGE A PH YSI CIAN

TH E S I"E or TH E FET U S

TH E Am mTH ( P LACEN T A )
LAcrATI ON OR N UR S I NG

AB ORTI ON AN D M I SGARR I AGE

PEEN ATAD C AR E

XV I I I . S TERILI TY

TH E MEN OP AU S E OR C HAN GE or 1m

TH E HAB IT OE MA STUR B ATI ON

vi C O N TE NT S
cm P AGE

THE V EN m EAL DI SE ASES

TH E ExTEN T or V EN E RE AL DISE ASE

GON OR R HE A
V G
ULV OV A IN ITI S IN LITT LE GI R LS

S Y P HILI S

TH E C UR AB ILIT Y or V EN E REAL DI S EAS E

V EN m EAL P RO P H Y LAxI s

B IR TH C ON TR OL OR TH E LI M ITATION or

SPR I NG
ADV I CE TO TH E MARR IED AN D THOSE AB OUT
10 BE
 SEX K N O W LE D G E FO R
WO M E N A N D G IR LS

C H AP TER ON E

THE P AR A M OU NT NEE D O F S E X KN OWL

E DGE F O R GIRL S AN D WO ME N

TH E fir st reason why sex in str u cti on i s even more

importan t for girl s than i t i s for boys i s becau se a
mi sst ep in a girl h as mu ch mor e di sastrou s con se
q u e n ce s t h an i t h a s i n a boy . Th e d i sas tr ou s re

su l ts O f a mi sstep i n a boy ar e o n ly physica l in char

acte r ; th e re su l ts o f th e s am e mi sst ep i n a gi rl m y

be physi cal , m oral so ci al an d e co n omi c To spe ak

, .

m or e pl ai n l y If a boy th rou gh ign oran ce rashl y

.
, ,

in du l ge s in ill ici t sexu al r e lat i on s th e wor st cou se

,

qu en co to him m ay b e in fect i on wi th a ven e re al d i s

e ase . B u t h e i s n ot con si de r e d immoral , h e i s n ot
despised h e is n ot o str aci ze d h e doe s n ot lo se h is
, ,

s ocial stan din g in th e sl ight e st de gr ee an d when h e

,

i s cu re d Of hi s ven e re al dis e ase h e h as n o d ifi cu l ty

in ge tti n g mar ri ed He do e s n ot e ven have t o con
.

ceal hi s pas t se xu al hi s tory from hi s w i fe

‘

. B u t if a
9
10 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO M E N

gir l make s a mi sste p th e con se qu en ce s to h e r ar e

te rrible in dee d ; i t m ay n ot o n ly co st h e r h e r health
an d so ci al stan di n g sh e m ay have to pay wi th h e r
,

ve ry lif e . S h e r u n s th e ri sk O f ve n e re al i n fe cti on
th e sam e as th e boy do e s bu t in addi ti o n sh e ru n s th e
,

ri sk O f becomi n g pre gn an t whi ch in ou r pre sen t so

,

ci al sy stem i s a cata strophe i n d ee d . To save he r se l f

from th e di sgrace Of an i lle git imate chil d sh e m ay
have an aborti on produ ce d ; th e aborti on m ay have
n o bad r e su l t s, b u t i t m ay, if pe rform e d b u n gli n gly ,

l eave h e r an in val i d for li fe or i t m ay ki ll h e r ou t

,

ri ght If she is so u n fortu n ate as to b e u n able t o

‘

g e t a n ybody t o prod u ce an a bort i o n ,s h e giv e s b i rth

t o an il l e gitimate child, whi ch she i s force d in mo st
case s t o pu t away in an i n sti tu ti on of some sort

w he re sh e h ope s an d pr ays i t m ay d i e soo n — an d in

,

g e n e r al ,
i t do e s
. I f i t do e s n ot di e , sh e h a s for
th e re st O f h er li fe a D am o cle s sword han gin g ove r
he r he ad an d sh e i s in con st an t te rror l e st he r sin
,

be fou n d ou t Sh e do e s n ot p e rmi t h e r self to look for

.

a m at e bu t if sh e d o e s ge t marri e d, th e sp e cte r Of
,

he r an tem atri m on i al e xpe rien ce i s con stan tly before

he r e yes A fte r ye ar s an d ye ar s O f ma rri e d li fe th e
.
,

hu sb an d may divo rce h e r if h e fin ds ou t that sh e had

“
sin n e d
”
be fore Sh e kn ew him An d u n le ss th e
.

hu sban d i s a broad m in ded m an an d loves he r tru l y

-

an d u n l e ss sh e made a cl e an breas t Of eve rythin g to

 THE P AR AM OU NT NEE D 11

him be fore m arriage , h e r lif e i s con tin u ou s tortu re .

B u t eve n if th e girl e scape d pr e gn an cy th e me re ,

fin din g ou t that S h e h ad an i ll i ci t e xp e ri e n ce d eprive s

h e r Of soci al stan din g or make s h e r a social ou tcas t
,

an d e n ti r e ly d estroys or gr e atly mi n imi z e s h er

chan ces O f e ve r marryi n g an d e stabli shi n g a home of

he r ow n . Sh e mu st re mai n a lon e ly wan de re r to the

en d Of h e r day s .

Th e en ormou s difi e r en oe in th e r e su l t s Of a m i s
ste p in a b oy an d a girl i s clearly se e n an d f or thi s
,

r eason al on e , if for n o o the r sex in str u cti on i s Of

,

m ore importan ce t o th e girl than i t is to th e boy .

B u t the re ar e oth e r import an t r e ason s an d on e ,

Of them i s be au ti fu lly an d tru thfu l ly e xp re sse d by

B yron in his tw o we ll kn own lin e s

-
.

Man ’
s l ove i s o f man s li fe a
’
thin g apart,
"
Bis w om an s whol e e xi ste n ce
’
.

Y es, l ove i s woman s whol e li fe

a
’
.

S ome m od e rn women mi ght Objact t o thi s The y .

mi ght say tha t th is w as tru e o f the woman Of th e

pas t, w h o w as e xclu de d from al l othe r ave n u e s of
hu m an activi ty Th e wom an o f th e pre sen t d ay has
.

othe r in te re st s be si d e s tho se of L ove B u t I cl aim

.

that thi s i s tr u e Of on l y a small p e rce n t age of

w omen ; an d in e v en thi s small m in ori ty o f wome n ,
12 SE X KN OWLE DGE F O R WO M E N

soci al , scientific an d arti stic activi ti e s can n ot take

th e p lace Of love ; n o ma tte r h ow b u sy an d su cce ssfu l
these women m ay b e th ey will tell you if you en joy
,

thei r co n fiden ce that they ar e u n happy if the ir love ,

li fe i s u n sati sfactory Nothin g n othin g can fill th e

.
,

voi d m ade by th e lack Of love Th e vari ou s activi tie s

.

m ay h elp t o cove r u p the voi d to prot ect i t from,

stran ge e ye s, the y can n ot fil l i t For e ssen tiall y

.

w oman i s m ad e for love Not e xclu si ve ly bu t e ssen

.
,

tin l l y an d a wom an who has h ad n o love in h e r li fe

,

has bee n a fail u r e Th e f ew e xce pti on s that m ay be

.

men ti on e d on l y emphas iz e th e ru l e .

B u t n ot on l y p sychi cally i s a wom an s love an d ’

sex li fe m ore i mport an t th an a man s physi cally sh e

’
,

i s al so mu ch mor e cogn i zan t Of h er sex an d mu ch

m ore hammre d by th e man i f e st ati on of h e r se x
n at u re than m an i s TO tak e bu t on e fu n cti on
.
,

m en str u ati on . From the age 1 3 or 1 4 t o th e

age of forty five or fifty i t i s a mon thly re
-

min de r t o woman that sh e i s a woman that sh e i s a ,

cre atu r e O f se x ; an d while to man y women thi s

,

pe ri odi cal ly re cu rri n g fu n cti on i s on ly a sou rce Of

some an n oyan ce or di scomf ort to a gr e at n u mbe r,

it i s a cau se of p ai n he adache sn fi e r in g or com pl e te

, , ,

di sabili ty M an h as n o su ch phe n omen on to an n oy

.

him prac ti cally hi s whole lif e .

B u t m or e importan t ar e th e r e su l t s Of love u n i on , -
 THE PAR AM OU NT NEED 13

O f se x rel ati on s A m an aft e r a sexu al re l ati on i s

.

ju st as fre e as h e w as b e for e A woman , if th e re la

.

ti on has re su l te d i n a pre gn an cy whi ch is ge n e rally

,

th e case u n l e ss spe ci al pai n s ar e tak en i t shou l d n ot

,

so r e su l t h as n in e trou bl es ome mo n th s b e for e h e r

, ,

mon ths of di scomfort i f n ot o f actu al sn fi er in g ; sh e

then h as an e xtr emely tryin g an d p ain fu l orde al that,

O f chil dbi rth, an d the n the r e i s an othe r t ryin g p e

r i od , th e p e ri od o f l actati on or of n u r sin g an d O f

b ri n gi n g u p th e baby Th e pen al ty se ems almo st too

.

gre at .

An d whe n th e woman i s on th e poin t of ce asin g to

men stru ate sh e do e s n ot do so smoothly an d com
f ortabl y S h e ha s t o go throu gh a pe ri od call e d th e
.

men opau se whi ch m ay l ast on e or tw o ye ar s an d

,

whi ch m ay brin g di scomf ort s an d dan ge r s of i ts

ow n . M an do e s n ot have to go throu gh su ch a di s
tin ct pe ri od of de marcati on sep aratin g hi s sexu al
from his n on sexu al li fe Al toge the r it can n ot be
-
.

de n i e d that woman i s mu ch mor e a slave Of h e r sex

n at u re th an man i s O f hi s Y e s Natu r e h a s han di
.
,

capp e d woman mu ch more he avi ly than sh e h a s m an .

I n short both in vi ew O f th e fact that se xu al i g

,

n or an ce wi th its p o ssible mi sst e p s h as mu ch more

disastrou s con sequ en ce s f or th e girl than it has f or

th e boy an d in vi ew O f th e fact that th e se x in stin ct
,

an d i ts physi cal an d p sychi c man i fe stati on s o ccu py

14 SEX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

a mu ch mor e import an t part in woman s li fe than ’

they do in th e life Of m an w e con sid e r th e n ece ssi ty

,

O f sex i n str u cti o n mu ch gr e at e r i n th e ca se O f wom an

than i n th e case O f m an I d o n ot wi sh to be m i s
.

u n de r stood a s u n d e r e stim at i n g th e n e e d O f se x i n

stru cti on f or th e mal e — on l y I con side r th e n e ed

e ven gre at e r in th e case O f th e fe mal e .
 C HAP TER Tw o

THE FE MAL E S E X O RGA NS : THEI R

TH E organ s whi ch p rimar il y di stin gu i sh on e sex

from th e othe r ar e th e sex organ s It i s by th e ai d
.

Of the sex organ s that childr en ar e b e gotten an d

brou ght in to th e world that th e race i s r epr odu ced
,

an d p e rpe tu at e d I t i s f or thi s reason that th e se x

.

organ s ar e al so calle d th e R e produ cti ve O rgan s .

The fir st thin g w e mu st do i s to b e come fam il i ar

with th e str u ctu r e an d l ocati on Of th e sex org an s ;
i n othe r word s w e mu st get a fai r i d ea of thei r
,

A n atomy .

Th e femal e se x organ s al so call e d the r epr odu c

,

tive or gen e rati ve organ s are di vid ed in to in tern al

,

an d e xt e rn al
. Th e in t e rn al ar e th e mo st impor tan t
an d con si st o f : th e ovari e s Fallopi an tu b e s u t e ru s
, ,

or womb an d vagin a Th e exte rn al sex organ s of

, .

th e fe mal e ar e : the vu l va, hymen , an d clitoris .

A mo n g th e e xt e rn al organ s ar e al so gen er al l y in
clu de d th e mo n s Ven e r i s an d th e br east s or mam

mary glan d s .
16 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

THE I NTER N AL S E X O R GAN S

Th e Ovari es .ovar ies ar e th e essen ti al organ s

Th e
O f r eprodu cti on For i t i s th ey that gen e r at e th e
.

e ggs or ova or 001116 3 whi ch aft e r b e comi n g fer

, , , ,

ti l iz ed or femm d ated by th e sp e rm atozo a of th e male ,

d evelop in to chil dr e n Wi thou t th e ovari e s Of th e

.

female th e same as wi thou t th e t e sticle s of th e mal e

,

( t o wh i ch th e y corr e spo n d ) n o chil dr e

,
n co u ld b e

be gotten an d th e en ti re hu man race wou ld qu ickly

,

di sapp e ar from ou r plan e t Th e ovari e s ar e two in

.

n u mb e r ; the y ar e e mb e dd e d i n th e br oa d l ig am en ts

whi ch su pport th e womb in th e pe lvi s on e on e ach ,

si d e Of th e womb T hey ar e O f a grayi sh or whiti sh

.

pin k color an d ar e abou t an i n ch an d a hal f l on g

, ,

—
thre e qu art e r s Of an in ch wid e an d on e thi rd Of an
,
-

in ch thi ck .They wei gh from on e e ighth to on e -

qu arte r o f an Ou n ce The ir su rface i s eithe r smooth

.

or rou gh an d pu cke r e d Thi n k Of a large blan che d

.
 THE FE MAL E S Ex OR GANS 17

o
al m n d an d you will have a pre tty fai r ide a of the

Th e Fall opi an Tu bes . Fallopi an t u b e s ( so

Th e
call e d from F allopiu s a gre at an atomi st who d i s
, ,

cove r e d them ; al so calle d ovidu ct s : e gg co n du ct or s ,

becau se they con du ct th e e ggs from th e ovary in to

the u t e ru s ) ar e tw o v e ry thi n tu b e s, e xt en din g on e
from e ach u pp e r an gle O f th e womb to th e ovarie s ;
b u t at th ei r ovari an e n d th e y e xp an d i n to a frin ge d
an d tr u m mt sh ap e d e xtr e mi ty
-
Th e frin ge s ar e r e
.

fe rred to as fim bria The y ar e abou t five in che s lon g

.

an d o n ly abou t on e si xt e e n th O f an in ch in di ame t e r ;
-

th e fu n cti on O f th e tu be s i s to catch th e ov a as they

bu r st forth from th e ovari e s an d to con vey them to
the u t e ru s T akin g in to co n si de r ati on th e ve ry n ar
.

r ow lxw men ,
or cal i be r o f th e F allopi an tu be s it i s
, ,

e asy to u n de r st an d why e ve n a ve ry sli ght in flam

mati on i s apt to clog th e m u p to seal the i r mou th s or ,

O pen i n g s thu s r e n d e ri n g th e woman s ter i l e or i n ca

, ,

p a h l e O f h av i n g chi l dr e n F o r , i f
. th e F allop i an
“
tu be s are clogged u p th e e ggs, or ov a have n o
”
, ,

w ay Of r e achin g th e u t e ru s .

Th e Gr e ek n ame f or th e Fall opi on tu b e i s salp in x

( s al p i n x i n Gr e ek m e an s tu be ) A n i n flam m a
.t i on

Of th e Fall op i an t u b e i s the re for e call e d salpin gi ti s .

The Uteru s Th e u ter u s or womb is th e organ in

.

w hi ch th e fe rtil i ze d ovu m or e gg, grows an d de ve l

,
 S E X KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

ops i n to hild It i s a hollow mu scu l ar organ

a c .
,

abo u t th e si z e of a pe ar wi th thi ck wall s cap able

, ,

u n d e r th e in flu en ce of pr e gn an cy O f gr e at e xp an si on

an d growth Th e bro ad p art O f th e p e ar i s ca lle d

.

th e bod y O f th e u t e ru s ; th e lowe r n arrow p art i s

cal le d th e n e ck O f th e u t eru s or cer vix
, The u te ru s .

in th e adu lt girl or woman i s abou t thr e e i n che s lon g,

two i n ch e s bro ad in its u pp e r p art an d n e arly an
in ch thi ck I t we i gh s from an Ou n ce to an ou n ce
.

an d a h alf Wh en th e u t e ru s i s in a pregn an t con

.

di ti on i t i n cr ease s en ormou sly both in siz e an d in

, ,

weight as w e w i ll see in a fu t u r e chap te r Th e

,
.

cavi ty O f th e u t e ru s i s somewhat tri an gu l ar in sh ape ;

at e ach u p pe r an gl e i s th e small op en i n g commu n i

cati n g wi th th e F allop i an tu b e ; th e u p pe r porti on of

the u te ru s i s call e d th e fu n du s ; th e e xte rn al op en in g

o f th e womb si tu a te d in th e cen te r of th e ce rvix , i s
,

calle d th e mou th o f th e womb or th e 03 or ex te r

, ,

n al O S .

Th e te ru s i s situ ate d in the cen te r Of th e p elvi s,

u

be twe en th e bladde r an d th e r ectu m It i s su pporte d .

by certai n li gam en t s th e chi e f Of whi ch ar e th e

”
‘
,

broad ligamen t s ; bu t on ac cou n t Of gen e ral weak

,

n e ss, too ha rd physical labor or li ftin g heavy ,

w e ight s th e li gam en t s m ay str e t ch , an d th e u t e ru s

,

may sin k down low in th e vag in a, an d w e then have

th e con di ti on kn ow n as prol ap se of th e w omb Or .
 THE F E M ALE S E X O RGA NS 21

Th e V agin a [ gn
va i a in Latin — a h th ] The s ea .

vagin a i s th e tu b e or can al which se rve s as a pas

sa g e w -
a y b e t w e e n th e u t e ru s a n d th e o u t si d e Of th e

body It exten d s from th e ext e rn al gen i tals or vu lva

.

to th e n e ck of th e womb embracin g th e latte r for

,

some di st an ce . It i s a stron g fib r om u scu l ar can al,

,

li n e d wi th mu co u s membr an e I t i s n ot smooth in
.

si d e bu t arr an ge d i n fold s or r u g cc so th at when

, , ,

n e ce ssary as du r in g chi ldb i rth i t can stre tch en or

, ,

m ou sl y an d pe rmi t th e passag e of a chi ld s head ’

.

Th e len gth of th e vagin al can al i s b e twe e n thre e an d

fiv e i n che s bu t i t i s in ge n e r al mu ch mor e cap aci ou s
,

in women that hav e born e on e or mor e chil dr en than

in thos e who h ave n ot born e an y .

Ne ar th e vagin al en tran ce ar e situ ate d tw o smal l

g l an d s ; th e y a r e a bo u t th e si z e of a p e a a n d se
, cr e te

mu cu s Th ey ar e call e d B artholin s glan d s ; occa

.
’

si on all y th e y b e come i n flam e d an d gi ve a good d e al

Of tro u ble .

—
Th e Hym an [ hym en in Gre ek a membran e ] Th e .

e xt e rn al ope n in g O f th e v agin a i n vi rgin s that i s i n

, , ,

gi rls or wome n w h o have n ot had se xu al in te r cou r se ,

i s al mo st e n ti r e ly clo se d by a membr an e calle d th e

“
hymen Th e vu lg ar n ame for hym e n i s
. mai d en
h ead . Th e hym e n m ay be of vari ou s shape s, an d Of
difl ere n t co n si ste n cy I n some girl s i t i s a v e ry thi n
.

m embr an e , whi ch tear s ve ry r e adily ; in othe rs i t i s

 SEX KN O WL E DGE F OR WO M E N

qu i te tou gh On the u pp e r margin or in th e cen te r

.

of the hymen the re i s an op en in g whi ch pe rmi t s an y

secr e ti on from th e vag in a an d th e blood from th e

u t er u s to come thro u gh I n r ar e ca se s the r e i s n o

.

op en i n g in th e hymen that i s th e vagin a i s e n tir ely

, ,

clo se d . Su ch a hym en i s cal led i m p crfor ate ( n ot

p e rforat e d ) Whe n th e gi rl b e gin s to men stru at e ,
.

th e blood can n o t com e ou t an d i t accu mu late s i n th e

vagin a I n su ch ca se s th e hymen mu st be Open e d
.

or sli t by a do ctor I n some ca se s th e hymen i s con

.

g e n i t all y ab se n t ; th at i s th e gi rl i s,born w i tho u t an y

hymen Whi le th e hymen i s u su all y ru ptu re d d u r
.

in g th e fir st in te r cou r se , it in some cas e s b ein g

, ,

elasti c an d str e tch abl e p e r si st s u n torn aft e r se xu al

,

in t ercou r se . It wil l the re for e b e see n that j u st as

the pr e sen ce of th e hymen i s n o ab solu te p roo f o f
vi rgin i ty , so i s th e ab sen ce of th e hymen n o ab solu t e

p roof that th e gi rl h as h ad se x u al relati on s S h e .

might have b een born wi thou t an y hymen or it ,

might hav e b e en r u ptu re d by vagin al examin ati on ,

by a vagin al dou che by scr atchi n g t o r elieve itchi n g

, ,

or by some acciden t .

THE EX TER N AL GEN ITALS

Th e Vu l va . Th e e xtern al gen i tals of th e female

ar e call e d th e vu l va . The vu l va con si st s of th e lab i a
 THE FE MAL E S E X O RGA NS 23

majora ( me an in g th e l arge r lip s ) whi ch ar e on th e

,

ou tsi de an d whi ch in th e grown u p girl are cover ed

-

w i th hai r an d th e l ab i a mi n or a ( th e smal le r lip s ) ,

,

whi ch ar e on th e i n si d e an d whi ch ar e u su al ly on ly
se e n wh e n th e lab i a m ajor a ar e t aken ap art .

Th e M on s Ven eri s Th e e l evati on ab ove th e vu l v a

.
,

whi ch du rin g pu b e rty be come s cove re d w i th hai r i s ,

calle d by th e f an cif u l n am e m on s V en e r i s or V e n u s
’
, ,

mou n tain It i s u su ally well p adde d with fatty ti s

.

me .

Th e Cl i toris . mal l body abou t an

Th e cl i tori s i s a s

in ch i n l en gth situ at e d b e n e ath th e mon s Ven e ri s

,

an d partly or e n ti r e ly cov e r ed by th e u pp e r bord e r s

of th e labi a min or a .

Th e U reth ra B e tw ee n th e cl itori s abov e an d th e

.

open in g O f th e vagin a b e low i s situ at e d th e op en in g

of th e u r e th r a or th e u ri n ary me atu s throu gh whi ch
, ,

th e u rin e passe s M an y w om e n ar e so i gn or an t or
.
, ,

l e t u s say in n o cen t th at th e y thin k th e u ri n e p a sse s

,

ou t throu gh th e vagin a Thi s i s n ot so Th e vagin a

. .

h as n othi n g to d o with th e pro ce ss o f u rin ati on .

A gai n en u m e r atin g th e femal e se x organ s bu t i n ,

th e r eve r se ord e r from be for e b ackward or from

, ,

ou t in ward, w e h av e : Th e mo n s V e n e ri s an d th e
l abi a majora or th e e xt e rn al l ip s o f th e vu l va ; th e se
,

ar e th e plai n ly vi sibl e p art s of th e femal e ge n it al

organ s When th e l abi a majora ar e taken apart w e

.
24 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO M E N

se e th e labia min ora ; whe n th e labia major a an d

min ora ar e taken apart w e can se e or fee l th e cli tori s
an d th e hym en or th e r emain s of th e hyme n
, We .

then have th e vagin a a large st retchable m u scu l o

, ,

me mbr an o u s can al in th e u ppe r porti on of whi ch

,

th e n e ck o f th e womb or th e ce rvix can be se e n

, ,

( wh e n a s p e cu lu m i s u se d ) or f e lt by th e fi
, n g e r .

On ly th e ce rvix or n eck o f th e womb can b e se en

, , ,

bu t th e r e st of th e womb th e broad e r porti on can, ,

b e e asi ly felt an d e xam in ed by on e han d in th e va

gin a an d th e othe r han d ove r th e abdome n C on .

ti n u ou s wi th th e u te ru s are th e F allop ian t u b e s an d ,

be low th e tru m p e t shap e d en ds o f th e F allopi an

-

tu be s ar e th e ovari es e mb edde d in th e bro ad liga

,

men t s on e on each sid e

, .

Th e B reasts Th e b re as t s also call e d m am mar y

.
,

gl an d s or m ammze [mamm a in Latin breast ] m ay

, , ,

b e co n side r e d a s acce ssory organ s O f r eprodu cti on .

T hey ar e o f n o import an ce i n th e male in whom ,

they ar e u su ally ru dimen t ary bu t the y ar e of great ,

import an ce i n th e fem ale They man u factu r e milk

.
,

whi ch is n e ce ssary f or th e prope r n u tri ti on o f th e

in fan t an d th e y ad d a gre at de al to th e b e au ty an d
,

attracti v en e ss O f th e woman T hey ar e thu s a help

.

to the woman in ge ttin g a mat e or a hu sb an d Th e .

proj ectin g e l evati on o f th e br e ast which th e chil d ,

take s in hi s mou th when n u r sin g i s calle d th e n i pple ; ,

 THE F E MAL E S EX O R GA NS 25

the darke r colore d r

a e a su rrou n di n g th e n ippl e i s
cal l ed th e ar e ola .

Th e in te rn l se x organ s ar e situ ate d in th e lowe r

a

p art of the abdomin al cavi ty th e p art that i s call e d

,

th e p el vis or p e lvi c cavi ty

,
Th e me an in g of th e
.

word pelvi s in Latin i s b asin Th e p elvi s al so r e .

,

fe rred to as th e p elvic girdle or p elvic arch form s ,

a b o n y b asin an d i s comp ose d of three powe rfu l

,

bon e s : th e sacru m con si stin g of fiv e ve rtebrae fu se d

,

t oge the r an d co n sti tu tin g th e sol id p art o f th e spin e ,

or ve rt ebral colu mn in th e back an d th e two hip

, ,

bon e s on e on e ach S i de Th e tw o hipbon e s mee t in

,
.

fron t, formi n g th e pu bic ar ch .

Th e hi pbon e s are calle d in Lat in th e o ssa in n om i

n ata ( n ame le ss bon e s ) an d e ach hi pbon e i s com

p o se d O f thr e e bo n e s : th e ili u m th e i schi u m a n

, d th e ,

O S p u bi s
. Th e thi gh s ar e attached to th e hi pbon e s ,

an d to th e hi pbon e s ar e also attach ed th e l a rg e gl u

“
teal mu scl e s w hi ch form th e bu tto cks , or th e se at
”
, .

Th e p elvi s Of th e female d i fi e r s con sid e rably from

the p e lvi s of th e mal e Th e female p elvi s i s shal
.

lowe r an d wi de r l e ss massive th e m argin s Of th e

, ,

bon e s ar e m or e widely sep arat e d thu s givin g gr e at e r ,

p romin en ce to th e hi p s ; th e sacr u m i s s e an d
" hort r
 C HAPTER THREE

THE PHYSI OLO GY O F THE FE MAL E S EX

ORGA NS
TH E importan o f an organ dep en d s u p on its
ce

fu n cti on,
u po n wh at i t do e s a n d,n ot S O mu ch u po n

what i t i s I t is importan t to kn ow th e siz e str u c

.
,

tu re an d locati on Of an organ bu t i t i s still mor e im

,

port an t t o kn ow its fu n ct i on ; in othe r word s for ou r ,

pu rpo se i t i s mor e import an t to kn ow th e physi ol ogy

than the an atomy of the sex organ s .

FUN C TI ON OF THE O V AR IES

Like th e te sticle s in m an S O th e ovarie s i n woman

,

ar e th e e sse n ti al se xu al organ s They are th e fu n da

.

me n tal organ s wi thou t whi ch th e othe r sexu al or

,

gan s ar e u sele ss A l so like th e t e sti cl e s in m an th e

.
,

ovari e s hav e tw o di stin ct fu n cti on s man u factu rin g

,

tw o di stin ct su b st an ce s On e fu n cti on i s to man u

.

factu re e ggs ; thi s calle d th e OOge n e ti c or e gg pro

,
-

d u cin g fu n cti o n i s its r acial fu n cti on ; wi tho u t i t

,

th e r ace cou 1d n ot p e rp e tu at e i t se l f B u t th e ovary

.

h as al so an in d i vid u al fu n cti on B e si de s th e ova

.
,

28
th e ova r y m an res w hat w e cal l an in te rn al
u f actu
secr e ti o n w hi ch i s ab s orb ed b y th e bl ood an d w hi ch ,

is of th e g r ea te st importan ce to th e w oman h e r
se l f
. Wh il e th e man u f actu re Of ova be gi n s on ly
at pu be r ty w i th m en stru ati o n
, an d cl o se s at th e
,

men opau se th e m an u factu re Of th e in te rn al secre

,

ti on last s thr ou g ho u t th e woman s e n ti re life This

’
.

secr e ti on ,
whi ch con s i sts of va ri ou s chem ical su b
stan ce s, h as a tre me n dou s in flu e n ce n ot on l y on
th e de ve lopm en t of th e woman S body bu t al so on
’
,

h e r fee lin gs .

Fir st of all it i s n ece ssa ry for th e devel opmen t

O f th e wom an s sp eci al ch a racte r i sti cs or s e con dary
’
,

s em al cha r ac te r s Withou t that in te rn al secre ti on

.

o f th e ovari e s a woman wou ld look more or l e ss

,

like a m an ; Sh e wou ld n ot d eve lop h e r be au ti fu l

rou n d ed form h e r pre tty lon g hair h er bre ast s h e r
, , ,

broad pe lvi s h e r femin i n e voi ce etc S econ d th e

, , .
,

se cre ti o n i s n e ce ssary to th e prop e r d ev elopme n t

o f he r othe r sexu al organ s ; i f th e ovari e s ar e cu t

ou t th en th e u t e ru s an d th e vag in a an d ev en th e
,

vu lva shr ive l u p Thi r d it i s that in t e rn al secr eti o n

.
,

that e xcite s in wom an sexu al de sire an d mak e s her

en j oy r e l ati o n s wi th th e mal e sex If th e ovarie s
.

ar e cu t away p articu larly i f i t i s don e early in

,

li fe th e woman h as n o sexu al d e sir e an d n o on

,

joymou t F ou r th it con tribu te s t o th e gen e ral

.
,
30 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

he al th , wellbein g e n e rgy an d men tal al e rtn e ss of

, ,

th e woman .

Y ou see th e import an ce of th e in te rn al ovari an

se cr e ti o n an d you
, wi ll r e ad ily u n de r st an d why,
when th e ovari es ar e remove d by op e rati on th e ,

woman , p articu larly if sh e i s you n g u n de rgo e s su ch

,

marke d chan ge s It i s b e cau se w e r e cogn i z e n ow

.

th e gr e at import an ce o f th e ovari e s that w e al

ways whe n op e ratin g ou di se ase d ovari e s le ave at
,

l east a sm all pi e ce Of ovary i f at all po ssible ,

.

N u mber of Ova Wh en th e female in fan t i s b orn

.
,

h e r ovari e s co n t ai n a s man y ova or e gg s as th ey

e ve r wi ll con t ai n I n fac t th ey con t ain mor e than
.
,

th ey wi ll at pu b e rty For it i s e stimat e d that at

.

bi rth e ach ovary con tain s abou t ov a ; th e

majority O f the se h oweve r di sapp ear S O that at th e

, ,

ag e o f pu b e rty e ach ovary con t ai n s on ly abo u t 30 ,

000ov a A s on ly on e ovu m rip e n s e ach mon th from

.

th e time of pu b e rty to th e time o f th e me n op au se

( i
. e.
,ab o u t 300 t o 4 00 ov a at th e u tmo st d u r i n g
a l i fe ti m e ) an d as on ly a doz en or two ov a wou ld
,

b e n e ce ssary for th e p rop agati on of th e race it ,

se ems a su p e r ab u n dan ce o f ov a an
, u n n e ces sary

l avi shn e ss B u t n atu r e is lavi sh whe r e th e pr opa

.

g ati on O f th e sp e ci e s i s c o n ce r n ed A port
. i o n of
an ovary or of both ovari e s might b e come di se ase d ,

an d thou san ds Of ova might b e come u n fit for f e r

 P HYSIOLO GY OF THE S E X O RGA NS 31

tili zati on ; t re the re fore pu ts in an ext ra rese rve

n a u

su pply We see a still more strikin g e xample Of

.

th i s e xtreme extr avagan t lavi shn e ss in m an ; on ly

on e spe rm atoz oOn i s n e ce ssary to i mpre gn at e the

ovu m an d on ly on e spe rm atozoOn can p en etr ate the

,

ovu m ; n eve r thel e ss each n ormal e j acu lati on of se

m en con t ain s b e t w e en a qu ar te r an d h alf a mi lli on
S p e rm atoz o a .

Th e Graafian Fol li cl es E ach pr imi tive or pr imor

.

di al ovu m i s imb e dde d in a li ttle vesicl e or f ol

licl e whi ch i s gen e rally kn own as Gr aafian foll i cl e
, ,
‘

an d th e r e ar e as m an y Gr aafian folli cle s as the re

ar e ova ( T.h e G r aa fian f o l li cl e s w e r e fir s t d e

scrib e d abou t 250 y ear s ago — —

in 1 6 72 by a De lf t
physi ci an n ame d De Gr aaf hen ce th e n am e ) U n til
, .

pu b e rty that i s th e comm e n cemen t of men stru ati on

, ,

th e Gr aafian folli cle s wi th th e O Ocyt e s or primi tiv e

ova ar e i n a mor e or l e ss dorman t con di ti on . Bu t
with th e on set Of pu b erty th e r e comm en ce s a p e ri od
O f i n t en se ac tiv ity i n th e ovari e s . Thi s p e ri od of
activi ty i s r ep e at e d r e gu l arly o n ce a mo n th an d
,

i t con sti tu te s th e pro ce ss of ovu la ti on an d m en

s tr u ati on Th e tw o pro ce sse s ar e clo sely th ou gh
.

n ot cau sally co n n e ct e d Ovu lati on con si st s in the

.

mon thl y matu rati on an d e xtru si on Of a rip e ovu m ;

men stru ati o n whi ch will b e fu rthe r di scu ssed in a
,

se p ar at e ch apt e r co n si st s i n th e mon thl y di scharge

,
°
32 SEX KN OWL E DGE F O R W O M E N

o f blood mi xe d wi th mu cu s from th e in si de lin i n g

,

of th e u te ru s E ve ry twen ty e ight d ays from th e

.
-
,

time of pu be rty to th e time O f th e men op au se a ,

Gr aafian folli cl e bu r st s an d an ovu m i s extru d e d

from th e ovary B e for e th e folli cle bu r st s it swell s
.
,

an d e n l arge s an d r e ach e s th e su rfac e of th e ovary ;

th e whole folli cl e i s con ge st e d wi th blood bu t at ,

on e poi n t n e ar th e su r face of th e ova ry i t i s p al e

an d thi n an d h e r e th e ru ptu r e tak e s place

, .

FUN C TI ON OF THE O THE R GEN I TAL OR GAN S

Fu n cti on of th e Fal lopi an Tu b es . fu n cti on Of

Th e f

th e F allop i an tu b es or ovi du ct s as the y ar e some

tim es called i s to catch th e ovu m as it bu r st s throu gh
th e ovary an d to co n du ct i t from th e ovary in to th e
u t e ru s
. It i s while th e ovu m i s in th e n arrow lu men
O f th e tu b e th at th e sp e rm at ozoon whi ch h as trav
ell e d u p from th e u t e ru s u su ally fin d s it an d i t i s
,

in th e tu b e n ear its e n tran ce to th e womb that

, ,

impr e gn ati o n u su ally t ak e s place . A ft e r th e ovu m

i s impr egn at e d or fe cu n d at e d i t slowly move s down
,

t o th e u te ru s where i t attache s i t self an d r emain s

,

an d grow s f or n i n e mo n ths , u n til i t i s r e ad y to

come ou t an d start an in d e p e n d en t li fe .

Th e u t e ru s or womb i s th e ho u se o f th e embryo
alm o st from th e mom e n t o f co n ce pti o n to th e mo
 P HYS I OL O GY OF THE S E X O RGA N S 33

men t birth Wi thi n th e thi ck warm shel te r ed

Of .

wall s Of th e u te ru s th e chi ld grows develop s e at s , ,

an d br e ath e s u n til all i ts organ s an d fu n cti o n s hav e

,

r eached su ch a stage o f p er fecti o n that i t can live

by i t se lf an d f or i tself An d thi s m ay be sai d to
.

b e th e sole fu n cti on of the u t e ru s or at l east its sole

,

u se fu l fu n cti on F or the othe r fu n cti on of the

.

u te ru s men str u ati on , can n ot b e sai d to b e a n e ce s

,

sary or a u se fu l fu n cti on It i s a n ormal fu n cti on

.

becau se i t o ccu r s re gu l arly i n eve ry he althy woman

du rin g h e r chil d b earin g p e ri od bu t n ot e ve ry n or
-
,

m al fu n cti on i s a n ece s sary or u se fu l fu n cti on No t .

eve rythin g th at i s i s ri ght or u se fu l .

Fu n cti on of th e V agin a Th e vag in a i s th e can al

.

in whi ch sexu al i n t e rcou r se t ake s place It r ece ives .

th e mal e organ ( p en i s ) du rin g th e sexu al act an d ,

se rve s as a t empor ary r epo si tory f or th e mal e s e

me n . A ft e r th e spe rmatozo a h av e r e ache d th e

u t e ru s th e vagin a h as n o fu rth e r fu n ct i o n t o pe r
,

for m .

THE S E C ONDAR Y S E X CHAR A C TER S

Th e organ s con stitu te th e prim ary sex char ac

sex

te rs It i s they that di sti n gu i sh primari ly on e sex

.

from an othe r B u t the r e ar e n u merou s othe r sex

.

char act e r s or sex di ffe r en ce s whi ch whi le n ot so im

34 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

p ortan t se r ve to d ifi e r en ti ate th e se xe s at the same ,

ti me formin g poin t s O f attr acti o n b e t w een on e sex

an d an oth e r For in stan ce th e b e ard an d mu stache
.
,

ar e a di stin ct ma l e char ac t e ri sti c an d co n sti t u t e on e

o f th e se con dary male sex charac t e r s Th e sec .

on d ar y se x ch ar ac t e r s are v e ry n u me rou s ; on e might

say that e ach on e of th e b i lli o n s o f ce ll s in th e body

b e ar s th e impr e ss of th e sex to whi ch it b e lon gs .

Fi r st th e skel e to n
,
Th e e n ti re female Ske le t on
.

di ff e r s from th e male skel eto n ; all th e bon e s ar e

sm all e r an d mor e gr acil e ; th e p e lvi s as w e have ,

see n b e for e i s sh all ow e r an d wi d e r

, Then th e m u s
.

cl e s ar e small e r an d mor e rou n ded Th e e n tir e

.

co n tou r o f th e body i s rou n d e d r ath e r than an gu lar

as in m an .Th e S kin i s fin e r so fte r more d elicate

, , .

Th e hai r on th e h e ad is lo n ge r an d O f a fin e r te xtu r e ,

whil e ove r th e body th e hai r i s also fin e r an d le ss

abu n dan t . Th e voi ce i s fin e r more ple asan t an d O f
, ,

a hi gh e r p i tch ( sopr an o ) Th e br e ast s ar e well

.

develope d an d se rve an importan t pu rpo se whi le

, ,

in m en th ey ar e ru dimen tary Th e br e athin g i s al s o

.

di fi e r en t ; woman b r e ath e s prin cip all y wi th th e u p

p e r p a rt O f th e ch e st m a n w
, i th t h e low e r T h e .

brai n i s small e r an d i ts con volu ti on s somewhat le ss

comple x in woman .

Woman difi er s con si der ably from m an n ot on ly '

p h y si cally as
, w e ha v e se en b u t al
, s o m en t ally an d
 C HAP TER FO U R

TH E S E X INSTI NC T

TH E se x in stin ct, whi ch throu gh n atu re

r u n s all

f r om th e l owes t an imal to th e hi gh e st i s th e in bo rn ,

i mpu l se cr avi n g or d e si re whi ch on e sex has f or

,

th e o the r : th e male for the female an d th e fe ma le

f or th e mal e Thi s in s tin ct thi s de si r e for th e opp o
.
,

si te sex, whi ch i s born wi th u s an d which ma n i f e st s

i tse l f at a ve ry e arly age i s n ot an ythin g to be

,

ashamed O f . The re i s n othin g di sgracefu l n othin g ,

sin fu l in i t. It i s a n o rmal n atu r al healthy in stin ct

, , ,

im plan te d in u s by n a tu re f or vari ou s re as on s an d ,

ab solu te ly in di sp en sable for th e p e rp et u ati o n o f th e

r ace . If th e re we re an ythin g to b e ashame d of i t ,

w ou l d be th e l ack O f thi s sex in stin ct for wi tho u t i t ,

the r ace w ou l d qu ickl y di e ou t .

N ot R espon sibl e f or Thou ghts an d Feeli n gs It .

i s n ece ssary to impr e ss thi s poin t b e cau se man y ,

g i rl s an d wom e n w h o,s e mi n d s h ave b e en p e rv e rt e d

by a vi ci ou s so calle d moral i ty worry them selve s to

-
,

ill n ess, broo d an d be come hypo ch on dri ac b e cau se

they thin k they have commi tt e d a gri evou s sin i n
so
 TH E S E X INS TIN C T 37

e xpe rien cin g a de si re for sexu al r elati on s or for th e

e mbr ace o f a ce rtai n m an Al toge the r i t i s n ece s
.

sary to impr e s s u pon th e growi n g gi rl when th e ,

occasi on pre sen t s it self that a thou ght or a fe elin g

,

can n e ve r b e S i n fu l. An acti o n m ay b e bu t a tho u ght ,

or a fe elin g can n ot Why " B ecau se w e ar e n ot

.

r e spon sible f or ou r thou ght s an d fee lin gs ; they ar e

n ot u n de r ou r co n trol Thou gh i t do es n ot me an
.

that when they d o ar i se w e ar e to giv e them fu ll

sway . We shou ld attempt to comb at them an d drive
them away bu t th e re i s n othin g to b e ash ame d of,
,

b ecau se f or th ei r origin w e ar e n ot re spon sible .

R espon si bl e f or A cti on s Ou r acti on s ar e u n der

.

ou r con trol to a ce rt ain e x ten t at l e ast an d if w e

, ,

d o a b ad or i n j u r i ou s ac t w e have commi tted a sin

,

an d ar e mor ally re spon sible Th e d esi r e for th e sex

.

u al act i s n o mor e sin fu l than th e de si r e f or food i s

whe n on e i s hu n gry B u t th e pe r forman ce of the

.

act m ay u n d e r ce rt ai n ci r cu m stan ce s b e as si n fu l
, ,

as th e e atin g of food whi ch th e hu n gr y m an Obt ain e d

by robb in g an othe r fellow bein g j u st as p oor as-

,

I am n pre achi n g to you B u t I am n ot an ex

ot .

tr emi st n or a hypo cri te I am advocatin g n ei the r

.

asce ti ci sm n or l i cen ti ou sn e ss On e i s as b ad , or .

al mo st as b ad , as th e othe r .

Wh at I am t ryin g to do i s to in cu l cate in you r

38 SEX KN OWL E DGE F O R W O M E N

mi n ds, if p o ssible, a san e well balan ce d vi ew of al l

,
-

thi n gs sexu al .

For I b eli eve that wron g p e r ve rte d vi ews Of th e

,

physi ology an d hygi en e of th e sex ac t an d of sex

mor ali ty th at i s th e prop e r r elati on shi p Of th e
, ,

se xe s, ar e r e spo n sibl e for u n told mi se ry f or meal ,

cu l abl e su fi e ri n g .Both sexe s su fi e r bu t th e fe male

,

sex su fi e r s mor e Th e woman alw ays p ays more

. .

Thi s i s du e to h er n atu ral di sabi li ti e s ( men stru a

ti on p regn an cy l ac tati on ) to h er age lon g r epros
, , ,
-

si on , t o th e fact that S h e mu st b e sou ght bu t n eve r

seek, an d t o h e r e con omi c de p en den ce .

For th e above re aso n s sex in stru cti on i s a m at

,

te r Of dou ble impor tan ce to woman — thi s fact h as

be en e mp has i ze d in th e first chap te r B u t woman s
.
’

di sabili ti e s i mpo se u pon u s an othe r du ty : becau s e

sh e car ri e s th e he avi e st bu rden becau s e sh e always
,

p a y s mor e d e arly th an th e m an i t be
, com e s in cu m
ben t u po n m an t o tre at h e r wi th sp ecial con si dera
ti on , wi th ge n u in e ki n dn ess an d chi valry .
 C HAP TER FI vl

PU B E RTY

PU B ERTY i s th e mo st won de rfu l the mo st sign ifi ,

can t p e r i od in a gi rl s li f e
’
Importan t as i t i s in
.

a boy s li fe an d d evelopmen t i t i s sti ll mor e so in

’
,

a gi rl s
’
A t thi s p e ri od the r e ar e O fte n laid the
.

fou n dati o n s whi ch eithe r mak e or ma r th e girl s ’

Th e mean in g of th e word pu be rty is matu rity It .

i s th e p e ri od at whi ch th e gi rl an d th e boy re ach

sexu al matu r i ty ; in oth e r word s th e p e ri od at whi ch
,

th e sex glan d s O f th e boy b e gin to gen e rat e sp erm a

tozoa an d th e sex glan d s Of th e girl be gin to m a
,

tu re an d e xp el e ggs or ov a ; with th e gi rl pu be rty

i s m arke d by an additi on al phe n ome n on whi ch h as ,

n o an alogu e i n th e b oy n am ely m en stru ati on

, , .

Physi cal C han ges Th e word pu b e rty i s derived

.

from th e word pu ber whi ch in L atin mean s ma

,

tu r e rip e B u t th e word pu b er i s i t sel f de riv e d

,
.

from th e word pu bes which in Latin me an s fin e hai r

,

or down F or at thi s p e ri od Of matu rity al l mam

.

mal s ( that i s an imal s which have br e asts an d n u r se

th ei r you n g ) b egin to d evelop a grow t h of hai r Y ou .

39
40 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

kn ow that ou r e n ti re body with th e e xcepti o n of

,

th e p alms of th e h an d s an d th e sol e s of th e fe e t ,

i s cove r e d wi th in n u me r able hai r follicl e s an d from ,

ou r b i rth ou r e n ti re body wi th th e e xcepti on n ame d

, ,

i s cove re d wi th fin e hai r Th e h ai r m ay b e too d eli

.

cate to b e se e n bu t it i s the re an d w ith a magn i

, ,

fyi n g glass you can se e i t withou t an y trou bl e B u t .

at pu b e rty th e hai r i n cr e ase s i n thi ckn e ss an d in

qu an ti ty, an d b ecome s abu n dan t in place s wh er e i t

w as hardly n oti ce able b e for e — th e u pp e r lip an d
face in boys, an d th e armpi t s an d l owe r p art o f
th e abdome n in both boy s an d girl s .

An d so th e fir st app ar e n t phy si cal S i gn of pu

b e rty in a gir l i s th e g radu al app earan ce of hai r
i n th e armpi ts on th e mon s V en e ri s an d th e l abi a
,

major a B u t all th e gen i tal organ s ar e u n de rgoin g

.

rapi d devel opme n t ; th e vu lva th e vagi n a th e u te ru s

, ,

an d th e ovari e s b ecome la rg e r an d th e ov ari es

,

whi ch u p to that time we r e e lab oratin g an in te rn al

se cr e ti on o n l y, n ow al so b e gin to man u f actu r e ov a ;

in othe r word s th e mo n thly pro ce ss of ovu l ati o n i s

,

be gu n S yn chron ou sly wi th th e pro ce ss o f ovu l a

.

ti on the re commen ce s th e mo n thly fu n cti on of m en

,

stru ati on The br e ast s als o i n cr ease in siz e assu me

.
,

th e charac te ri stic con tou r deve lop thei r glan du l ar

,

su b st an ce an d b e come cap abl e of se cre tin g mi lk for

,

th e u se Of an y p o ssible O fi spri n g D u rin g thi s p e ri od

.
 PUB E RTY 41

of deve lopme n t they are Oft en ve ry sen siti ve t o the

tou ch or fe el p ai n fu l wi th ou t b ein g tou che d .

Bu t n ot on l y th e gen i tal organ s u n d e rgo grow t h

an d d e v elopm e n t — th e e n ti r e body p arti ci p ate s in
th e pro ce ss Th e growth i n height i s th e mo st r apid
.

at thi s p e r i od ; th e gr e ate st growth tak e s place i n

—
th e li mb s l egs an d arm s . Th e p e lvi s be come s
bro ade r an d th e che st or thorax al so b ecome s
,

b ro ade r an d large r Th e mu scl e s b ecome larger

.

an d rou n de r an d fin ally give the gi rl the b e au tif u l

woman ly form .

Psychi c Chan ges B u t th e chan ges are n ot on l y

.

physi cal ; th e chan ge s that tak e place in th e gi rl s ’

p sychi c sph e r e du rin g th e pu b e rtal year s ar e also

hi ghly importan t . That i s th e p e ri o d of th e d e
vel opm e n t Of th e e moti on s ; sh e i s ove rflowin g wi th

e moti on ; sh e b e comes se n si tive ; i n h e r r el ati on s wi th

boys an d m en sh e b ecome s self con sci ou s Di stin ct

-
.

se xu al d e si r e fortu n ate ly do e s n ot mak e i ts app e ar

an ce in th e girl at thi s p e ri od as i t do es in th e boy

, ,

bu t sh e b ecome s fille d wi th vagu e u n d efin e d an d

u n d e fin abl e lon gin gs
“
It i s the p e ri od of cru shes
.
”

whe n th e girl i s apt to be stow h er ove rflowin g em o

ti on on a gi rl fri en d The re i s n othi n g r epr eh en si
.

—
bl e in th e se cru she s the y act as a safe ty valve
an d o n ly i n r ar e ca se s ar e th e y apt t o l ead t o ab

n o r mal d ev elopmen t Thi s i s al so th e pe ri od of

.
42 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

day dre ami n g

-
o f roman cin g ; th e gi rl like s to
an d

r ead love storie s an d n ove l s i n which S h e i den tifie s

-

he rsel f with th e he roin e A n d it mak e s qu ite some

.

di ff e ren ce as to what th e gi rl r e ad s du rin g thi s

p eri od for li te ratu r e h as a stron g in flu e n ce on th e
,

you n g in th e mo st pla stic p e ri od of thei r lives ; an d

'
i t i s import an t that Olde r p e r son s see to i t th at tho se
in the i r car e spe n d th ei r time on book s of n oble
ide al s an d hi gh arti sti c valu e .

Girl s of a highly sen si tive or so cal l ed n e rvou s

“ -

temp e r amen t e sp eci ally i f the re i s n e rvou sn e ss

‘
,

in th e famil y mu st b e p arti cu larly look e d aft e r

,
.

For i t i s du rin g th e ye ar s of p u be rty an d ad o

l e scen ce th at an y n eu roti c trait s ar e apt to deve lop
an d become emphasi z e d It i s also th e p e ri od when
.

b ad sexu al habi t s ( mastu rb ati on ) ar e apt to d e

vel op, an d th e ca r e fu l moth e r wi ll d evot e sp eci al

atten ti o n to h e r gi rl s i n the i r ye ar s o f p u be rty an d

,

g u a rd th e m as m u ch a s po ss ibl e ag ain s t p hy si cal

an d e moti on al S h o cks .

Th e age o f pu b e rty in girl s i s by man y writ e r s

co n si de r e d a s syn on ymou s or syn chro n ou s wi th th e

on se t Of m en stru ati on whi ch in thi s cou n try in th e

,

majori ty of case s o ccu r s b e twe e n th e age s of thi r

teen an d fou rt e e n Th e ye ar Of gr adu al d eve lop
.

men t befor e th e on se t O f men stru ati on is by some

re fe rre d t o as th e pr o pu be rt al ye ar ; an d th e fir st
-
 C HAP TE R S IX

ME NS T RU A T I O N

TH E fir st fu n cti on wi th whi ch th e gi rl will b e con

fron t e d whi ch will impr e ss u pon h e r that Sh e i s a
,

cre atu r e of se x th at S h e i s d eci d e dly di ff e r e n t from

,

th e b oy i s m en str u ati on
,
An d thi s fu n cti on w e will
.

n ow pro ce e d to stu dy .

What i s men stru ati on " M en stru ati on i s a mon thl y

di scharge of blood Th e word i s d e riv ed from th e
.

L ati n word m en si s whi ch m e an s a mon th ; an d m en

,

str u ati on i s al so f re qu en tly Spok en Of as th e m en

s es. It i s also calle d th e cat ame n i a or ca t am en ial

— —
flow ( Greek kata by m en a mon th ) Othe r terms
, ,

ar e : th e p e ri od s cou r se s mon thli e s t u rn s mon thly

, , , ,

ch an ge s mon thly si ckn e ss S i ckn e ss flowe r s to b e

, , , ,

“
u n w e ll to b e r e gu l ar
,
N ot to se e an ythin g i s a
.

comm on t e rm f or h avin g mi sse d th e me n se s Thi s .

fl ow of blood r ecu r s i n mo st ca se s wi th r em arkabl e

r e gu larity on ce a mon th ; n ot a cal en dar mon th bu t ,

on ce a lu n ar mon th i e on ce eve ry t w en ty e ight

, . .
,
-

days An d as the r e ar e thi rt e e n lu n ar mon th s a

.

ye ar a woman men stru ate s n ot twelve bu t thi rteen

,

time s a ye ar .
 ME N S TR U A TI ON 45

Whe r e do e s th e men stru al blood come from " Th e

men stru al blood come s fr om th e i n si d e of th e womb .

E ve ry mon th f or a f ew d ays pri or to men st ru a

,

ti on th e in si de li n in g of th e w om b ( what w e call
,

th e mu cou s me mbran e or e n d om e triu m ) b e come s

co n ge st e d an d i ts b l ood v e s se l s b e come di st e n d e d

wi th blood If th e woman h as sexu al i n t e rcou r se

.

an d pr eg n an cy h app e n s to t ak e pl ace th en thi s

,

e xtr a blood i s u se d to n ou r i sh an d d ev e lop th e n e w

chi ld ; b u t if n o pr e gn an cy t ak e s pl a ce th at e xt r a
,

blood exu de s from th e bl oodv e ssel s ( som e Of th e

bl ood v e sse l s ru ptu r e ) an d i s di sch ar ge d from th e
u t e ru s in t o th e vagin a an d from th e r e to th e ou t
,

si de, whe r e i t i s cau ght on cott on san itary n ap

,

kin s or some oth e r pad .

At w h at age d oes m en stru ati on b egi n " Th e u su al

ag e at whi ch me n stru ati o n b e gi n s i n thi s co u n try i s

thi rt e e n or fou rteen ; in some it m ay o ccu r as e arly

a s tw e lve in o the r s a s l at e as fift e e n
,
si xt e en
, or
e v en s e v en t e en For men stru ati on to b e gin e ar li er
.

th an twelve or lat e r than seven t e en i s in thi s cou n

try a r are exce pti on B u t i n cold n orth e rn climat e s
.

th e ag e of e ight e e n i s n ot rar e an d i n th e ho t sou th

,

e r n cli m at e s men stru ati on O ft e n st ar t s at th e ag e s

O f ten or e le ven Ch an ge of climate or of cou n t ry

.

will Often hav e an in flu en ce on th e men se s In th e .

e arly ye ar s o f hi s m e di cal pr acti ce th e au thor h ad

,
46 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO ME N
man y Fi n n i sh girl s as p ati en t s It w as a ve ry .

common o ccu rr e n ce for th em to stop m e n stru ati n g

for th e fir st f ew mon th s or e ven for th e fir st ye ar

of th eir r e side n ce in thi s cou n try .

At w hat age does m en stru ati on cease " Th e age

at whi ch men stru ati on ce a se s i s call e d th e m en o

p au s e or cl i m a cte r i c It u s
.u a lly t ak e s pl ace at th e

age of f orty e i ght or fif ty

-
I n som e case s i t d oe s
.

n ot t ak e pl ace u n t il t h e ag e of fif ty tw o i n oth e r s -
,

i t take s pl ace as e ar ly as f o r ty five or forty fou r- -

.

I n ge n e ral i t m ay b e sai d that th e woman s m en

,
’

str u ati n g p e ri od du r i n g wh i ch S h e i s abl e to h ave

’

chi ldr e n, last s abou t thi rty five ye ar s A n d if n o

-
.

r e strai n t be taken an d if n o pre cau ti on s b e t aken

,

ag ai n st co n ce pti on a woman cou ld h av e twe n ty or

,

thi rty chil dr en du rin g h e r chi ldb e ari n g p e ri od .

How man y days does a w oman men stru ate " Th e

u su al n u mb e r of d ay s i s f rom thr e e to fiv e ; i n s ome

case s m en stru ati on la st s o n ly tw o d ay s in oth e r s ,

as lo n g as se ve n A s a ru l e th e gr e at e st am o u n t
.
,

of blood p asse d i s d u r in g th e fir st tw o d ays

O
.

Th e amou n t of blood It i s h ard to e stimate th e

.

e xact am ou n t o f blood p as se d by a woman du r in g

h e r men se s bu t i t r e ache s abou t an ou n ce an d a

,

half to thr ee ou n ce s I n some wom en th e am ou n t

.

m ay r e ach as mu ch a s fou r or fiv e ou n ce s an d in
ex ce pti on al ca se s as mu ch a s e ight ou n ce s Whe r e .
 ME N S TR U A TI ON 47

it xce ed s thi s m ou n t it i s an abn ormal con di ti on ,

e ,

r equ i r i n g tre atm en t Th e u su al stat emen t that a

.

n ormally me n stru ati n g woman sh o u ld n ot h ave to

u se mor e th an thr e e n apkin s du rin g th e

fou r hou r s i s correct .
 C HAP TE R SEV EN

A BNO RMAL I T IE S O F M E NS T RU A TIO N

IN man y gi rl s an d women men stru ati on i s a per

fe ctl y n ormal phy si ologi cal pro ce ss
, They su fi er
.

n o di scomf ort wh at ev e r from it They su ff e r n o

.

p ain s n o he adach e n o i rri tability the y have n o ad

, , ,

mon i ti on of its on set u n ti l th ey fee l th e blood oozin g

,

or tri ckli n g ou t . B u t u n fortu n at ely thi s i s tru e

, ,

o n ly Of a small p e rcen t age Th e majori ty of women

.

h ave some u n ple asan t symptoms Some have a .

he adache for a d ay or two some complai n of a dr ag

,

gin g down sen sati on some ar e i rri table fe el d e

, ,

pr e sse d or qu arr el some ; some have n o app e tite n o ,

ambi ti on ,
n o d e si r e for work or comp an y while ,

some gi rl s have su ch seve r e p ain s an d cr amp s th at

they ar e obli ge d to go to bed for a d ay or tw o an d

cal l i n m e di cal ai d .

When th e m en stru ati on i s ve ry profu se re sem ,

blin g mor e a h emorrhag e than n ormal me n stru ati on ,

it i s cal le d m en or r ha gia ; if th e hemorrhage from
th e u t e ru s o ccu r s ou t Of th e r egu l ar me n stru al
p e ri od s, i t i s call ed m etr or r hagia When the m en
.

se s ar e ski ppe d or wh e n the y ar e so scan ty that

,

48
 A BN O RMALI T I E S OF M E N S TR U A TI ON 49

you can hardly yn otice an t blood

er m , w e u se th e
am en or r h ea I n a f ew r ar e ca se s th e men stru ati on
.

i n st ead of comin g n ormally fr om th e u t e ru s come s ,

from som e oth e r p art O f th e body f or in stan ce th e , ,

n o se. Som e women have a hemorrhage from th e

n o se e v e ry mon th I n some a bloody di scharge m ay
.

com e from th e br e ast s T o su ch a su b stitu te m en

.

str u ati on w e apply th e t e rm vicar i ou s m en s tr u ati on .

S u ch case s howeve r ar e rar e an d ar e me r e cu ri

, , ,

osi ti e s .

Dysmen orrhea I men ti on e d b efore th at in some

.

g i rl s an d wom e n th e m e n se s ar e accomp an i e d by

p ain s an d cr amp s Thi s affli cti on whi ch i s th e lot

.
,

of mi lli on s of women an d fr om whi ch m en ar e

,

en tire ly fr e e i s call e d dysm en or r h ea

,
Dysm en or .

rhe a me an s p ai n fu l an d d ifli cu l t me n stru ati on A .

sli ght p ain or at l ea st a fe elin g of di scomfort i s

pre sen t in mo st ca se s Of men stru ati on B u t in man y .

ca se s th e p ai n i s so se ve r e so ex cr u ci a ti n g th at th e
, ,

su fl er e r gi rl or woman i s i n cap acit ate d f or an y

, ,

w ork, an d mu st g o to b e d for a d ay or tw o In .

s ome case s th e p ai n i s so se ve r e a s to n e ce ssi t at e

th e u se o f morphin e an d a s i t i s a v e ry bad thi n g

,

t o have to gi ve morphin e eve ry thr e e or fou r wee ks ,

e ve ry en de avor sho u ld b e m ad e to fin d ou t th e cau se

of th e trou ble an d to r emove it It i s a mi st ak e .

,

howe ve r t o thi n k that all or even mo st ca se s of

,
50 SEX KN OWLE DGE F OR W O M E N

dysm en orrhea ar e d u e to some local t rou ble that ,

i s, to an in flammati on of th e ovarie s or a di splace

,

men t of th e w on fb Man y cas e s of dysmen orrhea

.

ar e of n e r vou s or i gi n ; th e cau se r e si d e s i n th e cen

tral n e rvou s sy st em an d n ot in th e gen ital organ s

,

themselve s It i s the r e fore , n ot advi sabl e to u n

.
,

d er take an y lo cal tr e atm e n t , u n le ss a comp e t e n t

physi cian h as mad e a thorou gh e xamin ati on an d
h as deci ded that l ocal tre atm e n t i s advi sable .
52 S E X KN O WLE DGE F O R W O M E N

n otice d at some di st an ce an d to which some m en

an d women ar e v e ry su sce ptible The r e ar e some
.

wom en who n eve r t ak e a vagin al dou che Some con .

si d e r i t a u sel e ss an d u n n e ce ssary l u x u ry ; whil e

s ome orthodox p u ri t an i cal wom e n con si d e r i t an u n

godl y proce du re ( forge ttin g th at cl ean lin e ss i s n e xt

to g odlin e ss ) fit on ly f or wome n of gay an d qu e s
ti on abl e char act e r If th e se orthodox women kn ew
.

—
what w as good f or th em an d for th ei r heal th
they wou ld take a dou ch e at l e a st du rin g men stru a
ti on i f at n o oth e r tim e
, .

C lean li n ess .Wh en th e gi rl r e ach es th e age of

twelve or thi rt ee n th e mothe r S hou ld e xplain to h e r
th e phen omen on of m en st r u ati on an d th e like lih ood
of i ts mak in g its app e aran ce i n a Short tim e O f .

co u r se sh e shou ld b e told that th e r e i s n othin g

sham e fu l in it th at wh e n i t m ak e s i ts app e ar an ce
,

sh e sh o u l d at on ce t e ll h er mothe r w h o wi l l i n stru ct
,

h e r what to d o Sh e sh ou ld b e shown th e u se of
.

san i t ar y n apki n s R ags u n l e ss r ecen tly washe d an d

.
,

kep t wr app e d u p an d prot e ct e d from du st shou ld ,

n ot b e u se d . U n cle an r ags m ay l e ad to i n fecti on .

I have n o dou bt that man y case s of l eu corrh e a date

b ack thei r ori gin to u n washe d r ags E ve ry morn .

in g an d e v e ry ev en in g th e gi rl S ho u ld wa sh th e
e xte rn al gen i t al s wi th warm wat e r or plai n soap
,

an d wat e r . Marri e d women sh ou ld al so t ake a

 THE HYGIE N E O F ME NSTRUA TI O N 53

dou che on ce a —
d ay th e dou che m ay con si st of tw o
qu art s Of wat er in whi ch h as b e en di ssol ve d a tea
spoon fu l Of comm o n t able sal t or a t abl e spoon fu l
,

of bor ax or bori c aci d S u ch thi n gs like al u m

.
,

p ot as siu m p e rman gan at e carb oli c aci d l acti c acid

, , ,

or tin ctu r e o f i odi n e shou ld on ly b e u se d when the re

i s leu corrhe a pr e se n t an d ge n e rally o n ly u n de r a
phy si ci an s dir ecti on s B athi n g i s p e rmi ssibl e bu t
’
.
,

i t i s safe t o u se on ly a lu k ewarm b ath C old t u b

.

bath s cold showe r b ath s as well as o ce an an d rive r

, ,

bathin g ar e b e st avoide d du rin g th e p e ri od ; at l east

du ri n g th e fir st t w o days I d o n ot give thi s as an
.

ab solu t e ru l e ; I kn ow wome n w h o b ath e an d swim in

th e o ce an du ri n g th e i r me n stru al p e ri od s wi th o u t
an y i n j u ry to them se lve s b u t th e y a r e e xce p ti o n al ly
,

robu st women ; advi ce i n book s i s f or th e ave r age

pe r son an d i t i s al ways b e st to b e on th e safe si de
, .

R est R e st is j u st as importan t du ri n g men str u a

.

ti on as clean lin e ss if n ot mor e so Some women

,
.

a s me n ti on e d b e for e fe e l du r in g th e i r m en se s j u st

as we l l a s the y do at othe r tim e s an d d o n ot n ee d

,

an y sp e ci al hygi en e B u t the se ar e in th e mi n ori ty

. .

Mo st girls an d women do feel somewhat b elow par

du ri n g that p e ri od, an d it i s very importan t that
they t ake it e asy particu larly du rin g th e fir st tw o
,

d ays It i s an ou tr age th at man y d e licate weak

.
,

g i rls an d wom e n m u st s ta y o n th e i r f e e t all d ay o r

54 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

w ork '

on machi n e when they sh ou l d be at home

a

in bed or lyin g down on a cou ch .

Th e w omb i s con ge st e d du ri n g the p e ri o d i s ,

l arge r an d he avi er than n ormal an d it I s then that ,

the re i s often lai d th e fo u n dati on for some fu tu re

“
u t e ri n e di se ase th e we ll kn own
,
womb trou bl e
-
,
”

“
or fem al e di sease It i s n ot n ecessary that work
.
”

be given u p altogethe r bu t the r e ce rt ain ly shou l d

,

b e le ss of i t an d the r e shou ld b e as mu ch r est as

p o ss i bl e For
. d e li cat e a n d s e n si ti v e gi r l s i t i s al
w ays b e st to st ay away from sch ool du ri n g th e fi r st

an d se con d d ays Sp eak in g again of th e ave rage

.

an d n ot th e e xce p ti on i t i s b e st that d an cin g, bi cycl e

,

ri din g hor seb ack ri din g rowin g an d othe r athl e tic

, , ,

e xe rci se s b e given u p al toge th e r du rin g th e m e n

se s . Au t omobil e ridin g an d rai lro ad an d car ri age

tr avel lin g prove in j u ri ou s in some in stan ce s gre atl y ,

in cre as in g th e flow of bl ood B u t the se ar e the ex .

cepti on s at the o the r ext re me .

 FE CU ND A T I O N O R F E R TI LI"A TI O N

Fecu n d ati on or fe rtiliz ati on i s th e pro cess of u n i on

of th e femal e g e rm ce ll wi th th e mal e ge rm cell ;
sp e aki n g of an im al s i t i s th e pro ce ss of u n i on of
,

th e e gg or ov u m of th e femal e wi th th e sp e rma
toz oOn Of th e mal e Wh e n a su cce ssfu l u n i on of
.

th e se tw o ce ll s t ak e s pl ace a n ew b ei n g i s st art e d .

The pro ce s s of fe r t ili z ati on or f e cu n dati on i s al s o

kn own a s impr e gn ati o n an d con ce pti on . We say to ,

fe rt ili ze ( chi efly howeve r wh e n sp e akin g Of plan t s )

, ,

or to fe cu n dat e an ovu m or to impr e gn at e a f e

,

mal e Or woman an d to con ceive a child We say

,
.

th e woman h as b ecom e impr e gn at e d or h as con

ce iv e d .

Th e P r oce ss . pro ce ss of fecu n dati on i s

Th e
b r i e fly as follows A n ovu m b ecome s matu r e br e aks
.
,

throu gh i ts Gr aafian foll i cl e in th e ovary an d i s set

fr e e It i s cau ght by th e fimb r i ate d or tru mpe t
.

S h ap e d e xtr emi ty O f th e F all op i an tu b e an d move d

,

by th e w ave lik e mo tion of th e cili a Of th e lin in g of

-

th e tu be i t b e gin s i ts tr avel toward s th e u t e ru s If

, .
56 S E X K N O WLE DGE F O R W O ME N

n o se xu al in te rcou r se h a s t aken place n othin g h ap

“
p en s Th e ovu m dri e s u p or di e s, an d e i th er
.
,
”

r emain s somewh e r e in th e tu b e or womb or i s r e

move d from th e latt e r wi th th e men stru ati on or ,

mu co u s di scharge B u t if in t e rcou r se h as t aken

.

place thou san d s an d thou san d s of th e m al e g erm

,

ce ll s or sp e rmatozo a e n t e r th e u t e ru s th rou gh i ts

op en i n g or ext e rn al os an d b e gin to trave l u pward

,

in se ar ch of th e ovu m Th e sp e rmatozo a ar e cap a

.

bl e of in de p en den t moti on an d th ey t ravel p re tty ,

fast It i s cl ai me d that they can tr ave l an in ch

.

i n se ven min u te s whi ch i s pre tty fast when you

,

take in to con si der ati on that a sperm atozoiin i s on ly

of an in ch lon g Man y of th e sp e rmatozoa,
.

we ake r than th e othe r s p e ri sh on th e w ay an d , ,

on ly a f ew con tin u e th e jou rn e y u p th rou gh th e

u t e ru s to th e tu b e When n e ar th e little ov u m,
.

whi ch remain s passive th ei r movemen t s become ,

more an d more r ap i d they seem to be attract ed to

,

i t as i f by a magn e t an d fin ally on e spe rm atozoiin

,

—j u st on e— th e on e that h app en s to b e th e stron e st

g
or th e n e ar e st make s a m ad ru sh at i t wi th i ts he ad
, ,

pe rforat e s i t an d i s comple t ely swal lowe d u p by

,

i t A s soon as th e spe rm atoz oiin h as b e en ab sorb e d

.

by th e ovu m, th e op e n i n g throu gh whi ch it got in

—
become s tightly seal e d u p a coag u l ati on take s place
n ear i t — so that n o othe r sp ermato zo a can e n te r
 F E C U NDA TI ON O R FE RTI LI"A TI O N 57

the ovu m . For if

two or mor e sp e rmatozo a got
i n to th e same ovu m a mon st ro si ty wou l d be apt to
b e the re su l t .

What be come s Of all th e

o the r sp e rm atozo a " Th e y
p e ri sh On ly on e i s n e e d
.

ed . B u t in th e ovu m th at
h as be e n impregn ate d an d ,

whi ch i s n ow calle d an em
br yo a feve r i sh activi ty
,

com m en ce s F i rst of al l i t
.

looks for a fixe d pl ace of S r m m r ozoon P m m e

abod e . If the ovu m h ap

p en e d to be in th e u t e ru s wh en th e spe rmatozoon
m e t an d e n te r ed i t i t r emain s the r e
, It b ecome s
.

attache d t o s ome spot i n th e li n in g of th e womb an d

the re i t grows an d d eve lops u n til at th e en d of n i n e

,

mon th s i t has reache d i ts fu l l growth, an d th e wo mb

op en s an d i t come s ou t in to th e ou t si de world If .

the ovu m i s in th e F allopi an tu b e wh en th e spe r

m atozoOn me ets i t a s i s u su al ly th e case i t tr ave l s
, ,

down to th e u t er u s an d fixe s i t se lf the re

, .

Extra U terin e P r egn an cy Th e tu b e i s a b ad pl ace

- .

for the ovu m to grow an d de velop, becau se th e tu be

can n o t str e tch t o su ch an e xte n t as th e u teru s can ,

n or can it fu rn i sh th e e mbry o su ch g ood n ou ri sh

 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WOMEN

men t as the u te ru s can . Occasi on all y, how eve r, it

th e t u be an d devel op s there ; then ha ve a case w e

of w hat w e call ex tr a u teri n e ( ou t si de of the u te ru s ) - - -

or tu b al pregn an cy E xtr a u te rin e pre gn an cy i s

.
-

al so call ed ectopic p r egn an cy, or e ct op i c gesta ti on .

U n l ess diagn o sed e ar l y an d ope rate d u pon , the

w oman m ay b e in gr e at dan ge r for afte r a f ew ,

w eeks or mon ths th e t u b e gen e rall y r u pt u r e s .

From the m omen t th e spe rm atozoOn has en tere d

the ovu m, a proce ss of d ivisi on or s egmen tati on
comme n ce s . Th e ovu m, w hi ch con si sts of on e cell ,
divi de s in to tw o the t w o in t o fou r the fou r in to
, ,

e ight, th e e ig ht in to si xt een the se in to thir ty tw o

,
-
,

these in t o Sixy fou r 128 256 51 2

-
, , u n til the y
, ,

can n o l o n ge r b e cou n ted Thi s mu lbe rry mass of

.

cell s arr an ge s i t sel f i n to tw o l aye r s wi th a cavi ty ,

in be tw ee n . An d from the se laye r s of cell s the r e

deve l op gradu al l y al l organ s an d ti ssu e s u n til a ,

fu ll y formed an d p e rfect chi ld i s the re su l t If .

tw o ova are impre gn ate d at the same time by tw o

spermatozoa, th e r e su l t i s tw i n s .
 S EX KN OWLE DGE F OR WO M E N

give s yoSeptembe r 3oth ; ad d seven days an d you

u

g e t O ctob e r 6th th e prob

, abl e d at e of d e li v e r y Th e .

pre sen ce Of a short mon th like F ebr u ary m ay be

di sre garde d as the cal cu l ati on i s n ot ab solu tely,
,

bu t on l y approxi m ate ly corre ct .

The pe r i od at whi ch th e ch ild s movemen t s be gin’

t o be fe lt by th e mothe r i s t e rmed Qu i cken i n g It .

u su all y o ccu r s at th e mi ddle of th e pr e gn an cy b e ,

twe en th e l 6th an d 1 8th we ek .

Pr egn an cy i s a n ormal physi ological proce ss ; bu t

eve ry acti ve phy si olo gi cal pro ce ss i s apt to b e a o

comp an i e d by di stu rban ce s an d th e r e i s ce rt ain l y

,

n o pro ce ss i n th e an imal body in whi ch gr e at e r ao

tivity gre ate r chan ge s go on than du rin g th e

, ,

pro ce ss of pr egn an cy Ju st se e what o ccu r s i n n in e

.

mOn th s Th e u te r u s at fir st th e si ze Of a smal l p ea r ,
.
,

re ach e s a si z e large r than that O f th e he ad O f a big

m an ; i t do e s n ot me re ly stre tch as some thi n k bu t
, ,

i t actu ally grows e n ormou sly i n S i ze th e mu scu l ar ,

wall s of a pre gn an t u te ru s bei n g man y time s thicke r

than tho se O f a n on pr e gn an t on e They have t o
-
.

be or they wo u ld n ot h av e th e str en gth to expel th e

ch il d whe n th e prop e r t im e com e s
, It i s to be born e
.

in min d th at th e child do e s n ot S lip ou t by i t sel f ;

i t i s th e powe r fu l mu scu lar con tracti o n s of th e
u te ru s th at pu sh i t ou t If th e u t e ru s shou l d re fu se
.

to work if its wall s we re too thin or too we ak th e

, ,
 P R E GNAN CY 61

c hil d cou ld n ot com e ou t bu t wou ld have to be taken

,

ou t wi th for ce p s S till gr e ate r ch an ge s than in th e

.

u te ru s t ake pl ace in th e chi ld i t se lf A t th e mo .

men t Of co n ce pti on it i s th e si ze of th e h ead of a pi n ;

at th e mome n t Of bi rth i t we i gh s from se ve n to te n

p ou n ds ; at th e mome n t Of con cepti on i t i s a min u te ,

u n d i fi e r e n ti ate d ma s s Of protopl a sm j u st a si n gl e ,

fe rtiliz e d cell ; at th e momen t Of b irth i t con si st s

of mi l l i on s an d mi lli o n s Of ce ll s whi ch h ave b ecome
,

d i fl e r e n ti ate d in to n u me rou s h armon i ou sly workin g

’

organ s an d di ff e r e n t ti ssu e s su ch a s br ain an d

, ,

n e rv e t i ssu e mu scu lar ti ssu e con n e ctive ti ssu e ,

, ,

bon e cartilage e tc e tc A tr u ly won d erfu l pro

, , , .

cess . A n d in th e m e an time thi s child whi ch i s b i o ,

logical l y a p arasit e ( thou gh it i s n ot a n i ce n ame

to call i t by ) draws i ts su st en an ce from th e moth er s ’

blood an d th e mothe r h as to provid e n ou ri shmen t

,

for tw o An d b e si de s provi din g n ou r i shme n t , h e r

.
,

e xcr e ti n g organ s h e r ki dn e ys mu st work for two

, , ,

becau se h e r syst em h as also to get r id Of th e child s ’

e xcre ti on s N O won d e r that th e pr e gn an t woman

.
,

parti cu l arly u n d e r an artifici al u n he althy mo de of

livin g, i s su bj ect t o man y trou ble s an d di stu rb an ce s .
 C HAP TER E LE V E N

TH E DIS O RD E RS O F P R E GNA N C Y

WE saw that in some wome n men stru ati on ru n s

a pe rfectly smooth co u r se fr e e from an y di sagre e
,

abl e sym ptoms . Th e same i s t ru e of pre gn an cy I t .

i s r ema rkabl e how smooth an d easy th e e n ti re cou r se

i s w i th s ome women . M an y women kn ow that they
ar e p re gn an t o n ly b e cau se O f th e n on appe aran ce-

of the mo n thl y pe ri od s ; an d eve n in th e l ate r mon ths

the y fe e l n o di scomf ort att en di n g to al l thei r work
,

an d pl e asu r e s a s u su al ; an d e v e n chi ldb i rth i s a

triflin g matte r wi th them U n fortu n at ely th e n u m

.

be r of su ch women i s n ot ve ry l arge an d b ecau se , ,

Of ou r co n fin e d u n n atu r al
, often e xhau stin g w ay
,

of livin g i s be comin g smal l er an d smalle r The re

, .

i s n o qu e sti on that th e civilize d re fin e d woman h as

,

a h ard e r ord e al i n pr e gn an cy an d chil dbi rth than

ha s h er p ri mi ti ve S i st e r We con fid en tly hop e that

.

thi s w ill n ot b e so i n th e fu tu re ; w e exp ect th e time

to come when t r u e hygi en e wi ll b e an in t egr al p art
Of th e edu cati on an d th e li fe of e ve ry girl an d the n ,

pre gn an cy an d partu riti on m ay b e come e ven eas ie r

p roce sse s than the y ar e i n th e primi tive races B u t .

as
 THE DIS OR DE R S OF P R E GNA N C Y 63

th e time i s n ot y ;
e t an mean time ou r you n g
d in the
w omen h ave a g ood de al to go throu gh .

Morn i n g S i ckn ess On e Of th e comm on est ai sor

.

de r s of pre gn an cy i s th e S O cal l e d m or n i n g sickn e ss

'

-
.

Thi s con si st s i n a fee lin g Of n au se a an d vomi tin g ,

w hi ch come s on soon afte r ge ttin g u p Th e mo rn i n g

.

sickn e s s make s i ts firs t app e ar an ce i n th e thi rd ,

fou r th or fifth we ek Of pre gn an cy an d lasts u su all y

u n til th e en d of th e thi rd or fou rth mon th I n some .

women h owe ve r th e mo rn in g si ckn e ss come s on i n

, ,

a f ew d ay s aft e r i mpr e gn ati on h as t ak en pl ac e an d ,

th o se women diagn o se th ei r con di ti on u n mi stakably

by th e fee lin g of sli ght n au sea which they expe ri
en ce on gettin g u p M e di cin e s ar e as a r u l e of littl e
.

“
u se in tr e at in g morn in g S ickn e ss Th e di sease ”
.

can be r eli eve d bu t n ot cu r e d

‘ Th e p ati en t sh ou l d
.

stay in be d lat e r than u su al sh o u ld have h e r bre ak

,

fast in bed an d then n ot get u p for abou t hal f an

,

hou r aft e rward If th e pati e n t is an emi c, a good

.

ir on p r ep ar ati on m ay prove u se fu l .

s ometim e s b ecome s so seve re an d u n con t rollabl e that

it has be en give n th e n ame p e rn i ci ou s Th e pa .

ti en t is u n abl e t o re tain an y kin d Of food n ot even ,

l i qu i ds, vomi ts alm o st in cessan tly, an d may b ecome

ve ry mu ch r u n d ow n an d e xhau st ed The vomited .

matte r may con tain bl ood For thi s con di tion a

.
64 SEX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

co mp e ten t phy si cian mu st b e co n su l ted for in some ,

case s th e p ati en t s life m ay b e i n dan ge r an d an

’

abor ti on h as t o be p e rf orme d .

C apri ci ou s Appeti te A capr i ci ou s app etit e i s very

.

comm o n in pr e gn an cy Th e capri ci ou sn e ss m ay e x
.

pre ss i t se lf in fou r di ff e ren t di recti on s : 1 ) Th e pa

ti en t m ay lo se h er app eti t e almo st altoge the r par
, ,

t ak i n g o n ly of ve ry li ttle food an d that wi th e f

,

f ort . Thi s con di ti on Of lo ss o f app etit e i s cal le d

an or e xi a ( )
.2 T h e p a t i e n t m ay d e ve lop an e n or
—
mou s appe ti t e what w e call bu limia e atin g sev —
e r al t ime s as mu ch as sh e do e s ordi n a ri ly .
( )
3
S h e m ay develop an ave r si on toward s ce rtain ar
ticl e s O f foo d Thu s man y women develop an ave r
.

si on towa rd s m e at th e me re si gh t O f or talk abo u t

,

me at cau sin g in the m a sen sati on Of n au se a ( 4) .

S h e m ay Sh ow a cravi n g f or th e mo st p e cu l iar ar
ti cl e s O f food an d f or arti cle s whi ch ar e n ot food at
al l . Th e cravin g f or sou r p i ckl es or s ou r cabbage
i s we ll kn own ; bu t some women w il l e at chal k, san d,
-

an d e ve n more p ecu li ar thi n gs ( for th e chal k th e re

may b e a reason : th e syste m n ee d s an extra am ou n t

of lime an d chal k i s carbon at e of l ime ) .

C on stipati on C on sti p ati on i s v e ry common

.

am on g women in the n on pr e gn an t co n di ti o n ; bu t
-

in th e p r egn an t i t i s mu ch more comm on an d mu ch

m or e aggravat e d C on stip ati on mu st be gu ar de d
.
 THE DIS O RD E RS OF P R E GNAN C Y 65

a ain s
g t bu t th e m e asu re s mu st b e of a m il d n atu r e
, .

If w e can re li eve th e con sti p ati o n by di e tar y me as

u re s alon e s o mu ch th e b e tte r
,
Th e di e tar y me as
.

u re s shou ld con si st i n e ati n g pl e n ty O f fru i t — pru n e s ,

appl e s fig s d at e s e tc
, , an d co ar s e bre ad an d br an
,
.
, .

C on stip atin g arti cle s su ch a s ch e e se or cofi e e

, ,

Sho u ld b e e limi n at e d Whe r e di e t ary measu re s

.

alo n e ar e i n su ffici e n t th e p ati en t shou ld t ak e an

,

e n e ma — a r e ct al i n j ecti o n — twi ce or thr e e tim e s a

we e k Th e e n ema shou ld con si st O f abou t 8 ou n ces
.

( h al f a p i n t ) of co ld or l u k e w a rm w a t e r con t ai n i n g
a p in ch of salt an d shou ld b e r e t ai n e d abou t ten
,

m i n u t e s In st e ad of wat e r We m ay advi se an oc
.
,

casi on al e n ema O f tw o to f o u r dr ams of glyce ri n .

O r in ste ad of a glyce ri n e n ema a glyce rin su ppo si ,

t ory m ay be u sed I f in te rn al laxative s ar e to b e

.

u se d ,
on l y th e milde st an d n on gripin g pr ep ara -

ti on s S hou ld b e e mploye d Th e b e st ar e : a good.

—
min e ral oil on e or tw o t able spoon fu ls on goin g to
b ed or flu i d extr act O f cascar a sagr ada on e half
, ,
-

t o on e te a spoon fu l on goi n g to b ed It i s ve ry im .

p ort an t wh at ev e r w e u se n ot to u se th e same thi n g

, ,

f or a lon g time I f th e sam e dr u g or m easu r e i s

.

u se d wi tho u t an y ch an ge th e bowe l s g e t u se d to i t
,

an d ce ase to re spon d an d w e h ave to u se l arge r an d

large r do se s I n fighti n g con stip ati on w e mu st

.

the refor e con stan tly chan ge ou r we ap on s : on e n i ght

 S E X KN OWL E DGE F OR WO ME N .

w e u se m in e al oil ,
r the n ex t n i ght r
casca a sag rad a,

th e thi r d n i gh t an en em a, th e f ou rth n i ght a gly

cer in in j ecti on or su ppo si tor y th e fif th n i gh t pe r
,

haps n othin g at al l th e si xth n i gh t a blu e mass pil l

, ,

th e se ve n th mo rn i n g a S e i dli tz powd e r the n a r e st ,

for a d ay or t w o th e n a re pe ti ti on O f th e sam e me as
,

u res. B u t always r emembe r : fir st tr y to ge t alon g

w i thou t an y d r u gs at al l M an y ca se s can g et r e
.

li ev e d of th e i r con stipati o n by a p rope r chan ge in

di et al on e A n d whe r e thi s i s i mpo ssi ble th en u s e
.
,

m ild l axa ti ve s an d u se the m in te rchan ge ably .

Toothach e is n ot u n common i n pre gn an cy an d a ,

r
p g e n a n t wom a n shou ld ha ve h e r tee th pu t in fi r st
cl as s con di ti o n .

Difl cu l ty i n Urin ati on P re gn an t w omen often

.

sn fi e r wi th fr e qu e n cy an d u rge n cy Of u ri n ati o n .

S ome have to u ri n at e whi le they ar e on the i r fee t,

,

ev e r y f ew min u te s Thi s i s d u e to the fact that

.

du rin g th e fir st t w o or thre e mon th s O f p re gn an cy

th e u te ru s i s n ot on l y e n la rged bu t i s al so an te
ver te d that i s tu rn e d for w ar d an d p r e ss e s d ow n
,

u p on th e bladd e r Whe n th e woman is lyin g dow n

.

th e p re ssu r e on th e bladde r i s r e li e ve d an d sh e ,

d oes n ot have to u rin at e fr e qu en tly Thi s pre s .

su re l a st s on l y th e fir st tw o O r thr e e mo n th s be ,

cau se af te r that th e growi n g womb li ft s i t se lf ou t

of th e pelvi s ri sin g i n to th e abdomin al cavi ty ; i t

,
68 S EX KN O WLE DG E F O R WO M E N

p il e s ( th e hemorrhoi d s ) ar e to b e we ll clean sed w ith

h ot wate r an d thi s O in tme n t i s t o b e we ll sme ar ed
,

ove r ; a li ttle i s pu sh e d i n t o th e rectu m an d a p i e ce of

,

co tton i s pu t ove r th e an u s T hi s prot ect s th e cl oth e s

.

from soilin g an d keep s th e m e di cin e in place f or

a lo n ge r t ime I n st e ad of Oin tmen t a co co a bu tte r
.

su ppo si tory m ay b e u se d A su ppo si t ory of th e f ol

.

lowin g compo si ti on i s good : p owde r ed n u tgalls 3 ,

gr ai n s ; Oil of cade 3 drop s ; r e sor ci n 1 gr ain ; bi s

, ,

mu th su bn i trat e 5 gr ain s ; co co a bu tte r 20 gr ai n s

, , .

O n e su ch su ppo si tory to b e in se rt e d thr ee time s a

d ay Th e O in tm en t an d th e su ppo sitor y given above
.
,

i f u se d in con j u n cti on wi th th e prop e r r e gu lati on of

th e bowe l s will n ot on l y r e li ev e bu t wi ll cu r e mo st
,

ca se s Of h e morrh oi d s cau s e d by pr eg n an cy .

I tchin g of th e V u l va P ru ri tu s V u l va
. It chin g
.

of th e e xt e r n al ge n i t al s du r in g pr e gn an cy i s n ot u n

commo n . Thi s m ay b e d u e to th e fact that th e vu l va

i s gen e r ally co n ge st e d an d sw olle n du ri n g pre gn an cy
or i t m ay b e cau se d by an in cr e a se d l eu corrhe a]

di scharge Th e i tchi n g i s sometim e s ve ry seve re,

.

an d i f th e p at i e n t scr at ch e s wi th h e r n ail s an d pro

du ce s ble e din g sh e m ay cau se an in fecti on Of th e

,

p art s Th e p ati e n t shou ld b e cau ti on ed agai n st

.

scr at chi n g ; sh e shou ld try S impl e me asu r e s to r e

li e ve th e itchin g A small towel or gau ze comp re ss

.

wru n g ou t of boil in g wat er an d appli e d to th e vu lv a

 THE DIS O RD E RS OF P R E GNA N C Y 69

se ve a r l tim e s a d ay followed by a fr ee appli cati on of

,

ste ar ate of zin c powd e r i s Oft e n e fi ci en t If i t i s

.

n ot th e fol lowin g salve m ay b e tri ed : carbolic aci d,

,

1 0 gr ain s ; men thol 5 gr ai n s ; r e sorcin 1 5 grain s ;

, ,

zin c oxi d e 1 dr am ; an d w hi te vas el in e on e ou n ce

, ,
.

I n ve ry seve r e case s th e v u lva shou l d b e p ain t e d

w i th a s olu ti o n of sil ve r n i tr at e 25 gr ain s to 1 ou n ce
,

of di sti lle d wat e r .

Vari cose V ein s I n most women du rin g pregn an cy

.

th e vein s in th e l e gs be come s omewhat e n large d .

Thi s i s d u e to th e pre ssu re o f th e womb whi ch in ,

ter f e r e s with th e cir cu lati o n If th e vein s be come

.

ve ry p romi n en t swollen an d tortu ou s they ar e

, ,

call e d var i co se . Thi s con di ti on sh ou ld b e pr e

ven t e d b ecau se it Oft en an d to some degre e always
,

p e r s i st s p e r m an e n t ly e v en a ft e r th e p r e g n an cy i s

ove r Th e b e st pr ecau ti on ary measu re i s for th e

.

woman to we ar a well fittin g abdomin al b elt or m a

-

te r n i ty cor se t whi ch su pport s th e womb an d do e s

,

n ot p e rmi t i t t o sin k too l ow in t o th e p elvi s If .

vari co se vei n s have b e en p e rmi tt ed t o d evel op th e ,

woman sh ou l d we ar wel l fittin g r u bb e r st o ckin gs or

-
,

at l e ast h ave the l e gs ban dage d wi th woven e lasti c

ban dage s Th e b an dage mu st be appli e d by a com

.

p e t e n t p e r s o n ,u n i formly an d n o t too ti gh tl y C on .

stipati on h as al so a b ad c fi e ct in makin g v ari co se

v ein s wor se ; the bow el s sh ou ld the r e fore al so b e

70 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO ME N
l ooke d af te r . In ome
ve re case s all measu re s ar e
s se

of little val u e u n le ss th e p ati e n t at the sam e tim e

stays in b e d or on a co u ch f or a f ew d ays wi th th e ,

le gs e l evat e d .

Swellin g of th e fee t shou ld b e at on ce atten de d

to It m ay be a trifl in g matte r d u e on l y to pre ssu re
.

of th e womb ; then again it m ay be du e to some

ki dn e y trou ble Th e physi ci an w il l det e rmi n e th e
.

t ru e cau se an d pr e scribe th e appropriate treatmen t .

Liver Spots Chl oasma In some cases ir r e gu l ar

. .

brown i sh p atche s or splotche s develop on th e skin

aro u n d th e br e ast s on th e si d e s or on th e face
, , .

The se patches ar e k n own popu larly as li ve r sp ot s or

in me di cal lan gu age as chl oas ma Nothin g can be
.

don e f or them bu t th ey gen e rally di sapp e ar afte r

,

th e p r e gn an cy i s ove r A f ew patche s he re an d
.

the re m ay rem ain pe rman e n tly .

 WHE N T O E NGA GE A P HYSI C IAN

TH E di sorde r s an d di stu rban ce s de scrib e d above

ar e wi th th e e xcepti o n O f p e r
,
n i ci ou s vomi ti n g Of a
,

min or n atu r e Th ey ar e an n oyi n g may cau se con

.
,

sid e r abl e di scomf ort an d sn fi e r i n g bu t th e y do n ot

,

en d an ge r th e l i fe of th e woman or Of th e chil d . Cc
casi on all y howev e r fortu n at ely n ot v e ry Oft e n
, , th e
,

ki dn e ys b e come aff e ct e d an d f or thi s con di ti on

‘

tre atm en t by a physici an i s ab solu tely n ece ssary .

I n fact th e corre ct an d safe thi n g f or a woman to

,

d o i s to con su lt a physi ci an a s soon as sh e kn ow s

S h e i s pr egn an t an d h ave h im t ak e car e Of h e r d u r
,

i n g th e e n ti r e pr egn an cy . Some women e n gage a

physi cian du ri n g th e e ighth or n i n th mon th an d
thi s i s d e ci de dly wr on g b ecau se i t m ay th en b e too
,

lat e to corr e ct ce rtain trou ble s which if t aken at

th e ou t set cou ld h ave be e n e asily cu re d ; while man y
trou ble s in th e han d s of a comp et en t physi ci an can
b e pr even t e d altoge th e r I mu st th e r e for e r ei t e r at e :
.

e ve r y woman sho u ld e n gage a p hysi ci an from th e

be gin n in g of h er pr e gn an cy, or at le ast du ri n g the

71
72 SE X KN OWL E DGE FOR WO M E N

thi rd or fou rth an d ce rtain ly n ot lat e r than th e fifth

mon th He will examin e the u rin e eve r y mon th an d
.

make su r e that th e ki dn eys ar e i n

orde r h e will make su re that th e
,

chi ld i s in a n ormal po si ti o n an d ,

w ill pr eve n t a ho st Of oth e r i ll s .

Thi s i s n ot a sp eci al tre ati se on

th e man ag e me n t of pre gn an cy an d ,

the r efore mi n u t e detail s ar e ou t of

place B e sid e s to th e de tai l s th e
.
,

physici an wi ll att en d B u t some hin ts .

po m -n on o, m r e g ar di n g di e t an d g e n e r al h yg i e n e
cm m
fi og
w i ll prove u se fu l .

I f e ve rythi n g i s sati sfact o r y i f ,

th e re i s n o seve re v omi tin g ki dn ey t rou ble etc th e

, , ,

u su al mi xe d di e t m ay con tin u e Th e on ly ch an ge s I
.

wou ld mak e ar e th e fol lowin g : Drin k plen ty of hot

wat e r du rin g en ti r e cou r se of pr e gn an cy : a glass or
tw o in th e morn i n g two or thr ee glas se s i n th e aft e r
,

n oon , th e sam e at n i ght From six to t w elve gla sse s

.

m ay b e con su me d Al so plen ty of mi lk, bu tt e rmilk

.

an d fe rme n t e d mi lk Pl en ty of fru it an d ve getabl e s

. .

M e at on ly on ce a d ay F or th e te n den cy to con sti

.

p at i on ,w h ol e wh e a t br e a d r y e br ea
, d br e ad b ak e
,
d
of bran or bran wi th cre am .

A s to exe rci se ei th e r e xtr eme mu s t be avoi ded

,
.

S ome w omen thin k that as soon as the y become

 WHE N TO E NGA G E A P HYSIC IAN 73

pre gn an t th ey mu st n ot move a mu scle ; they are t o

,

b e pu t in a gl ass case an d kept th e r e to th e d ay of

,

de live r y O th e r women on th e oth e r han d Of th e

.
, ,

u ltr amod e r n typ e i n du lg e i n str e n u ou s e xe rci se an d

,

g o o u t on lo n g fat ig u i n g w alk s u p to th e l a st d a
.
y
E i th e r e xtr eme i s in j u ri ou s. Th e right w ay is
mode rate e xe rci se an d short n on fatigu in g wal k s
, ,
-
.

B athin g m ay b e kept u p to th e d ay of delivery .

B u t warm b ath s p arti cu l arly du rin g th e l ast tw o

,

or thr e e mon th s, ar e pr e fe r abl e to cold baths .

 C HAP TE R T HI R TEE N

THE SI"E O F THE FE TU S

ME N an women ar e alway s I n t e re ste d to kn ow

d
how la rge th e fe tu s i s an d h ow far i t i s develop e d
du rin g th e vari ou s mon th s of pre gn an cy Ab solu tely .

e xact me asu r emen t s can n ot b e giv e n bu t th e fol

,

l owi n g approximat e m e asu r em en t s ar e corr ect

A t th e e n d of th e fi r st mon th ( lu n ar ) i t i s abou t
th e si z e o f a haz e ln u t We igh s abou t 1 5 grain s
. .

A t th e e n d of th e secon d mon th i t i s th e si z e o f a
sm all h en s e gg
’
Th e in t e rn al organ s ar e p arti ally
.

form ed it b e gin s to a ssu m e a hu man shap e bu t th e

, ,

sex can n o t ye t b e di ff e ren ti at e d U p to th e fifth or

.

sixth w e ek i t do es n ot difi e r mu ch in app e aran ce

from th e emb r yo s of o the r an im al s .

A t th e e n d of th e thi rd mo n th i t i s th e si z e of a
l arge goo se e gg ; i t i s abou t tw o to thr e e an d a hal f
in che s lon g We igh s abou t on e ou n ce
. .

A t th e e n d of th e f ou rth mon th th e fe tu s i s b e
‘

twee n six an d seven in ches lo n g an d we igh s abou t

five ou n ce s .

At th e e n d of th e fifth mon th th e fe tu s i s be twe en

74
 C HAP TE R FOU R TEE N

TH E A F T E RBIRTH ( P LA C E NTA ) AN D C O RD

WHATE V ER p ar t of the womb th e ovu m attache s

i t se lf to i s stimu l at e d to i n t e n se ac tivi ty in growth .

Nu me rou s b l ood ve ssel s b egin to grow an d that p art

O f th e lin in g membr an e wi th i ts n u me rou s blood
v e ssel s con sti tu t e th e placen t a or as it is common l y
,

call e d afte r bi r th b ecau se i t come s ou t afte r th e bi r th

,

o f th e chi ld From th e pl acen ta the re i s al so r e

.

fle cte d a membr an e ove r th e ovu m so as to give i t

,

addi ti on al prot e cti on . That m embr an e form s a

compl e t e b ag ove r th e fe t u s ; thi s b ag b e come s fil l e d

wi th li qu i d so that th e fe tu s flo at s fr eel y in a bag

,

Of wat e r s ; thi s b ag bu r st s on ly du rin g chi ldbi rth .

Th e f e t u s i s n ot attache d clo se to th e placen ta , bu t

i s so to say su spe n de d from i t by a cor d whi ch
, , ,

i s cal l e d th e u m bil ical cor d Wh en th e child i s born

.
,

th e u mb ili cal cord i s cu t an d th e sca r or d epr e s

,

si o n in th e abdome n wh e r e th e u mb ili cal cord w as

attach e d con sti t u t e s th e n ave l or u mb ili cu s ( in sl an g

—
lan gu age bu tton or be lly bu tton ) Th e u mbili cal
.

cord con si st s Of two art e rie s an d on e ve in e mb e dd e d

76
 THE A FTE RBIRTH A N D C O RD 77

in a ge a l ti n lik e su b st an velope d by a me m
ce an d en

br an e an d i t i s th rou gh th e u mbilical cord that th e

,

blood from th e pl acen ta i s brou ght to an d carried

from th e fe tu s Th e blood of th e fetu s an d th e blood
.

of th e mothe r do n ot m i x ; th e b l ood ve s s e l s ar e se p

ar ated by thi n wall s an d i t i s throu gh th e se thin

,
.

wall s that th e fe tal blood r e ce ive s th e in gre di en t s

i t n ee d s from th e moth e r s blood I n oth e r word s
’
.
,

i t r e ce ive s i ts n ou ri shmen t from th e moth e r by

a bs or p ti on or osm osi s Th e blood from the pl a
.

cen t a al s o fu rn i sh e s th e fe t al bl ood wi th oxyge n so ,

that th e fetu s br e athe s by th e ai d o f th e place n ta ,

a n d n ot thro u gh i ts ow n lu n gs .

It i s we ll to r ememb e r that th e re i s ab solu t ely

n o n e rv ou s con n e cti on b e twe e n moth e r an d ch i ld .

Th e r e ar e n o n e rve s whate ve r in th e u mbi lical cord ,

s o th at th e n e rvou s syst e m s of th e fe tu s an d O f th e

mothe r ar e e n ti r ely di stin ct an d sep arate A n d thi s .

w i ll e xpl ai n why ce rt ai n n e rvo u s impr e ssi o n s an d

S ho ck s r e ce ive d by th e moth e r ar e n ot r e adily t r an s

m i tt e d to th e chil d It i s on l y thr ou gh chan ge s in

.

th e moth er s blood that th e fe tu s can b e in flu e n ce d

’
.

A s w i ll b e se e n i n a lat e r ch apt er w e ar e S ke pti cal

“
abou t mate rn al i mpr e ssi on s ”
.
 -E
C HAP TER FIE T E N

LA C TA TI O N O R NUR SING

EV ER Y mothe r shou l d n u r se h e r chil d—

sh e canif .

The r e i s n o p e rfect su b sti t u t e for mothe r s mi lk ’

.

The r e i s on ly on e excu se f or a mothe r n ot n u r sin g

that i s when she h as n o mi lk or wh en th e qu ali ty
,

of th e milk i s so poor tha t th e chi ld do e s n ot thr ive

on i t, or w h en th e moth e r i s ru n dow n i s threat,

e n e d wi th or i s su ffe r in g wi th tu b e r cu lo sis, e tc In .

su ch ca se s th e n u r sin g wo u ld p rove in j u ri ou s t o

both moth e r an d chil d .

Whe n th e moth e r can n ot n u r se th e child i t shou l d ,

be brou ght u p artifici ally on modi fie d cow s milk

’
.

F ormu las f or modifie d mi lk have b een worke d ou t

for e ve ry mon th Of th e child s li fe an d if th e f orm u
’
,

l as are car e fu lly foll owe d an d th e bottl e an d n ip

,

pl e s ar e p rop erly ste rili ze d th e chi ld shou ld have

,

n o tro u ble bu t shou ld th r iv e an d grow lik e on good

,

moth e r s milk I f th e chi ld i s si ckly or d e li cate an d

’
.

do e s n ot thrive on modifie d cow s mi lk or on o the r

’

a rti fici al food s th en a w e t n u rse m ay b ecome n e c

,

e ssary . B u t b e for e e n gagi n g a w et n u r se gr e at care

shou l d b e t ake n t o mak e su r e that sh e i s h ealthy,
78
 LA C TA TI O N O R N URSING 79

th at th e age of her ld i s ap proxim at ely th e same

chi

as th e age of th e child whi ch Sh e i s ab ou t to n u r se ,

an d p art i cu larly th at S h e i s fr e e from an y syphil i ti c

tain t On e tw o or mor e Wasse rm an n t e st s shou l d

.
,

b e m ad e to se ttl e th e qu e sti on de fin i te ly .

Moth e r s Sh ou ld b ear in mi n d tha t su cklin g th e

chi ld i s good n ot o n ly f or th e child b u t f or th e
,

mothe r as we ll Lactati on help s th e in volu ti on of

.

th e u t e ru s : th e u t e ru s of a n u r sin g mothe r re tu rn s
mor e qu i ckly an d mor e p e r fectly to its n ormal an t e
p r e gn an t con di ti on than th e u te ru s of th e mothe r
w h o can n ot or wi ll n ot n u r se h e r chi ld .

That th e moth e r w h o n u r se s h e r child shou l d

p artake of su fli ci en t n ou ri shme n t goe s wi thou t say
in g B u t th e advi ce O ft en given to n u r sin g mothe r s
.

t o part ake O f b e e r al e or wi n e i s a bad on e It i s

, .

a qu e sti on i f a moth er p art aki n g of co n si d e rable

qu an titi es of alcoh oli c b eve rage s m ay n ot tran smit

th e t aste f or al cohol to h e r chi ldr e n .No alcoholi cs
,

sh ou l d b e l e ft alo n e ,b u t milk eggs me at fru i t

, , ,

an d ve ge t able s sh ou l d b e p art ak e n o f i n abu n dan ce .

Preparin g th e N ippl es For th e in fan t to b e ab l e

.

t o n u r se prop e rly th e n ipple s of th e br e ast mu st

be in good co n di ti on .If th e n ippl e s ar e su n ken ,
dep r e sse d, i t i s tortu re f or th e chil d to n u rse It .

u se s u p a lot of e n e rgy u se l e ssly b e come s e xh au ste d

, ,

an d g et s v e ry li ttl e milk ; whil e if th e n ip p le s be

80 SEX KN OWL E DGE F OR W O ME N

ten de r or cracked th e process of n u rsin g is a tor

tu r e for th e moth er .

It is the re for e n ece ssary to atten d t o th e n ippl es

—
in d u e time to b e g in at th e fifth or S i xth mon th i s
n ot too e arly . If th e n i pple s ar e su flici en tl y promi
n e n t li ttl e n e e d b e do n e for them e xcep t to was h
,

them wi th a li ttl e bori c acid solu ti on ( on e te aspoon

fu l o f bori c aci d to a gl ass O f wat e r ) occa si on ally,
an d n ow an d the n to r u b in a li t tl e p e trol atu m, p lain

or bor at e d B u t if th e n i pple s ar e su n ken so that

.

th e y are b elow th e su r face of th e breast or if they

,

ar e o n ly sli ghtly abov e th e su r face o f th e br e ast ,

th e y mu st b e tr e at ed Ge n tle tracti on mu st b e mad e

.

on them wi th th e fin ge r s thr e e or fou r tim e s a d ay .

The re ar e on ly a f e w ca se s wh e re p e r si st e n t m an ipu
l at i on will n ot d evel op th e n ipple an d make i t stan d
ou t promi n en tly .

If th e n i pple i s t en de r it sh ou ld b e washe d two or

thr ee time s a d ay wi th a mixtu r e of al cohol an d
wat e r ; on e p art of al cohol to thr e e p art s o f wate r
i s su fli ci en t I n washi n g th e n ippl e wi th thi s di l u t e d
.

al coh ol i t shou ld b e dri e d an d a li ttl e p e trolatu m

or vase li n e ru bb e d in . Thi s don e tw o or thr ee time s

a d ay du ri n g th e l ast mon th or t w o of th e pr e gn an cy

w ill gen e r ally produ ce a good h e althy n ippl e .

Th e Treatmen t of C rack e d N ippl es If th e care of

.

th e n ipple h as be en n e gl e ct ed an d i t d eve lo p s cr acks

,
 LAC TA TIO N O R N URSIN G 81

or fissu r e s tha t th e n u r sin g of th e chi ld cau se s

so

th e moth e r se ve re p ai n th e n u r sin g Shou l d be d on e

,

th rou gh a n ipple Shi e ld an d in th e mean time b e

,

twe en th e n u r sin gs th e n ipple shou ld b e ru bb e d with

th e followin g pr e p ar ati on whi ch i s e xcell e n t an d
,

which I can fu lly r e comme n d : thymol i odi de ,

d ram ; Olive oil , ou n ce Thi s shou l d b e appli e d

.

e v e ry hou r to th e n ippl e an d cove r e d wi th a l i ttl e

cotton ; b e fore e ach n u r si n g howev e r i t mu st b e

, ,

we ll washe d O ff wi th warm wat e r or warm bori c acid

solu ti on . When th e n ippl e s ar e cracke d th e in ,

fau t s l ip s shou ld al so be fore n u r sin g be car e fu lly

’

wi p e d ou t wi th boric aci d solu ti o n For th e baby s.

’

mou th con tain s b acte ri a whi ch whi le harmle ss in

themselve s m ay if the y get in to th e cr acks of th e
n ippl e se t u p an i n flam m ati on O f th e br e a st or
“
m as
titi s an d cau se an ab sce ss If th e cracks ar e ex
”
.

cr u ci atin gl y pai n fu l
, as th ey s ome time s ar e it i s ,

n e ce ssary to give th e on e b re ast a re st f or twen ty

fou r hou r s an d h ave th e child n u r se at th e other

u n ti l th e cr ack s have p art i all y h e al e d .

When I t Is N ecessary to Dry Up th e Breasts I n .

case o f th e de ath O f th e chi ld or if the moth e r for

,

s om e o the r re as o n fin d s he r se l f u n abl e to n u r se .

su ch as in case s w he r e the r e i s ab sol u t e ly n o n i pp le ,

in ste ad of th e p romin en ce of th e n ipple the re b ein g

a dee p d e pre ssi o n , i t b e come s n e ce ssary t o st op th e
82 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WOMEN

se cr e ti on of the m i lk, or as it is said in comm on

,
“
pa rlan ce to d r y u p th e bre asts I n f ormer d ays,
.
”

n ot so ve r y lon g ago an d th e practice is still com

,

m on e n ou gh to ca ll att e n ti on to i t an d to con d em n
i t th e bre as t s u se d to b e ti ghtly ba n dage d or th ey
, ,

u se d to b e p u mpe d ev e r y f e w hou rs Th e fir st .

ca u se s u n n ece s s a r y p ai n an d trou bl e w hi l e th e sec ,

on d pr oced u r e th e p u mp in g do e s e xactl y th e re
, ,

ve rse to w ha t it is in te n de d to do In s tead of d ry .

in g u p th e bre ast s i t k ee p s u p th e se cr e ti on The .

be st thin g to do in a case lik e tha t is to le av e the

breasts al on e n ot to p u m p them b u t j u s t gen tl y
, ,

su pport th em w i th a b an dage an d the n i n th ree or

fou r days th e secre ti on O f th e mi lk will g radu al l y

disapp ea r Th e re i s some di scomf o r t the fir st
.

t w en ty fou r or forty e ight hou r s bu t if le ft al on e

- -
,

th e di scomfort is les s th an i f th e br e ast s ar e man ipu

lated b an dag ed or pu mpe d
,
.

Men str u ati on or Pr egn an cy Wh il e N u rsin g Man y .

w omen d o n ot m en s tru at e an d do n ot b e come pre g

n an t whil e th e y ar e n u r sin g Some women wi ll n ot

.

con ce ive n o ma tt e r h ow lon g th e y m ay n u r se th e

,

chil d — a year or t w o or l o n ge r An d s ome wome n

.

take ad van tage of thi s fact an d in orde r to avoid

,

an othe r chil d th ey will ke e p u p th e n u r si n g as l on g

as p o ssible I n E gyp t an d oth e r O ri e n t al cou n tr i e s

.

whe re ou r me an s f or th e pr even ti on Of con cepti on

 C HAP TER S IxTEE N

A B O RTI O N A N D MIS C A RR IA GE

TH E word aborti on u se d somewhat loo sel y sig

, ,

n i fie s th e pr em atu r e exp u l si o n of th e fe tu s ; th e e x

pu l si on of th e fe tu s from th e womb b e fore it i s vi a

bl e , i e b e for e it i s cap abl e of livin g i n de p en de n tl y
. .
,
.

U se d in a stricte r se n se th e word aborti on i s ap

,

pli ed to th e e xpu l si on O f th e fe tu s u p to th e e n d Of
th e l 6th wee k ; to th e e xp u lsi on of th e fetu s be
twe en th e l 6th an d th e 28th we ek th e t erm m i s
carr i age i s appli e d ; an d wh en th e exp u l si on of th e

fe tu s take s place aft e r th e 28th we ek, bu t before

fu l l t e rm w e u se th e t erm p re matu re labor Th e
, .

laity do e s n ot like th e t e rm aborti on as i t i s u n de r

,

th e impr e ssi o n th at th e t e rm alway s sig n ifi e s cri mi

n al aborti o n ; i t th e r e for e pr e f e r s to u se th e te rm

mi sca rri age re gardl e ss of th e ti me at

whi ch th e e xpu l si on of th e fe tu s t ake s place .

When an abortion ( or mi scarri age ) take s place

by i t se lf wi thou t an y ou t si d e ai d w e call i t sp on
, ,

tan e ou s a bor ti on Wh en i t i s brou ght on by arti

.

fici al m ean s whe th e r by th e w oman he r sel f or by

,

s om ebody e l se w e call i t i n du ce d aborti o n

, Whe n
.

84
 AB O R TIO N AN D MI S CARRIA GE 85
'

an a borti on i s in du ce d f or th e pu rpo se of savin g

th e woman s li fe w e call i t th e rap eu ti c abor ti on ;
’
,

thi s i s con sid e r e d p er fe ctly l e gal an d prop e r B u t .

whe r e an aborti on i s in du ce d me re ly to save an n u

marri e d mothe r s r epu t ati on or b e cau se th e marri ed
’
,

moth e r i s too poor or too we ak to h ave an y more

childr e n or i s r e lu ct an t to h av e an y ( or an y mor e )
,

for an y oth e r r e ason i t i s calle d cr im in al or i l l egal

,

aborti on an d if di scov e r e d su bj ect s th e moth e r a n d

, , ,

th e p e r so n w h o pr odu ce d th e ab orti on to se ve r e
pu n i shm en t .

When th e fe tu s f or som e re ason di es in i ts

mothe r s womb it i s gen e r ally e xp elle d wi thi n a
’
,

f ew hou r s or d ay s Som etime s t hi s i s n ot th e case ,

.

an d th e d e ad fe tu s i s r e t ai n e d f or se ve r al week s ,

or mon th s or e ven ye ar s ; to su ch a phen ome n on w e

apply th e t e rm m i ss e d aborti o n Some women su f
.

f e r from wh at m I gh t b e cal le d th e ab orti o n hab it ;

the y can h ardly eve r carry a chi ld to fu ll te rm bu t ,

l o se it in th e same mon th or eve n in th e same we ek

of ge stati on du rin g e ach pre gn an cy ; w e call thi s h a
bi t u al aborti o n An d thi s hab i tu al aborti on m ay
.

be in d ep e n de n t o f di sease su ch for in stan ce as

, , ,

syp hil i s
. The te rm s th r e aten e d imm in en t an d i h
,

evi ta bl e aborti o n r equ i re n o fu rthe r expl an ati o n .

Th e C au ses of A borti on Ou t si d e of th e ab ort ion

.

habit, whi ch m ay b e du e p artly to he redity or b e

86 S E X KN OWLE DGE FOR WO ME N

cau se d by a di se ase d con di ti on of th e lin i n g m em

bran e of th e u te ru s th e prin cip al cau se of ab orti on
,

an d mi scarri age i s syp hili s

. An d when a w oman ha s
h ad tw o or thre e or fou r or mor e mi scarri ag es in
su cce ssi on w e gen e r ally assu m e th e cau se to be

syphil is an d i n mo st cas e s th e assu mpti on w ill be

,

corr e ct.
 C HAP TER SEV E NTEE N

PRE NA TAL C AR E

BY p re n atal car e w e u n der stan d th e care take n

du rin g pregn an cy be for e th e child i s born U se d in
.

a wi de r se n se th e t e rm i n clu d e s th e ca r e whi ch both

p ar en t s S hou ld t ake of themse lve s e ven be fore th e

chil d i s con ce i ve d.

O f cou rse th e fathe r an d th e mothe r sh ou ld be in

th e b e st p o ssible phy si cal an d me n t al con di ti on d u r
in g th e ti me of con cepti on an d ev en be for e con cep
ti on an d the mothe r S hou ld t ak e th e ve r y b e st car e
,

—
of he r se l f sh e S hou l d b e in good he alth an d as calm
a sp i ri t as po ssi ble du rin g th e e n ti r e pe r i od of g e s

tati on . For th e gen e ral he alth an d con di ti on of th e

mothe r do e s in flu en ce th e child .

I have se en so mu ch mi se ry cau se d by wron g pr e

n at al car e te achi n g an d by th e fooli sh e xagge rate d
,

i deas on th e su bj e ct, that I con side r i t my du ty to

say some thi n g i n ord e r to co u n t e r act tho se e rr o

n e ou s n oti o n s
. I con side r i t my spe ci al mi ssi on to
de stroy e rr or mystici sm an d su p e r stiti on A n d th e
,
.

pren atal care t e achin g as imparte d by some u n f or

tu n ately par tak e s o f al l thr ee of th e above .

871
88 S E X KN O WLE DGE FOR WO M E N

Of cou r se I r ep eat th e moth e r Shou ld try to be

, ,

in th e b e st po ssible con di ti on whi l e sh e i s carryi n g

th e chi ld Neverth el e ss it i s fool i sh to imagin e if
.
,

th e mothe r i s n ot qu i t e well or i s worri e d abou t

,

som ethi n g or h as a fit of an ge r th at it i s in var i ably

, ,

goin g to b e r eflect e d on th e child Th e child as w e.

,

kn ow ha s n o n e rvou s con n ecti on what ev e r wi th th e

,

mo th e r an d i t i s on l y ve ry vi olen t or prolon ge d
,

sho cks that ar e apt to have an in j u r i ou s i n flu e n ce .

I kn ow of chi ldr en that we r e carri e d by the i r

mothe rs in an ge r an d in an gu i sh from th e d ay of
con ce pti o n to th e d ay of d e li ve ry An d stil l the y
.

we r e born p e rfe ctly n ormal I kn ow of a chi ld who se

.

mothe r w as su ffe rin g th e mo st he llish t ortu r e s of

j e al ou sy du rin g th e e n ti re p eri od of pr egn an cy an d ,

sti ll th e chi ld w a s bor n p e r fe ctly h e althy p e rfectly ,

n ormal an d i s n ow a spl e n di d sp ecim e n of man h ood .

,

I kn ow ch ildr en w ho se mothe r s wen t throu gh seve re

att ack s o f p n e u mon i a typhoi d feve r e tc
, an d sti ll
, ,

they we re born p er fectly healthy an d p e rfe ctly n or

m al . I kn ow chi ldr en who se moth e r s we re u sin g
e ve ry me an s to abort th em took al l ki n d s o f i n t e r
,

n al m e di ci n e s u n ti l th e y we r e d e athly S i ck an d sti l l,

the y we re born p e rfe ctly he althy an d n ormal I .

kn ow chi ldre n who se moth e r s tri e d to abo r t the m

by mechan i cal m e an s who we n t to aborti on i st s w h o
,

made on e or mor e att empt s to in du ce th e aborti on

 P R E NA TAL C A R E 89

I kn ow e ven case s whe re th e mothe r s ble d as a resu lt

—
of su ch att empt s an d n eve rthe le ss th e childre n ,

we re bo rn p e rfe ctly he althy de velope d n ormall y

,

physically an d m en t ally .

O f cou r se the se a r e n ot thin gs that I wou ld advi se

w ome n to d o or to u n d e rg o I wou ld n ot advi se
.

pr e gn an t wome n to wor r y to b e si ck to t ak e po ison

, ,

ou s me di cin e s or to mak e att e mpt s at ab ort i on bu t ,

I me r ely br in g u p th e se p oin t s to e mphasi z e to my

r e ade r s n ot to t ak e th e n ece ssity of pr en at al care in
too ab solu t e a se n se an d n ot to worry th emselve s
,

u n n e ce ssaril y i f th e con di t i on s du rin g th e i r p r e g

n an cy ar e n ot al l th at cou ld b e de si re d Th e chil d .

i s n ot n ece ssari ly go in g to b e affe cte d Th e con di

.

ti on O f th e ge rm plasms i e the con di ti on of th e

-
,
. .
,

ovu m an d th e sp e rm atozo a at th e time Of con cep

ti on i s more impo r tan t than al l su b se qu en t car e d u r
in g ge stati on .

A s the re ar e fooli sh p e opl e who po sse ss a pecu

l i ar kn ack Of mi sin te rpre tin g an d mi su n d e r st an din g
eve ryt hin g I wi sh to emph asiz e th at hygi e n e du rin g
,

p r e gn an cy shou ld n ot be n eglect e d E ve rythin g pos

.

sibl e sho u ld be don e t o pu t th e moth e r in th e be st

p o ssi b l e ph y si cal an d m e n t al co n d i t i o n A ll I wan. t

to say i s tha t it i s bad to b e in san e on th e su bj ect ,

that i t i s b ad t o t ak e thi n g s in an ab solu t e sen se , an d

that it i s bad to e xagge rate .
 C HAP TER E I GHTEEN

ST E RILITY

S TER ILI TY or b arren n e ss i s a con di ti on of in abili ty

to have chil dren I n forme r ye ar s th e opin i on pr e
.

vai le d gen e rally when eve r a cou pl e w as childl e ss

, ,

that th e fau lt w as exclu sively th e woman s ’

It
.

w asn t e ven thou ght that th e m an co u l d b e to bl ame

’
.

We n ow kn ow that in at le ast fifty pe r cen t Of case s.

of ste ri lity or childle ss marr iages th e fau lt i s n ot

, ,

th e woman s bu t th e m an s It i s th e re fore ve r y n u
’ ’
.

w i se in con di ti on s Of ste rili ty to su bj ect th e w if e t o

tre atmen t wi thou t fir st e xami n i n g th e hu sban d .

Neve rthele ss thi s i s still Often th e case particu l arly

, ,

amon g th e lowe r cl a sse s or amo n g th e i gn oran t .

The re ar e ca se s whe re th e woman goe s from on e

do ctor to an oth e r f or year s an d i s su bj ecte d to all
kin d s Of tr e atmen t whe n a simple exam in ati on O f
,

th e hu sb an d wou ld show that th e fau lt li e s wi th him .

Some wom en have on e child an d ar e u n abl e afte r

ward s to gi ve bi rth to an y more Su ch a con diti on
.

i s call e d on e chi ld st e rili ty

- -
It i s gen e ral l y d u e t o
.

an in fl am mati on Of th e F allop i an tu b e s whi ch cl o se s

90
92 SEX KN OWL E DGE F O R WO M E N

to th e s er ma o z a
p t o An o the r cau se i s a se ve re ben d
.

in g or tu r n in g Of the u t e ru s e i the r forw ards or

b ackw ard s Th e Open in g Of th e n eck Of th e womb
.
,

th e os may al so be cl ose d or practi call y so f rom

, , ,

u l ce ra ti on from str on g appli cati on s e tc I n some

, , .

ca se s ste r ili ty may be du e t o se ve r e co n stitu ti on al

di se ase when th e pe rson i s ve r y mu ch r u n down an d

,

s o an emi c that m en st r u a ti on st op s U n fortu n ate ly

.

thi s i s n ot al ways th e case for women e ven in th e

,

las t stage s Of con su mpti on may an d Often do be

, ,

come pre gn an t Syphil i s u n fortu n atel y doe s n ot

.

cau se ste rili ty ; i t o n l y cau se s mi scarri age s u n til

con troll e d by tre atmen t .

Th e tr e atmen t Of ste r ili ty can b e su cce ssfu lly car

r i e d ou t on l y by a comp e te n t physi ci an p arti cu l arl y
,

by on e w h o i s devotin g hims el f sp e ci al l y t o thi s kin d

O f w o rk B u t I wan t on ce more to imme ss u p on
.

e ve r y woman w h o i s ste ril e an d w h o w an ts to h ave

,

a chil d, n ot to have h e r se lf treate d or e ven e xami n e d

u n ti l h er hu sban d has been su bj cote d t o an exam in a

 C HAP TER NI N E TEE N

THE ME NOP A U SE O R C HAN GE O F LIF E

I N th e h p te r on men stru ati on I r efe r red b ri efly

c a

to th e men opau se I will con side r it he re some what

.

more in d e tail .

Th e me n op au se al so call ed th e cli macte ric, an d

,

i n common lan gu age chan ge of li fe

“
i s th e p e ri od
,
”

at whi ch woman ce ase s to me n stru ate Th e aver age .

ag e at whi ch thi s o ccu r s i s abou t forty e ight Bu t -

.

whil e some w omen con tin u e to men stru at e u p to

th e age O f fifty fif ty two an d e ven fifty five othe rs
,
-
,
-
,

ce ase to me n stru ate at th e ag e O f forty five or e ve n -

forty tw o Be twee n for ty fou r an d fifty tw o are th e

-
.
- -

n o rmal limi t s A n ythi n g b efor e or be yon d that i s

.

excep ti on al .

Ju st as th e be gin n i n g of men stru ati on may set in

w i thou t an y t ro u bl e Of an y kin d an d j u st as some,

w omen have n ot th e slighte st u n pl e asan t symptoms

du r in g th e e n ti r e pe ri od o f the i r men stru al lif e so ,

th e men opau se o ccu rs in som e women withou t an y

trou ble physi cal or p sychi c The p e ri ods be tween
,

the m en se s be com e pe rhap s a li ttle lon ge r, or a little

98
94 S EX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

i r reg u la r , th e men st ru al flow becom e s more an d

m o re scan ty, the n on e or se ve r al pe r i od s m ay be
skippe d al toge the r an d th e m e n opau se i s pe m
,

u e n tly e stab l i shed Man y women , howev e r th e ma

.
,

jo r i ty p ro b ably su fl
, e r co n si d e r abl y du ri n g th e tr an

si ti on al ye ar or year s of th e men op au se Symptoms .

ar e bo th of a physi cal an d O f a p sychi c cha racte r ,

bu t th e psychi c sym ptoms pre domin ate The re ma y .

be he ad ache , capr ici ou s app e ti te or comple te loss of

,

appe tite , co n s i de rable l o ss of fle sh or on th e con

,

tr ar y very su dden an d r api d pu ttin g on of fat great ,

ir ri tabili ty, in somn i a, profu se pe r spi rati on ; hot

fla shes throu ghou t th e bod y an d p ar ti cu larl y in th e
,

“
face, whi ch make th e face blu shi n g an d con ”

ge ste d ar e p articu l arly frequ en t The n th e woman s

, .
’

char acte r m ay be co m pl e tely chan ge d From gen tle

.

qu ar r els ome . y wi thou t an y grou n ds for it

Je alou s

may be on e of th e di sagree able sym ptoms makin g ,

bo th th e wi fe an d the hu sban d ve r y u n happy I n .

some except i on al cases a g en u in e n eu ro sis or psy

ch osi s m ay d eve lo p .

C au se of Su fferi n g Dmi n g M en opau se It is my .

con vi cti o n an d I have ha d thi s con vi cti o n for man y

,

years that man y if n ot mo st of th e di stre ssin g

, , ,

sym ptoms of th e me n op au se ar e d u e n ot to th e ,

m en op au se i tse lf bu t to the wron g i de as abou t thi s

,
 THE ME N OP AU S E 95

pe ri od that have p r evail e d for so man y cen tu rie s .

We kn ow th e in flu en ce of th e mi n d over the body ,

an d th e pe rn ici ou s cfi e ct whi ch wron g i de as may

e xe rci se ove r ou r fe elin gs Th e gen e ral l y pre valen t

.

opin i on am on g wome n , an d m en for that matte r,

an d n ot on l y O f th e l aity bu t u n fort u n ate ly o f th e

me di cal profe ssi on as well i s that the men opau se

,

i s th e en d of w oman s sex u al l if e E ve r y wom an i s

’
.

laborin g u n de r th e e rron e ou s impr e ssi on that wi th

th e e stabli shmen t o f th e me n op au se w i th th e ce s ,

sati on of th e m en se s sh e ce as es t o b e a woman
, an d ,

as sh e do e s n ot b e com e a m an sh e be come s some

,

thin g Of a n eu t er b ein g n eithe r woman n or m an

, .

An d sh e ha s th e i de a th at aft e r the men op au se sh e

can have n o fu r the r attracti o n f or h e r hu sb an d or

f or o the r m en . Natu r all y su ch an i dea h as a ve r y

de pre ssin g e fi ect on an y hu man bein g A n y hu m an .

be in g fights to th e l ast to re tain all its hu m an fu n c

ti on s e speci ally th e fu n cti on whi ch i s con sidere d as
,

im po r tan t as i s th e se xu al fu n cti on .

R eprodu ctive Fu n cti on an d S exu al Fu n cti on N ot

Syn on ymou s . Of cou rse wi th th e p erm an en t ces sa
ti on of the men se s th e woman s r epr odu cti ve fu n c
’

ti on i s at an e n d B u t th e reprodu ctive fu n cti on i s

.

n ot syn on ymou s wi th th e se x u al fu n ction I mu s t ,

in si st agai n an d again an d n atu r al ly u n ti l thi s e r r o

,

n e ou s i de a i s di spel l ed mu ch u n n e ce ssa ry mi se r y w ill

96 S EX KN OWL E DGE F OR WOME N

be th e l ot of ou r w ome n .women in gen e ral wil l

If
l earn that w i th th e establishm e n t o f th e men op au se
the y do n ot ce ase to be women if they w i ll learn ,

tha t the se xu a l de si r e in wom en lasts lon g beyon d

th e ces sati on of th e men opau se man y wome n be in g
,

a s p as si on a te at six ty as at thi rty if the y w i ll l e arn

,

that thei r att racti ve n e ss or n on attractiven e ss to -

th e mal e se x do e s n ot de pe n d u pon th e me n opau se ,

bu t u pon the i r gen e ral con di ti on if the y will learn

,

that man y women at fifty an d sixty ar e mu ch m ore

a tt r acti ve than s ome wome n at hal f that age the y ,

w i ll n ot t ake th e on se t o f th e me n op au se so tr agi

cally an d th e y will the re by avo i d th e gre at e r p ar t

O f th e i r me n tal an d e moti o n al su fl e r i n g .

Th e actu al atrophy of th e ovarie s u te ru s e xt e r , ,

n al ge n i tal s an d th e bre as t s can of cou r se n ot be

, ,

preve n te d bu t tha t atrophy i s a slow an d gradu al

,

p roce ss an d is n ot in i tself th e cau se o f the var iou s

,

di stre ssin g symptom s th at w e have e n u me r ate d .

The tre atmen t of th e me n opau se if th e symptoms ,

ar e at al l di sagr ee able or di str e ssin g shou l d b e in

, ,

th e han ds O f a compe te n t physician A li ttl e whol e .

some advi ce m ay be more e ffici en t than gall on s of

me di cin e an d bu shel s of p il l s In gen e ral th e w oman

.

shou l d tr y t o lead as cal m an d p e acefu l a li fe as pos

sibl e
. Warm b ath s dail y ar e be n eficial con stipati on ,

sh ou l d b e g u ar de d ag ai n st h ot vagin al dou ch e s ar e
,
 THE M E N OPA US E 97

often e flicien t ag ain st th e di sagree abl e flu she s an d

,

las t, bu t n ot le ast, the hu sban d shou l d du rin g thi s

cr i ti cal pe r i od be dou bly kin d an d dou bly con si de r

ate O f hi s w if e . It i s du rin g th e ye ar s be twee n forty

fiv e an d fif ty five th at th e wi fe i s mo st in n ee d of
-

h er hu sban d s symp athy an d su ppo r t

’
.
 C HAP TER Tw EN TY

THE HABIT O F MA S TURBA TI O N

MAS TU R B ATI O N or self abu se i s a te r m applied to

-

a b ad hab i t whi ch con s i st s in han dlin g an d r u bbin g

th e gen i tal s It i s a bad habi t becau se i t i s apt to

.

in j u r e th e he alth an d fu tu r e developmen t o f th e
g i rl . Th e mor e fr e qu en tly i t i s pr act i ce
, d th e mor e

in j u ri ou s i t i s It i s mor e in j u ri ou s than whe n pr ac

.

tice d by boys becau s e the e fi ects ar e u su ally more

,

p e rman e n t Gi rls wh o in du l ge i n th e habi t of m as

.

tu rb ati on t o ex ce s s n ot o n ly weaken thems el v e s b e ,

come an emi c an d ge t a di n gy p imply comple xi on

, ,

bu t they lo se the i r de si r e for n orma l se xu al rel a

ti on s when they grow u p an d ar e u n able to de rive
,

an y ple asu re from th e se xu al act whe n they get

marri ed I n fact man y gi rls who mastu rb ate d ex
.
,

ce ssiv el y g et a stron g ave r si on to th e n ormal se xu al

act an d th e i r mar rie d lif e i s an u n h appy on e

, . Their
hu sban ds Often have t o ask for a divorce Fortu .

n atel y th e h ab it i s mu ch le ss wi de spr e ad amon g

,

girls than it i s amon g boys Whil e abou t n i n ety

.

p e r c en t of
. all b oy s — n i n e o u t O f e v e ry te n — m as

tu rbate more or le ss on ly abou t ten or at mo st

,

98
1 00 S EX KN OWL E DGE F O R WO M E N

s ome thin g te rrible that i t h as di sgraced th em an d

,

i t se lf ; an d they try to pe r su ad e it that u n l e ss i t ,

stop s imme d i ate ly th e mo st di r e fu l con se qu e n ce s

,

ar e awai tin g i t . Th e r esu lt s of thi s mode of pro

ced u r e ar e di sastro u s — mu ch more S O than i s th e
mastu rbati on i t se lf .

Ofte n th e scoldin g an d th e e xpo su r e of th e child

ar e don e i n th e pre sen ce of othe r s .Thi s implan ts
i n th e poor gi rl a su l len r e se n tmen t that o n ly m ak e s
i t mor e di flicu l t for i t to b re ak th e habi t Wh en .

th e chi ld i s brou ght to th e physi ci an you can se e,

by its behavi or by i ts down cast looks by its su l ki

‘

, ,

n e ss by i ts attemp t t o re fr ain from t e ar s an d oth e r

, ,

sign s that i t r e gard s th e physi ci an in e xactly th e

,

sam e light as a yo u thf u l crimin al r e gard s th e j u dge

be fore whom h e h as b een brou ght f or trial .

It i s time hi gh time th at thi s sil ly an d in j u r i ou s

, ,

at ti tu d e toward a pr acti ce whi ch i s ve ry com mo n

, ,

be r adi cally chan ged It i s time that p aren t s an d

.

physici an s le arn that th e in j u ri ou sn e ss O f th e h ab i t

h as b ee n gr e atly gro s sly e xagge rat e d It i s time
'

, .

that the y kn ow th at th e vast maj ority o f boys an d ‘

g i r l s g e t ov e r th e h ab i t w i tho u t b e in g m u ch or ,

an y th e wor se for i t Th e kn owl ed ge Of thi s fact

‘

.
,

w il l n ot o n l y save them an d th e chi ldr e n mu ch n e e d

l ess an g u i sh an d sn fi er in g bu t w ill make i t mu ch

,
 THE HA BIT O F MA S T U RBA TIO N 1 01

e asie r de al wi th th e l atte r make i t mu ch e asie r

to ,

t o g e t them divorce d from the habit .

If w e look at th e matte r in a sen sible commo n ,

sen se w ay an d d o n ot te ll th e child cau ght i n th e

,

pr act ice that it h as don e somethin g di sgrace fu l l y

vi ci o u s an d crimin al b u t sp e ak to it kin dly an d t ell
,

it that it i s do in g s ome thin g that m ay in j u r e i t

g r e a tly th a t
, m ay i n t e rf e r e wi th i ts fu tu r e m e n t al
an d physi cal he alth an d dev elopme n t the n w e sh all ,

have f ar gre at e r su cce ss in ou r e n de avor s to bre ak

th e boy or th e gi rl of th e hab i t of ma stu rbati on As .

I have said in an othe r place

“
I n my opin i on st i gmati zin g e ve n th e mo st mo d
,

cr at e in du lge n ce i n mastu rb ati on as a vi ce h as a

de le te ri ou s e ffect u pon th e pe ople who so in du l ge

an d mak e s i t harde r for th em to br eak of th e h abi t .

E ve ry thi n kin g physi ci an an d sexologi st can tell you

that p ictu rin g th e mast u rb atory habi t in too lu ri d
co l or s an d sti gmati z in g i t wi th too stron g e p ith et s

has as a r u le th e con trary e fi ect to th e on e ex

, ,

p e c t e d T
. h e vi ct im s O f th e h a b i t co n s i d e r th e m
se l ve s de gr ad ed i rre tri ev ably lo st
,
Th ey lo se thei r
.

sel f re spe ct an d it i s on accou n t of th at hard e r f or

-
, , ,

th em to br eak themselve s of th e h abit .

”

I am n ot t ryin g t o mi n im i ze th e dan ge r of mas

t u rb ati on for if in du l ge d in from an early age
, ,

an d to gre at e xce ss th e re su l t s m ay be di sast ro u s

, .
1 02 SEX KN OWL E DGE F O R WO M E N

B u t, ven if I we r e to mi n imi z e th e evil con se

e
.

q u e n ce s th at wo
, u ld b e l e s s o f a si n th an to ex ag
g e r a te the m th e w ay i t h a s b een do n e for s o m an y
ye ar s by so man y pe opl e in th e profe ssi on an d ou t
,

of it Th e evil re su lt s o f e xagge ratin g th e in flu

.

e n ce o f m ast u rb at i o n have b e e n s o g r e at in th e p ast

that if n ow th e p en du l u m we re to swin g to th e
,

othe r e xtre me I am su r e i t wou ld n ot b e a b ad thin g

,

at all .

To deal w bj e ct of th e tr eatm en t Of mas

i th the su

tu rbation b elon gs t o a me di cal tre ati se B u t a f e w .

,

remarks on how t o pre ven t chi ldr en from acqu i r

in g th e habi t of mastu r b ati on wi ll n ot b e ou t of
pl ace .

Preven ti on of the Habit of Mastu rbati on Th e

keyn ote of pr eve n tin g th e h abi t i s car e fu ll y to watch
,

th e chi ld from i ts e arlie st in f an cy We kn ow that .

n ot in fre qu en tly s tu p i d or vi ci ou s n u r se mai ds w e t ,

n u r se s an d e ve n govern e sse s i gn oran tly or d e lib e r

,

at e ly in du ce th e habi t in chi ldr e n u n de r the i r ch arge .

Thi s Of cou r se mu st b e pr even t ed E ven children

, , .

of th e age of n in e ten e l eve n ye ar s shou l d n ot be

, ,

l e ft alon e, bu t always b e u n de r su p e rvi si on TOO .

cl o se fri e n dship b e tw e e n boys or gi rl s p a rt i cu l arly ,

of di fi e r en t age s shou l d be looked u pon w i th su spi

,

ci o n .
1 04 S EX KN OWLE DGE F OR W O M E N

ar e as de ve lop e d as ar e oth e r s Of thi rt een ) w e mu st ,

t ell th em that it i s b ad an d in j u ri ou s to h an dl e on e s ’

ge n i tal s an d w e mu st warn th em to S hu n an y com

,

p an ion s who wi sh to in itiate them in to an y m an ipu

l ati on s Of the se p arts or who show an in clin ati on to
t al k abou t th e sexu al organ s an d sex matte rs .

Hot b ath s are ve ry in j u ri ou s f or you n g chi ldre n

in the i r i n flu e n ce in thi s di recti on . Th e r e i s n o qu e s
tI on th at a hot b ath h as a v e ry d e ci de d stimu l ati n g
c fi e ct u pon the se xu al d e si r e of adu lt s as we ll as o f

chi ldr en both mal e an d femal e ; in fact I h av e h ad

, ,

seve ral p ati e n t s O f e ith e r se x t e ll m e th at th e i r fir st

mastu rb atory act w as commi tt e d whil e th ey we r e i n

a h ot b ath . Of cou r se the sen sati on h avin g be en
,

pl e asu rable th ey kept on re pe at in g th e e xp e ri en ce

,

E ve ry factor li able to giv e r i se to th e h ab i t shou ld

b e re move d T hu s f or in st an ce e cz ema abou t th e
.
, ,

g en i t al
, s stro n gly a ci d u r i n e,s e atwor m s a n d th e ,

l ike Sh ou ld b e tr e at e d u n til cu r e d
, Th at an yth in g
.

havin g a t en den cy prem atu rely to awak en th e sexu al

in stin ct shou ld be ri gorou sly avo id ed go e s w i tho u t ,

M en tal or Psychi c M astu rbati on . S ome gi rl s an d

wome n will ab st ain from han dlin g th emselve s w ith
thei r han d s ( man u al m astu rbati on ) bu t will pr ac ,

ti ce wh at w e call me n t al mastu rb ati on T hat i s th ey .

,

w il l co n cen tr at e th e i r mi n d s on th e oppo si t e s ex ,
 THE HAB IT OF MA STU RBA TIO N 1 05

w illp ictu r e to th emselv e s vari ou s l ascivi ou s scen es,

u n til th ey fe el sati sfie d
. Thi s me th od i s e x
tr eme ly in j u ri ou s an d exh au stin g an d i s v e ry lik ely
to le ad to n eu r asthe n i a an d a n e rvou s br e akdown .

Y ou shou ld br eak you r sel f of i t by all me an s i f you

, ,

can . F or it i s even more in j u ri ou s th an th e re gu lar

habit .
 C HA P TE R T WE N TY
-
ON E

—
LE U C O RRHE A THE WHIT E S

LE U C OR R HEA me an s li t e r al ly a whi t e ru n n i n g ,

an d i s appli e d by th e l ai ty t o an y wh it i sh di sch arge

comin g from th e v agin a Thi s i s wron g b e cau se

.
,

som e whi t e d i scha rge s m ay b e O f li ttl e i mport an ce ;

othe r s m ay b e of a se ri ou s ch ar act e r an d n ot b e ,

leu corrhe a at al l .

Le u corrh e a i s on e O f th e b on e s O f the mod e rn gi rl

an d woman I t i s ve ry fr e qu e n t P rob ably at le ast
. .

-
. fi
twen ty five pe r ce n t ( some say ty or sev en ty fiv e
f r i
p e r ce n t.
) o f a l l wom en s u ff e r wi th i t i n a gre at e r or

l e sse r d e gr ee I n some ca se s i t i s on ly an an n oy
.

an ce n ece ssi t ati n g th e fr e qu en t ch an gin g O f n ap

,

ki n s bu t in oth e r s i t cau se s a g r e at d e al of we akn e ss

, ,

b ackache e ro si on s i tchi n g an d bu rn in g I t i s ve ry
, , .

r e si stan t to tr e atm en t p articu larly in girl s Th e

, .

r e ason i t i s so r e si st an t to tr eatmen t i s b e cau se th e

di scharge whil e com i n g from th e v ag i n a d oe s n ot
, ,

u s u al l y or i g in a te i n th e v agin a ; i t or i gi n at e s i n th e

n e ck O f th e womb an d th e hu n dr e d s an d hu n dr e d s
,

of in j e cti o n s th at w o m en t ak e f or th e i r l e u corrhe a

on l y re ach th e vagi n a ; t h e y can n ot p en e tr ate in to

106
108 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO M E N

a r e su l tan t leu corr hea A gen e r al ru n down con di

.

ti on worry ove rwork too h ard stu dy lack of fre sh

, , , ,

ai r an d a ge n e r al scro fu lou s co n di ti on al so favor the

,

deve lopmen t of catarrh of th e womb an d leu corrhea .

It wi ll the r e fore b e seen that the tr e atmen t O f l eu

cor r h e a to be su cce ssfu l mu st b e ge n e r al an d local .

Gen eral Treatmen t Th e gen e ral tr e atmen t con

.

si sts i n ge n e r al hygi e n i c me asu r e s an d i n common

sen se . Th e p ati e n t shou ld n ot b e on h e r fee t mor e

than sh e can help an d sh e shou l d n ot walk u n til ex
,

h au sted or fatig u e d It i s b e tt e r to t ak e seve ral

.

short walk s th an on e lon g on e Th e cor se t S h e we ar s .

,

i f sh e wear s an y at all sho u ld b e of th e mode rn ,

ki n d : n ot on e th at pr e sse s th e womb an d th e othe r

abdomi n al organ s down bu t on e that su pport s th e
,

abdomi n al wall s an d r ath e r r ai se s th e abdomi n al

,

organ s u p Th e lacin g or bu tton in g mu st b e from

.

b elow u p an d n ot from abov e down That it sh ou ld

, .

n ot in an y w ay i n t e r fe r e wi th th e fr e e dom O f r e sp i

r ati on go e s wi thou t sayi n g C on stip ati on if an y to .

, ,

b e tr e ate d mu st b e tr e at e d i n te lli gen tly by mi ld

, ,

me asu r e s ( see C on stip ati on in th e chapt e r on P re g ,

n an cy ) an d car e mu st b e t aken th at th e bowe l s move

,

at r e gu l ar h ou r s Wh e re th e leu corrhe a i s d u e to or
.

i s aggravate d by an emi a an d ge n e ral we akn e ss a ,

g ood i ro n pr e p a r at i o n s u ch as on e , Bl au d s fiv e
’

g r ai n p i ll thr e e t im e s a d a y, or a to n i c of i ro n q u i ,
 —
LE U C O RRH E A THE WHITE S 109

n in e an d s trychn i n e will d o good A daily cold b ath

,
.

or cold spon ge followed by a bri sk dry r u b n g wi th

,

a ro u gh t owe l i s al so u se fu l
,
.

Local Treatmen t L o cal m e asu r e s con sis t of p ain t

.

in g or swabbin g th e vagin a an d ce r v ix with vari ou s

sol u ti o n s of tampon s
, su ppo sitori e s an d dou ch e s
, .

Lo ca l appli cati on to th e vagin a an d u t e ru s can be

don e sati sfactorily by th e physi ci an or n u r se on l y .

Th e in se rti on o f a su ppo si tory or dou chi n g can b e

e asi ly don e by th e p at i en t h e r se lf .

While it is alway s b e st an d safe st to con su lt a

physi ci an an d while self me di cati on i s gen e rally i n
, ,
-

advi sable th e re ar e o cca si on s wh e n a phy si ci an i s

,

n ot availab l e ; i n som e small pl ace s a woman m ay,

f o r v a r i o u s re as on s h av
,
e a stro n g obj e ct i o n to gy n e

ool ogi cal exami n ati on an d tre atmen t ; an d s ome

w om e n m ay b e t oo poor to pay th e do ctor I n su ch .

ci r cu m st an ce s se lf tr e atmen t i s j u stifie d an d the re

-

can b e n o Obj e cti on to i t if th e r eme di e s ar e harm

l e ss an d ar e su r e to do some good ; that i s to im ,

prov e th e con diti on whe re the y d o n ot e fi ect a com

p l e te c u r e .

On e of th e simpl e st thi n gs i s an al u m tampon .

Y ou t ake a pie ce of ab sorb e n t cotton abou t the si z e ,

of a fist spr ead i t ou t pu t abou t a t abl e spoon fu l Of

, ,

powde r ed al u m on it fold i t u p tie a stri n g arou n d

, ,

th e ce n t e r in se rt i t i n th e vagin a as f ar as i t w i ll go ,
,
110 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

an d le ave it in f or twe n ty fou r hou r s Th en pu l l i t

-
.

gen tly by th e stri n g an d syrin ge you r se lf wi th a

qu art or tw o qu art s O f warm wat e r Su ch a t am pon
.

m ay b e in se rt e d ev e ry othe r d ay or e ve ry thi rd d ay ,

an d I h ave kn own m an y cas e s wh e r e thi s S impl e

tr e atm e n t alon e produ ce d a cu r e I n some case s

.
,

howev e r dou che s work b ett e r an d th e tw o b e st thin g s

,

for dou chi n g ar e : tin ctu r e O f i odi n e an d l actic acid .

B u y say fo u r ou n ce s O f ti n ctu r e of i odin e an d u se

, , ,

two t e aspoon fu l s in tw o qu art s of h ot wate r i n a

dou che b ag Thi s in j e cti on shou ld b e u sed twi ce a
.

d ay morn in g an d n ight Of th e lacti c aci d you bu y

, .
,

say a p in t an d u se two t abl e spoo n fu l s to two qu art s

, ,

O f wat e r Th e lacti c aci d h a s th e advan tage ove r th e

.

tin ctu r e of i odin e th at i t i s colorl e ss whi le th e i odin e

,

i s dark an d st ai n s what eve r i t come s in con t act wi th .

Some time s I ord e r th e u se of th e tin ctu r e o f i odin e

an d th e l act i c aci d al t e rn at e ly : f or on e dou ch e th e

tin ctu r e O f i odin e for th e n e xt th e l acti c aci d an d

, ,

so on Wh en th e con dit i on im prov e s i t i s su ffici en t

.
,

to u se on e t e aspoon fu l o f th e tin ctu r e O f i odin e an d

on e t able spoon fu l O f th e l acti c aci d to two qu art s

O f wat e r The se i n j e cti on s ar e qu i t e e ffici en t an d

.

have th e advan tage of b ein g p e r fe ctly harml e ss .

On e po in t abou t th e in j e cti on s : th ey shou ld b e t ak e n

n ot in th e stan di n g or squ attin g po si ti o n ( in wh i ch
p o siti on th e flu id come s right ou t ) bu t while lyin g
,
 THE V E NE R E A L DISE AS E S

TH E word ven e r e al me an s p e rt ain i n g to sex u al

”

—
i n t e r cou r se : ven e r e al e xce ss e xce s s in sexu al i n
—
te r cou r se ; ve n e r e al di se ase a di se ase acqu i re d from
s e xu al in t e r cou r se wi th an in f ect e d p e r so n Th e .

word i s de rive d from V e n u s ( gen itive v en e ri s ) — ,

th e Roman godd e s s O f sprin g flowe r s an d Love , .

Th e re ar e thre e ven e r e al di se ase s : gon orrh ea ,

syphi li s an d ch an cro i d Of th e se gon orrh e a i s th e

.
,

mo st wi de spr e ad syphi li s th e mo st se ri ou s Ch an
, .

cr oi d i s of co m p ar ative ly l i ttl e import an ce .

Whil e by f ar th e gr e at e st amou n t Of ven e r eal di s

e as e s — prob ably n i e ty pe r cen t o f th e total i s
n — .

co n tr act e d from i lli ci t i n te r co u r se it i s we ll to ,

b e ar in min d that som e of it i s con tr acte d i n n ocen tly ,

e i th e r from a ki s s or from u sin g a spon ge or a towe l

,

whi ch h as b e en u se d by an in f ect ed p e r son etc , .

Whi l e th e gon orrheal ge rm i s ge n e rally tran smitte d

di re ctly th e syphi li tic poi son m ay b e t ran smi tted
,

throu gh vari ou s obj e ct s Syphi li s con tr acted n ot

.

du rin g in t e rcou r se bu t i n an in n o cen t man n e r, from

,

I l l ici t—il l egal , n on -

pe rmi ssi b l e ,
ou tsi de of marriage
.

1 12
 THE V E N E R EAL DIS EA S E S 113

a ki ss, a. towel toothbru sh a r azor etc i s call e d

, a , , ,

syp hi li s of th e i n n o ce n t or syphil i s in son tiu m

, In .

forme r ye ar s do ctor s wou ld n ot ve ry r arely co n trac t

syphil i s from e x am in i n g syphi l i t i c wom e n wi th the i r

b ar e fin ge r s Now S in ce glove s have come in to u se

.

f or examin in g pu rpo se s th e n u m be r o f i n fe cti on s

,

h as co n si d e r ably dim in i sh e d A n d n o dou bt that as

.

th e p e opl e b e come mor e famili ar with th e dan ge r

of ven e r e al in fecti on from n on v en e re al sou rce s th e
-
,

n u mb e r O f in n o ce n t in fect i on s will g r e atly di mi n i sh .

Th e d an ge rou s roll e r towel an d th e n o le s s d an ge r

ou s co mmo n dri n ki n g cu p ar e b e in g gr adu ally e li mi

n at e d as factor s of n on ven e r e al i n f ect i o n ; an d w e

-

m ay co n fid e n tly e xp e ct that in a de cad e or two th e

amou n t of ven e r e al di se ase from v e n e r e al in fe cti o n

wi l l b e gr e atly le ssen e d in all civi liz e d cou n tri e s .

Th e g e n e ral in cr e ase in cl e an lin e ss i n al l str at a of

so ci e ty an d th e u n iv e r sal u se O f an ti s eptics af te r

su sp i ci ou s s e xu al r e l ati on s wi ll co n sti tu t e th e chie f

f actor s in thi s di mi n u ti on of ven e re al di se ase .

 C HAP TER T WE N TY THR EE -

THE E XTE NT OF V E NE RE AL DIS E AS E

Former Sil en ce .On l y a very few years ago re

sp ectab l e wom en by whi ch I m e an al l wom e n ou t si d e
,

O f th e women calle d fallen ‘

di d n ot kn ow O f th e
,
’

e xi st en ce of v e n e r eal di s e as e It w a s co n side r ed a
.

prohibi te d di sgrace fu l su bj e ct n ot to b e men ti on e d

, ,

or e v e n hi n t e d at in co n ve r s at i on i n book s or m aga
,

zi n e s in l e ctu r e s or on th e st age Wh en I say tha t

, , .

they di d n ot kn ow of th e ex i s ten ce of su ch a thin g as

ven e r e al di sease th at th e ve ry word s gon orrhea an d
,

syp hi li s w e r e u n kn own to th em I u se th e se e xpre s

,

si on s n ot as figu r e s O f sp ee ch bu t in th e i r l it e r al
,

me an i n g A ll aven u e s of acqu i rin g su ch kn owle dge

.

—
be in g clo se d to th e m l ay p e ople don t u su ally n ow ’

an d th ey su r ely d i dn t th e n pu rch as e an d r e ad
’

stri ctly medi cal work s — whe re cou ld the y Obtai n

th e i n form at i o n " Th e r e su lt w as th at wh en a
woman w as so u n for tu n at e as to con tract a ven e r e al
di se a se from h e r hu sb an d sh e d id n ot u n de r st an d
,

i ts ch aract e r an d d i d n ot su sp e ct i ts sou rce Which .

w a s a r ath e r good thi n g — f or th e hu sb an d F amily .

p e ace w a s mor e s ecu r e .

1 16 SE X KN OWLE DGE F O R WO M E N

man y r efo rme rs ,

”
h e p er mi tt e d hi s z e al t o r u n
a w ay wi th hi m o ccas i o n ally an d h e m ad e st ate me n t s
,

which cau se d an d ar e still cau sin g th e j u di ci ou s t o

gr i eve Th e stat emen t for in stan ce that the re i s
.
, ,

mo r e ven e r eal di se ase amon g in n o cen t vi rtu ou s ,

w i ve s than am o n g pro st itu t e s i s on e to cau se th e r e al

hon e st in ve sti gator to we ep ( ove r th e hu m an ten

den ey to exagge rati on ) or to bu rst ou t in u pro ar i ou s
,

l au ghte r Th e r i di cu lou sn e ss O f thi s stat emen t b e

.

comes e sp e ci ally e vi d en t wh en w e r ecoll ect th at th e

same ge n tl em an mad e th e stat eme n t that e ve ry pro s

titu te w i thou t exce pti on w as di se ase d at on e ti me or

, ,

an othe r I f v en e r e al di se ase exi st s amo n g pro sti

.

tu te s to th e e xt en t of 1 00pe r cen t the n how can i t

.
,

ex i st to a gr e ate r e xt e n t amon g i n n ocen t vi r tu o u s ,

w i ve s " A n d to sti ll fu rth e r e mphasi z e th e ab su rdi ty

of th e above st at emen t I will t ell you that th e ex

,

t en t Of ven e r e al di sease am on g ma r r i ed women i s

b el i eve d by care fu l n on sen sati on al ven e re ologist s
-

n ot to e xce e d five pe r ce n t "

Y e s th e S il en ce O f forme r y e ar s h as give n place

,

to th e lu ri d exagge rati on of th e pr e se n t d ay Whi le .

on th e whole th e f orme r w as wor se than th e l att e r ,

th e latt e r i s b ad e n o u gh b e cau se i t mak e s man y gi rl s

,

u n h appy sowi n g in th em th e se e d s O f su spi ci o n an d

,

cyn i ci sm t en d s to m ake th em an t agon i sti c to th e e n

,

ti r e male sex an d in o cu late s them wi th a sen seless

,
 E XT E NT O F VE NE R E AL DISE A S E 1 17

fear of marri age A stu dy made by Mi riam C

. .

Gou ld of th e d ep artmen t of p sych ology an d philo s

,

Oph y i n th e U n ive r sity of P i tt sbu rg ( S ocial Hy

g i e n,e A pr il , corrobor at e s o u r r e ma r k s in a

st r ik i n g man n e r .

S h e h as h ad con fid en ti al chat s wi th 50you n g girl s,

wi th whom sh e h as h ad som e acqu ai n t an ce ; of the se
50 25 we r e colle ge stu d en t s an d 25 we r e n ot
, She .

a ske d th em a n u mb e r o f qu e st i on s th e pu rpo se of ,

whi ch w as to fin d ou t what p sychologic e fi ect if an y , ,

th e i r kn owl edge of pro stitu t i on an d of ven er e al di s

e ase h as h ad on th em S h e st at e s in h e r co n clu si on s
.

“
that th e hi stor ie s r eve al a large p e rcen tage of
harmfu l r e su lt s su ch as con diti on s borde rin g u pon
,

n e u r a sth en i a m e lan choli a p e s simi sm an d s e x c u

, ,

tag on i sm ( i t alics min e ) di rectly tr aceabl e to thi s

,

kn owl e dge .E l ev en of th e gi rl s in t e rv i ewe d d eve l

op e d a pro n ou n ce d r ep u l si o n for m en althou gh pri or ,

to thei r kn owle dge th ey h ad e n joy e d m en s com

‘ ’ ’

p an y The y n ow avoi d asso ci ati on w i th the m an d

.
,

six h av e d e cl ar e d th at th ey h av e tot ally lo st fai th

in th e moral cl e an n e ss O f m en E ight h av e alr e ady

.

r e fu se d to marry or in ten d to d o so b ecau se of their

, ,

b eli e f that th e ri sk of in fecti on w as too g r e at If i t .

we r e n ot f or th e e xi st en ce of the se di sease s they say ,

th ey wou ld b e glad to marry A l l of the se say the i r .

”
deci si on h as ren de r e d them more or l ess u n happy .
11 8 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO ME N

I n th e l au dable d e sir e to ke e p ou r you n g wome n

pu r e an d to prot e ct th em from in fecti on in th e e n ,

d e avor to make the m d em an d on e mor al s tan da rd

for both se xe s ou r e xagge ratin g r e fo r me rs ar e con
,

d e mn i n g th e m to li fe lon g ce lib acy whi ch in th e ca se ,

o f wome n O fte n me an s li felon g n eu rasthen ia an d

hypoch on dri a .

Th e Tr u th of th e M atter Her e i s th e Tr u th abou t

.

—
ven e re al di se ase th e t ru th as I kn ow it wi thou t ,

co n ce al men t on th e on e h an d an d wi thou t e x agge r a

ti on on th e othe r E xact figu re s ar e of cou r se n u

.
, ,

obtain able an ywhe r e ; bu t r e su lt s Obtai n e d from u n

bia sed i n ve stigati on s Of diff e r en t clas se s of soci e ty ,

from ho spi tal r e port s from qu e sti on n ai re s amon g

,

stu de n t s e tc
, tell u s th at prob ably abou t twen ty
,

p er ce n t o
. f th e a d u lt m a l e pop u l a ti o n a r e th e v i cti m s

O f gon orrh e a at on e tim e or an othe r ; tha t prob ably

e ight or te n p er ce n t ar e n ot e n ti r e ly cu r e d whe n
.

the y e n t e r matrimon y ; an d fou r or five pe r ce n t .

( s om e wo u l d sa y tw o p er ce n t ) o f
. w i v e s b e com e in

f e cted wi th gon orrhe a T hi s I say i s te rrible

.
, ,

e n ou gh an d mak e s th e grea t e st car e an d cau t i o n i m

,

p e r ati v e ; f or ,
if y ou sho u ld b e o n e O f th e vi c t i m s O f
th e two or five pe r cen t i t wou ld b e l i ttle con s ola
,

ti on to you that th e othe r n i n e ty e ight or n in ety five - -

p e r ce n t o
. f w i v e s h av e e s ca p e d .

Of cou r se th e p e rcen t ag e of ve n e re al di se ase

1 20 S EX KN OWLE DG E FOR WO M E N

pe rce n tage d i fi e r s con side rabl e from th e 75 50or 25

,

p e r ce n
. t g i ve n u s by s om e s e x l ectu r e r
, s bu t w hi ch
i s te rr ibl e en ou gh as it i s wi th ou t an y exaggera
,
 C HAP TER T WE NTY FO U R -

G O N ORRHE A

TH E bj ect of gon orrh ea an d syphi li s i s tr e ate d

su

pr e tty fu lly from a layman s poin t o f vi ew in th e

,
’
,

au thor s S ea: K n ow l e dg e for M en I do n ot in t en d

’
.

to d evot e mu ch space to a di scu ssi on o f th e det ail s

of th e se tw o di s e ase s h e r e b e cau se th e su bj e ct i s
,

n ot of su ch di r e ct i n te r e st to wome n Re spe ctable .

gi rl s an d wom en do n ot in du lge in illici t re l ati on s

th e sam e a s r e sp e ct abl e m en an d boys do an d th e i r ,

dan ge r o f con tractin g a ven e r e al di se ase i s in sign ifi

can t as comp ar e d wi th m e n s l iabi li ty I wil l the re
’
.
,

fore tou ch u pon on ly a f ew poin t s p articu larly in

, ,

s o far as th e di s e ase s d i fi e r in th e i r cou r s e from th e

cou r se p u r su ed in m en .

Gon orrhea i s an in fl ammati on cau se d by a ge rm

call e d th e go n o co ccu s di scove r e d by Dr A Ne i sse r ,
,
. .

of Br e sl au Ge rman y in 1 879 A n y mu cou s m em

, , .

bran e m ay b e th e se at of gon orrhea bu t it attacks ,

by pr efere n ce th e mu cou s m embran e of th e gen it al

—
organ s, an d of on e oth e r organ th e eye I ts prin .

cipal sympt om s ar e : in flam mati o n , p ain , bu rn in g

121
122 SEX KN O WL E DGE F OR W O M E N

an d di scharge . I n m en , it ttacks
a th e
r ethra ; i n u

—
wom en it attack s th e ce rvix th e n e ck of th e womb
th e u r e th r a an d th e vu lva
,
Th e vagin a i s seldom
.

att ack ed i n adu lt wom e n be cau se th e mu cou s m em

,

bran e of th e adu lt vagin a i s r ath e r tou gh an d doe s

n ot o ff e r a good so il f or th e d ev e lopm en t o f th e

gon ococcu s germ Th e di scharge th at a woman h as

.

when sh e h as gon orrhe a com e s prin cip ally or e x

cl u si v e l y fro m th e n e ck of th e

womb I n littl e girls howeve r

.
, ,

i n whom th e lin in g o f the v a

g i n a i s t e n d e r go n orrh e
, a o f
th e vagin a an d th e vu lva i s
comm on ( S e e ch a
. pt e r V u l
v ov agin i ti s i n Little Gi rl s ) .

Gon on n n m n Gm s .Gon orrhe a i s a local di se as e .

While in som e ca se s aft e r th e di se ase h a s la ste d for

,

som e tim e , a ce rtai n p oi son i s gen e rate d by th e

ge rm s whi ch ci rcu l at e s i n th e bl ood an d whi le th e ,

ge rm s m ay occasi on ally wan de r in to di stan t organ s ,

sti ll i n 9 8 pe r cen t of al l ca se s gon orrh e a i s a lo cal

.

di se ase an d i f take n in tim e i s cu re d wi thou t l e av

,

i n g an y tr ace s on th e ge n e r al or gan i sm .

Gon orrhea N ot Heredi tary Th e n gon orrhea i s

.
,
.

n ot a h e re di t ary d i s ea se Nob ody e ve r i n h e ri ts gon

.

or r h e a. A chi ld m ay b e b orn wi th a gon orrh e al in

flamm ati on of th e e ye s ( ophthalmi a n e on ator u m h
1 24 S EX KN OWLE DGE F OR WOME N

pain fu l di se ase in woman an d thi s i s a b ad thi n g

, ,

b e cau se sh e thu s n egle ct s tr e atme n t an d lo se s valu

abl e tim e p e rm i ttin g th e di s e a s e to d e v elop
,
.E ven
when th e u r ethra i s aff e ct e d in wome n it do e s n ot
,

give as seve re symptom s a s in flammat i on of th e u r e

th ra in m en I f th e woman do e s h av e p ain s sh e
.

o ft en p ays n o att en ti on to th e m b ecau se woman i s

,

u se d to p ain s ; as w e h ave se e n b e for e fifty pe r ce n t

,
.

o f al l wom en su ff e r more or le ss wi th dy smen orrhe a .

M an y of them h ave a le u corrhe a] di scharge of

gr eate r or l e sse r d egr e e an d the r e fore i f th e re i s
,

an in cr ea se i n th e p ai n s or an in cr e ase i n th e di s
,

ch arge lit tl e att e n t i on i s p ai d to th e matt e r

, .In
fact a wom an m ay h ave a chron ic gon orrhe a for
,

mon ths or ye ar s wi thou t b ei n g awar e th at th e r e i s

an ythin g th e matt e r wi th h e r .I t i s import an t to
t e ach women to se ek m edi cal ai d as s oon as th ey
n oti ce an y i n cr e ase i n th e amou n t of th e di sch arge ,

or ch an ge in color p articu l arly if i t b e com e s gr e en

,

i sh or i f th e odor b e come s o ff en sive or if the re i s

, ,

ch afin g bu rn in g or i rri t ati o n aro u n d th e ge n i t al s

, , ,

an d p arti cu l arly if th e r e i s an in cr e a se in th e f r e

qu en oy or u rgen cy of u rin ati on or if the r e i s a bu m

,

in g scaldin g or cu tti n g sen sati on du r in g th e act o f

, ,

u ri n ati o n A l so wh en ev e r th e sexu al act b ecome s

.

p ain f u l If wome n co n su lt e d a phy si ci an as soon

.

as th e y n oti ce d an y o f th e sym ptom s r e f e rr e d to

 G O N O RRHE A 1 25

a bove they wou l d save mon th s an d ye ar s of sn fi e r

,

in g an d exp e n se b e cau se th e di sease wou ld o ften

,

b e t ake n i n han d whi le sti ll limit e d to th e ce rvi x an d ,

n ot a s i s n ow oft e n th e case aft e r th e in fl am mati on

, ,

ha s e xte n de d in t o th e u t eru s an d F al l op i an tu be s .

S elf treatmen t I d o n ot b el i ev e in se lf tr e atmen t

- .
-

b e cau se i t i s gen e r ally u n sati sfactory an d m ay often

e ve n b e com e d an ge r o u s an d I d e ci d e dly advi se e ve ry
,

woman w h o su sp e ct s that sh e h as con tract e d g on or

rhe a to apply at on ce to a comp eten t phy si ci an B u t .

it h app e n s n ot in fr e qu en tly th at a woman i s so situ

at e d th at sh e can n ot con su lt a phy si ci an A n d in
.

the m e an tim e th e r e i s dan ge r of th e gon orrh e a

spr e adi n g fu rth e r an d fu rth e r I n su ch ca se s it i s
.

advi sable f or th e wo m an to u se an i n j ecti on u n ti l

su ch tim e wh e n sh e can co n su lt a phy si ci an Th e

.

in j e cti o n I am goin g to advi se m ay in i t sel f produ ce

a cu r e ; an d if it d oe s n ot produ ce a co m ple t e cu r e
, ,

i t at an y r at e impr ove s th e con di ti on pr eve n t s th e

,

e xt e n si on of th e di s e a se m ak e s su b se qu en t t re at
,

m en t e asi e r an d b e si de s i s pe rfe ctly harmle ss The

, .

b e st i n j e cti on f or se lf u se in gon orrhea i s tin ctu r e of

i odin e ; th e proporti on i s two te a spoo n fu l s to a qu art
or two q u art s of wat e r If th e case i s v e ry b ad su ch
.
,

an i n j e cti on m ay b e t ak e n twi ce a d ay If th e case i s

.

n ot v e ry b ad o n ce a d ay i s su ffici en t
, A ft e r u sin g
.

th e tin ct u r e of i odin e f or fiv e days to a week, it i s

1 26 S E X KN O WLE DGE F OR W O M E N

g ood t o c ha n g e ofi t o l act i c ac i d
. B u y a p i n t or so

of l actic aci d in a dru g stor e an d u se on e table spoon

,

fu l t o a qu art o f wat e r It i s pr e fe r abl e to have th e

.

wate r h ot abou t 1 00 d og bu t whe re thi s i s i n con

, ,

v en i e n t i t m ay b e u se d lu ke warm . Th e lac tic aci d

in j e cti o n i s u se d for thr e e day s, then th e i odin e in
j e c ti on i s r e su me d , th e n a g ai n th e l a ct i c ac i d
, a n d
so on . I kn ow of man y case s th at we r e cu r e d by thi s
tr eatmen t alon e An d I mi ght men ti on th at the se
.

i n j e cti on s ar e ge n e r ally al so ve r y e fli ci en t i n l eu cor

rhe a, as state d in th e chapt e r on L eu corrhe a .
1 28 S E X KN O WLE DGE FOR W O M E N

i s the prin cip al sym ptom in li ttle gi rl s thu s afllicte d

th e di sch arge T hi s di sch arge m ay b e ve ry pr o
.

fu se cove rin g th e vu l va vagi n a an d ce rvix

, , , .

I n se ve r e case s the r e i s al so an in fecti on of th e

,

u r e thr a an d th e child m ay compla in of b u rn i n g at

,

u rin at i on i t chin g an d p ai n aro u n d th e vu l va an d

,

an u s, an d sli ght p ain in th e abdome n The r e m ay .

b e a mode rat e ri se in t emp e r atu r e u p to 1 01 d eg F , ,

. .

an d in s om e in st an ce s th e att ack i s su fli ci e n tl y acu te

to give r i se to a chi ll an d fe ve r A mi ld in flam ma

.

ti on o f th e join t s m ay se t in wi thin th e fir st weeks

of th e in fecti on al tho u gh as a u su al thin g i t come s
,

l at e r on .

Evi l S equ elae of V u l vovagin itis While as .

,

stat e d vu lvovagi n i ti s i s a co m p ar ati vely mil d in fec

,

ti on as f ar as i ts sym ptom s ar e con ce rn e d i t n e ve r ,

th el e ss h a s a v e ry b ad e fi ect on th e chil d who i s n u

fortu n ate en ou gh to b e com e a vi ctim of th e di se ase .

Fi r st o f al l it i s an extr emely lon g drawn p e r si ste n t

, ,

di se ase It u su ally t ake s m on th s an d th e se mon th s

.
,

m ay r u n in to y e ar s b e for e a compl e te cu r e i s e f
,

f e cte d S e con d r e lap se s ar e qu i t e common

.
,
Thi rd .
,

th e tr e atm en t i s a di sagr ee abl e on e for th e child an d ,

i s o cca si on ally p ai n fu l F ou rth i t h as a di sastro u s

.
,

e ff e ct on th e chi ld s m or al e ; mo st p ar en t s thou gh
’
,

they m ay lov e the chi ld mo st aff ecti on at ely, l ook

som ewhat a skan ce at i t ; an d con tin u o u s v agin al
 V U LV OV A GINI T I S IN LI T T LE GIRL S 129

t r eatmen t som ehow or othe r h as a hu mili atin g cfi e ct

on th e chi ld whi ch b e gi n s to con si d e r i t sel f a s an
,

ou tcast as some thin g ap ar t from othe r childre n

,
.

F ifth th e child s e du cati on i s v e ry fre qu en tly seri

,
’

ou sl y an d p e rman en tly i n te rf e r e d wi th b e cau s e i t ,

mu st o ft e n b e t ak en ou t of school whethe r pu bli c or ,

privat e an d privat e tu torin g i s o f cou r se fe asible

,

on ly f or th e f ew S ixth an d thi s i s a poin t n ot su f

.
,

fici en tl y appr eci ate d by th e pr of e ssi on an d th e lai ty ,

bu t i t i san im p ort an t po in t n e ve rth e le ss : v u l vovag

,

in i ti s in children h a s u n fortu n at ely a di sastrou s ef

f e ct in h as ten in g th e s exu al m atu ri ty of th e chi l d .

Whe the r thi s i s d u e to th e con ge sti on of th e organ s

produ ce d by th e i n flammati on or to th e sp e cu lu m ,

e xami n ati on s p ain ti n g s d ou ch e s applicat i on s, tam

, , ,

pon s , su ppo sitori e s e tc th e fact remain s that girl s

, .
,

who su ff e r from vu lvovagin i ti s in childh ood b ecome

se xu ally m atu r e co n si d e rably e arlie r than n ormal

gi rls of th e sam e class st ratu m an d climate , an d

,

th ei r deman d for sexu al sati sfacti on i s mu ch mor e

i n si st en t S eve n th a mi ld vu l vovag in i ti s m ay be
.
,

th e cau se of p e rman en t s te r i l i ty .

It will the re for e b e se en that vu l vovagin i ti s i s a

cal ami ty an d e v e rythin g po ssibl e sh o u ld b e do n e to
,

gu ard female childr en from con tractin g it A l l chil .

dr en sho u ld alw ays sl eep al on e U n de r n o ci rcu m .

stan ce s sho u ld a chi ld sl e e p wi th an ybody e l se , b e i t

1 30 S EX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO ME N

a si s e t r mothe r a f ri e n d a gove rn e ss or a se r van t

, a , , ,

gi rl P e ople shou l d be ve ry car e fu l in sen d in g the i r

.

children to sp en d a n i ght or two wi th some fri en ds .

Th e fr i en d s m ay b e all r ight bu t still a fri e n d of ,

th e fri e n d s or a r ela ti ve o f th e fri e n ds m ay n ot b e .

I have kn own se ve ral case s whe re th e o rigin o f th e

vu lvovagin i ti s co u ld b e tr ace d t o li ttle gi rls spen d
in g a we ek at th e hou se of some fr ie n d s whe re a
bo arde r or r e lative w as in fecte d wi th gon orrhe a .

That children sh ou ld b e kept away from associati n g

or playin g wi th adu lt s or o the r chil dr en who ar e
kn ow n to h ave gon orrh e al in fecti on go e s wi th ou t
sayi n g Th e child s gen i t al s shou ld b e fr equ en tly
’
.

i n sp e ct ed by th e moth e r an d scr u pu lou s cle an li n e ss

,

by fre qu en t bathin g spon gin g wi th war m solu ti on s

,

an d powde ri n g shou ld b e m ain tain ed

, Th e to il e t .

se at s in school shou ld r ece ive sp e cial att en ti on .

Th e wooden se at i s a m en ace b e cau se i t o ften h ar

bor s gon orrh e al pu s from e ithe r th e female or mal e
gen i t al s whil e th e on ly prop e r se at i s on e of th e
,

so call ed U shap e d styl e that i s on e i n whi ch th e

- -
, ,

fron t i s e n ti re ly op en , lik e the le tt e r U .

1 32 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R W O M E N

develop s a sore ( at th e spot whe r e th e ge rm s go t in ) .

Thi s sore i s calle d chan cr e or p r i m a ry l esi on B u t .

wh en thi s sore make s i ts app ea ran ce th e sp i ro che ta

an d th e poi so n whi ch th e y e labor at e ar e alr eady ci r

cu l atin g i n th e blood al l ove r th e sy st em

,
Th e di s
.

ease i s alr e ady sy st e m i c or co n sti tu ti o n al an d th e

, ,

ch an cr e i s th e lo cal e xpr e s si on of a co n sti tu ti on al

di se ase C u ttin g ou t th e chan cre will n ot cu r e th e

.

di se ase b ecau se as st at e d th e ge rm s ar e alr e ady in

, , ,

th e sy st em Th e t ime b e twe e n th e con tr acti o n of th e

.

di se ase ( th e in fe cti ou s in t e r cou r se ) an d th e app e ar

an ce o f th e ch an cr e i s ca ll e d th e I n cu ba ti on P e ri od .

Th e tim e b etwe en th e app e ar an ce o f th e chan cr e an d

th e app e ar an ce of th e r ash on th e body ( th e r ash
look s like a me a sl es rash an d i s call e d ro se ol a whi ch ,

me an s a ro se col or e d r ash ) i s calle d th e P r i ma ry

-

S tage It l ast s abou t six week s Wi th th e app e ar

. .

an ce of th e r ash co mm e n ce s th e S e con d ar y S tag e .

T hi s stage i s char acte riz e d by al l sort s of er u p ti on s ,

mi ld an d seve re by whi t e little p atch e s ( cal le d m u

,

co u s p at ch e s ) in th e thro at mo u th to n si l s vag in a
, , , ,

by fallin g ou t o f th e h ai r e tc Th e le n gth of thi s

,
.

se con d ary st ag e d ep en d s a good d e al u pon th e s ort

of tr e atme n t th e p ati e n t ge t s Im prop e rly tr e ate d,

.

or n ot tr e at e d at al l i t m ay l ast tw o or thr e e ye ar s
,

or mor e P rop e rly tr e at e d i t m ay b e cu t short at

.
,

on ce, in a f ew days, so that th e p ati en t m ay n eve r

 SY P HIL IS 133

agai n in hi s h er life ge t an e ru pti on

or The thi rd .

or Te r tiary S tag e i s charact e ri z ed by u l ce ration s in

vari ou s p art s of th e body an d by sw el li n gs or tu
mor s Th e n ame of a syp hi li ti c swelli n g or tu mor i s
.

gu mm a ( plu ral gu mmata ) Th e t ertiary st age is

,
.

th e mo st t e rribl e st age an d i t u sed to b e th e t e rror

of syphili ti c p atien ts B u t at th e pr e sen t tim e u n
.
,

d e r ou r mod e rn me thod s of tr e atmen t p ati en t s if , ,

prope rly t reate d n eve r have a ter tiary s tag e We

, .

have se en man y p atien t s who con si de re d syphili s a

triflin g di se ase b ecau se al l the y kn ew o f thei r d is
,

e ase w as th e ch an cr e an d th e fi r st e ru p ti on i e th e , . .
,

ro se ola, an d p erhap s a slight fallin g ou t of th e hai r .

Th ey then pu t themselve s u n d e r e n e rgetic tre atme n t,

th e acti vi ty of th e di se ase w a s ch ecked an d they ,

n e ve r h ad an oth e r symptom afte rward s thou gh a ,

Was se rman n te st sh owe d that th e di sease w as n ot

e n ti re ly e r ad i cat e d It w as me rely held in check
.

which i s th e secon d b e st thi n g .

A s stat e d b efor e syphili s i s the mo st h e re ditary

,

of all d i se ase s . Fortu n ately if th e di se ase i s st ill

,

ve ry act ive i n th e p aren t s particu l arly in th e

,

moth e r th e chil d i s gen e ral ly aborte d Some syphi

,
.

l i ti c mothe r s wi ll have hal f a doze n or mor e m i scar

r i age s in su cce ssi on When th e di sease h a s become
.

atte n u at e d, ei th e r by t r e atmen t or by i t sel f

i l —
man y di se ases l o se their v ru en ce in time th e child
1 34 SEX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO ME N

m ay be rrie d to t e rm It then may be born dead

ca .
,

or i t m ay b e born stron gly syphili ti c an d di e i n a,

f ew days or we ek s or it m ay b e born w i thou t an y

,

si gn s o f syp hil i s an d b e app ar e n tly h e althy an d th e n

deve lop th e di sease at th e age of ten twelve fou r , ,

t e en or lat e r, or it m ay be b orn h ealthy an d r emai n

,

he althy B u t n o w oman who h ad syphili s, or who se

.

hu sb an d h ad syphil i s shou ld d ar e to con ce ive or t o

,

give b irth to a chi ld u n le ss sh e h as b e en give n pe r

mi ssi on by a comp eten t physician I me an j u st what
.

I say It i s n ot a pe r son al matt e r A woman has

. .

a r i ght to marry a syp hi li ti c hu sb an d if sh e wan t s

t o an d ru n th e ri sk o f con tractin g syp hil i s He r .

body i s h er ow n an d if sh e do e s it wi th h er eye s open

,

it i s h e r afi ai r B u t a woman h as n o right to brin g

.

i n to th e world syphil i ti c or syphi liti call y tai n t ed chil

dr en H ere so ciety has a right t o i n te rfe re
. .

Syphi li s ru n s a mil de r cou r se in women than i t

doe s i n m en B u t thi s mi lde r cou r se is n ot an u n
.

mixe d bl e ssin g ; it m ay be con si de red a mi sfortu n e ,

b ecau se the same as gon o r rhea in women syphili s

, ,

i s o fte n pr e se n t for mo n th s an d ye ar s u n ti l i t h as
made su ch in ro ad s that it i s bu t little amen able to
treatme n t I n man y women th e di se ase r u n s su ch
.

a mil d cou r se , as f ar a s de fin i te symp t oms ar e con

ce rn ed , that the y ar e su r e the y n e ve r had an ythi n g

,

the matte r with th em, an d the y ar e p e rfe ctly sin ce re

 CH AP TE R T W N TY E -
S EV E N

THE C U RAB I LI TY OF V E NE RE AL DI S E A S E

Ju sr a s th e l st at eme n t s in re gard to th e e x
u su a

te n t of ven e re al dise ase have b e en fou n d u n tru e or

gre atly e xagge r ate d so d o th e stat emen t s r egardin g
,

th e cu r ab i li ty or r ath e r in cu r ab ili ty of v en e r e al d i s
e ase n ee d ca r e fu l r evi si o n Th e p i ctu r e u su ally
.

pai n t e d of th e hop ele ssn e ss of gon orrh e a an d syphi

li s i s too sombr e too black an d con tr ar y to th e as
, , ,

se r ti on s m ad e by l aym en an d l ayw om en an d phy si

ci an s who d o n ot sp e ci ali z e i n th e tr e atme n t of

ven e r e al di se ase , I wi sh to mak e th e st at emen t th at
e ve ry case o f gon orrh e a i n m an withou t an y e x cep
,

ti on if prope rly tre ate d can b e p e rfe ctly cu re d as

, , ,

fa r as p r ac tic al p p
u r o s e s a r e co n ce r n e d I ad d t h e .

last phrase b ecau se th e cu r e m ay n ot b e p e rfect in

th e sci e n tific se n se of the word ; th at i s th e m an m ay ,

n ot b e bro u ght b ack in to th e con di ti on i n whi ch h e

w as be for e h e got th e di s ea se B u t f or all pr acti cal

.
,

pu rpo se s as f ar as h e hi mse lf i s con ce rn ed as f ar

, ,

as hi s wi fe i s con ce rn e d an d as f ar a s th e fu tu re
,

chi ldre n ar e con ce rn e d, e ve ry case m ay b e cu re d ,

w i th ou t an y dou bt An d I say thi s, basi n g myself

.

136
 C URA B I LITY OF V E NE R E AL DI S E A S E 1 37

upon a varie d pr ofe ssi on al exp e ri en ce exten din g

ove r n e arly a qu art e r o f a cen tu ry .

A s to go n orrh ea in w om en that de p en d s to a great

,

e xt e n t u p on th e vi ru l e n ce o f th e d i se ase an d th e
promptn e ss wi th wh ich tre atme n t i s in stitu te d If .

th e go n orrh e a i s l imi t e d on ly to th e ce rvix th e v u l va,

an d th e u r e thr a the n prompt tr e atm e n t w ill u su al ly

,

brin g ab ou t a cu r e in a comp ar atively short tim e .

B u t if th e gon orrh eal in flamm ati on h as e xt en d ed to

th e body o f th e u t e ru s or st ill wor se t o th e tu be s
, , ,

the n th e tr e atm en t m ay b ecome a v e ry t edi ou s on e ,

an d s ome ca se s m ay n ot b e cu r abl e wi thou t an op e r a

ti on .

Wi th syp hi li s th e matt e r i s di fl e r en t S in ce th e
'

i n t rodu cti o n by E hrli ch o f th e vari ou s a r se n i c pr ep

ar ati on s w e h ave mu ch b e tt e r su cce s s i n th e tre at
,

men t of syphili s an d w e can po si tively r en de r eve ry

,

case n on i n fe cti ou s to th e pa rtn e r

-
. B u t as to gu ar
,

an te e i n g a po sit iv e cu r e that i s g u ar an t e e in g that

, ,

th e pat ien t will n eve r h ave an ou tbr e ak or re l ap se

of hi s di se ase in th e fu tu re an d th at th e chil dre n
,

wi ll b e p e rfectly fr e e from an y t ai n t, thi s w e can do

n o m or e n ow th an w e co u ld b e for e th e mode rn t r eat

men t of syphili s w as in trodu ced Th e de cisi on , .

the r e for e a s to whe th e r w e m ay or m ay n ot p e rmi t

,

a o n ce syphi li t i c p at i e n t to m arry w ill dep en d a gr e at

de al u pon whe ther or n o th e hu sb an d or the wi fe or

138 SEX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO ME N

both de si r e t o have chi ldre n If thi s i s th e case, w e

.

mu st often wi thhold ou r p e rmi ssi on ; bu t if th e m an

an d wom an agre e t o ge t m arri e d an d to get al o n g

wi th ou t childr en , w e will gran t p e rmi ssi on t o th e

marri age in th e vast majority of ca se s The su bj e ct
.

of ven e re al disease an d marriage w ill be fu rther

di scu sse d in separ ate chapte rs .

V en e r e al di seas e I h ave to r epe at , i s t e rri ble

,

e n o u gh i n i t self wi th ou t an y e xagge r ati on , wi thou t

,

pict u rin g it in too black colors An d i t i s n ece ssary

.

that p e ople shou ld n ot have too bl ack an i dea of i t .

It i s n ece ssary that th e y kn ow that the re ar e thou

san ds an d ten s of thou san d s of p ati en ts wh o su fi e r ed

wi th go n orrhe a or syphi li s an d w h o we r e p e rfe ctly

cu r e d, who m arri e d an d who se wi ve s r emai n e d e
, p r

f ectl y w el l an d who gave bi rth to pe r fe ctly healthy,

,

u n tai n te d chil dre n

.
1 40 S EX KN OWL E DGE F O R W O M E N

In ste ad of th e dou che an an ti septic j elly i n a col

l ap sibl e ti n tu b e with a lo n g n ozzl e m ay be u se d .

B u t b e si d e s th e ve n e r e al sou r ce s of i n fecti o n th e
w oman mu st gu ard again st th e n on ve n e r e al s ou r ce s
-
.

Do n ot eve r if you can avoi d it u se a pu bli c toil et

, , .

If you ar e force d to u se i t prot e ct you r se lf by pu t

,

tin g s ome p ape r ove r th e se at .

Do n ot u se a pu bli c drin ki n g cu p If you have to .

u se on e ke e p you r lip s away fr om th e r im

, On e .

can l e arn t o dri n k wi thou t tou chi n g th e r im o f th e

g l a s s or cu p w i th th e li p s .

Do n ot u n de r an y ci rcu m stan ce s u se a pu bli c

t owel Th e roll e r towel i s a m en ace to he alth an d
.

sh o u l d b e forb i dden in e v e ry p art o f th e cou n try .

If you have t o sl ee p in a hote l or in a st ran ge b ed ,

make su r e that th e lin en i s cle an an d fre sh Neve r .

sl e e p on b e d lin en whi ch h as b e en u se d by 9 atm .

g e r .

Ne ve r u se a pu blic bru sh or comb .

B e su r e that you r d e n ti st i s a car e fu l u p t o dat e ,

- -

m an an d st e rili z e s hi s in st r u men t s ca r e fu lly Man y

, .

a case of syp hi li s h as b ee n tran smi t t e d by a d en ti st s

’

in st r u men t A syphi li ti c who go e s to a den ti st t o

.

be t r e at e d ge n e ral ly con ce al s h i s di se ase an d if th e,

den ti st i s n ot in th e h abi t of ste rili zi n g hi s in stru

men t s aft e r e ach p ati en t di sast e r m ay r e su lt
, .

B e su r e th at you r m an i cu ri st i s n ot syphi liti c, or

 V E NE R E A L P R OP H YLA XI S 1 41

at least that h er han ds ar e he althy cl ean an d free

,

from an y e ru pti on .

A n d last bu t n ot le ast do n ot i n du lge in promi s

, ,

cu cu s ki ssi n g. Thi s i s a p arti cu larly importan t in

j u n cti o n for you n g gi rl s Thi s i s a r e al p e ril an d
.

the re ar e thou san ds of case s of syphilis th at are

kn own to hav e b een co n t r acte d di r ectly from ki ssin g .

P e opl e su ff e ri n g wi th syphi li s oft en h ave li ttle whi te

sor e s ( mu co u s p at ch e s ) on the i r lip s ton gu e an d
,

in si d e of ch eek s Th ese sores a

. r e v e ry i n fe cti o u s
,

an d by ki s si n g th e di se ase i s r e adil y t r an smi tt ed .

Ki ssin g game s hav e b e en re spon sible in mor e than

on e cas e for th e spr e ad of syphili s to man y p e r son s .

I have n ow u n de r treatm en t a gi rl of n in ete en wh o

co n tr act e d syphili s on h e r su mm e r vacati on from
havin g ki sse d a m an on ce A voi d promi scu ou s ki ss
.

i n g " It i s a bad pr acti ce for more than on e r e as on .

 C HAP TER T WE NTY NI NE -

B IR TH C O N T R OL O R TH E L IMITA TI O N OF
O FFS P RING

No girl an d n o m an for that matte r , shou ld en ter

,

th e bon d s of mat rimon y wi thou t l earn in g th e l at est

me an s of p re ven tin g con ce pti on of re gu latin g th e
,

n u m be r of o ffsprin g Wi th p e opl e wh o con si de r an y

.

attemp t at re gu l atin g th e n u mb e r o f child r en a sin ,

w e h ave n o thin g to argu e , thou gh w e b el i e ve th at

th e r e are ve r y f ew pe ople exce p t amon g th e lowe st

dre gs of soci e ty wh o d o n ot u se some measu res of
re gu l ati on . O the r w i se w e wou l d se e mo st fami l ie s
with ten to twen ty chi ldr en in stead of tw o or three .

Nor do I in te n d to devo te thi s chapt e r to a de tail e d

pr e sen tati on of th e a rgu m e n t s in favor of th e r a
ti on al re g u l ati on of ofi sprin g It w ou l d have to be
.

me rely a re pe titi on of th e argu men t s that I have pr e

“
se n t e d e l se wh e r e
. B u t a few poin ts may well be
t ou che d u pon he re .

I n sp ite of the fact that th e su bj e ct of bi rth con

trol i s mu ch be tte r kn ow n n ow than i t w as w hen
w e fir st starte d to p r op agat e i t still i t can n o t b e
,

m en ti on e d too often for th e mi sapprehen si on s con

,

The Li mi tati on of Ofl sprin g b y th e P r even ti on of Con ception .

IQ
144 SE X KN OWLE DGE F OR W O M E N

bo th ,
r tly di smi ssed It i s n ot tru e o f
m ay b e cu .

an y of th e mode rn co n tr ace pt iv e s B u t e ven if i t .

we re tr u e th e amou n t of in j u r y that can b e don e by

,

con t r ace pt ive s wou ld b e lik e a drop of wat e r in com

p ari so n wi th th e in j u r i e s re su ltin g from e xce ssive

pre gn an ci e s an d chi ldbi rth s Some of th e con tra.

ceptiv e m e asu r e s r e qu i r e s ome tro u ble t o u se s ome ,

ar e u n e sth eti c bu t th e s e ar e tr ifl e s an d con sti tu t e a

,

small pri ce t o pay f or th e pri vi le ge of b e in g abl e

t o r egu late th e n u mb e r o f on e s ofi sprin g accordin g

’

to on e s in te lli gen t de sire s

’
.

Th e com mo n e st argu m en t n ow made again st con

tr aceptives i s that the y ar e n ot ab solu t ely saf e that ,

i s ab solu t ely to b e r eli e d u po n th at th ey will n ot

, ,

pre ven t in ab solu tely eve ry case Thi s i s t r u e ; bu t .

th e re ar e thre e an swe r s whi ch ren de r thi s obj ecti on

in vali d F i r st m an y of th e ca se s o f failu re ar e to
.
,

be ascrib e d n ot t o th e co n trace ptives themse lve s bu t ,

t o th e i r imprope r car ele ss an d u n i n t elli ge n t u se

,
.

Th e b e st m ethod s in th e world wi ll fai l if u se d im

p rop e rly S e con d i f th e me asu re s ar e eflici en t in
.
,

98 or 99 pe r cen t an d f ail in on e or tw o pe r ce n t
. .
,

then they ar e a ble ssin g Some women wou l d b e th e

.

happ ie st women i n th e world i f they cou l d ren de r

98 pe r cen t o f the i r co n j u gal r el ati on s u n fr u i tfu l
. .

Thi rd th e impe rfe cti on s of ou r con traceptive me as

,

u r e s are d u e to th e se cre cy w i th whi ch th e en ti re

 BIRTH C O NTR OL 1 45

su bj e ct mu st n e ce ssarily b e su rrou n de d If the su b

.

j e ct of b i r th co n trol co u l d b e fu lly di scu s se d i n m e d

i cal books the r e i s n o dou bt th at in a short time w e
w ou l d have me asu r e s that wou ld b e ab solu te ly ce r

tain an d wou l d l e ave n othin g to b e de sir e d B u t .

e ve n su ch a s they ar e th e m easu r e s ar e b ette r th an

,

n o n e an d a s sai d in th e b e gin n in g of thi s ch apte r

, ,

i t i s th e du ty of eve ry you n g w om an t o acqu i re a s

on e o f th e i t ems of h e r s ex e du cati on th e kn owl e dge

of how to avoi d too fr equ en t pre gn an ci e s I n fact.

,

I con si de r this the mo st import an t i tem in a woman s ’

sex e du cati on , an d if sh e h as le arn e d n o thin g e l se

sh e sho u ld le arn thi s For thi s in fo rma ti on i s

.

a bs ol u te ly n e ce ssary t o h er fu tu re heal th an d happi

n e ss .

Inmy t w en ty years work for th e cau se of rati on al

bir th con trol I have come in con tact w ith thou san ds
an d tho u san d s of ca se s whi ch de mon st rat e in th e

mo st con vin cin g man n e r po ssible th e tragic resu l ts

o f f o rce d or u n de si re d moth e rhood, an d of th e fear
of forced or u n de si re d mothe rhood .

Some of the case s w e re in my ow n practice some ,

we re r elated t o m e by brothe r physician s, some we r e

de scribed to m e by th e vi ctims li vin g in all p art s of
146 SEX KN OWLE DGE FOR WO M E N

thi s vast cou n try We re I to coll e ct an d rep o rt all

.

th e case s that came to my n oti ce du rin g tho se tw en ty

ye ar s, they wou ld wi thou t exagge rati on mak e a
volu me th e si ze of th e l ate st e diti on of th e S tan da rd
Dicti on a ry prin t e d in th e same smal l typ e Some
, .

of them ar e po sitively h eartbre aki n g Th ey mak e .

y o u si ck a t th e s tu p i di ty of th e hu m an r ace at th e ,

stu p i di ty an d bru t ali ty o f th e l awgive r s B u t I do

.

n ot w i sh t o app e al to you r e moti on s I do n ot wi sh

.

to take ext reme an d u n i qu e cases I w ill th e refor e

.

briefly relat e a f ew eve r yday ca se s whi ch will d em

,

on str ate to you th e b en e ficen ce o f con tr acept ive

kn owle dge an d th e trage dy an d mi se ry cau se d by

th e lack o f su ch kn owl e dge .

C as e 1 Thi s cla ss of case i s so common that I al

.

mo st fe e l lik e apologiz in g for refe rrin g to i t S he , .

whom I will call by th e forb e ari n g n ame of M r s .

Smi th h ad b e en mar ri e d a li ttle ove r n in e year s

, ,

an d h ad gi v en b i rth to fiv e childr en S h e w as an ex
.

c l l en t moth e r n u r se d th e m h e r self too k good care

e , ,

o f them, an d all th e five we r e livi n g an d healthy .

B u t in cari n g f or them an d f or th e hou seh old all

al on e f or the y co u l d n ot aff ord a se rv an t or a n u r se
,

gi rl all h er vi tal i ty had b e en sapp e d al l h e r orig

, ,

in all y su p e rb e n e rgy h ad dwin dl e d down t o n othin g ;

h e r n e rv e s we r e worn t o a frazzl e an d sh e b e came
bu t a shadow of h er forme r self An d th e fear of
.
1 48 SEX KN OWLE DGE F OR W O M E N

c ome te r ribly in su lte d when a poor woman who can

on l y pay ten or fifte en dollar s asks to b e reli eve d of
th e f ru i t of h e r womb will u su all y di scove r tha
, t th e
woman wh o can aff ord to pay on e hu n dre d dolla rs
i s b adl y in n ee d o f a cu r e tt eme n t Oh n o He doe s.
, .

n ot p e rform an abort i on . H e m e rely cu r ets th e

u te r u s
.

B u t to come b ack to M r s Smi th S h e w en t away

. .

from th e in di gn an t adaman t do ctor B u t sh e w as .

d e te rmi n e d n ot t o give bi rth to an oth e r chil d S h e .

con fide d h e r trou bl e to a n e i ghbor w h o sen t h e r to ,

a mi dwi fe . Th e mi dwi fe w a s n ei the r ve ry e xp e rt

n or ve r y cl e an . M r s Smi th h ad to go to h e r tw o
.

or thre e time s A ft e r bl e e din g for abou t ten days

.

sh e d ev elop e d bl ood po i so n in g fr om whi ch sh e di e d

,

a fe w days late r at th e e arly age of twen ty n i n e

,
-
,

le avin g a di scon sol ate fath e r wh o in time to come

,

w ill prob ably fin d con s olati on wi th an othe r woman ,

an d fiv e mothe rl e s s ch il d r e n who will n eve r fin d con

,

s ol ati o n. On e m ay fin d a su b sti tu t e for a w i fe th e r e ,

i s n o su b sti tu te f or a mothe r .

A n d su ch trage di es ar e of dai ly o ccu rren ce M ay .

th e L ord have me r cy on th e so u l s of th o se wh o ar e
re spon sible f or them .

B efor e I pro cee d fu rth e r I wi sh t o say that it i s

th e t e rribl e pr eval e n ce of th e aborti on evil wi th i ts ,

co n comi tan t e vi l s of i n fe cti on ill h e alth chron i c in

, ,
 B I RTH C O NTR OL 1 49

val i d i sm an d d e ath that mo r e than an y othe r sin gle

,

facto r u rge s u s in ou r bi rth con t r ol prop agan da .

A n d tho se w h o wa n t to f orb i d th e di sse min ati o n o f

an y in f o r mati o n abou t th e pr e ven ti o n o f con ce pti o n

ar e pl ayin g d i r e ctly i n to th e h an d s of th e pr of es

si on al abort i o n i st s . T he y cou ld n ot act an y more

z ealou sly i f the y we re in le agu e wi th the latt e r an d
we re p ai d by th em A n d havi n g men ti on e d th e su b
.

j ec t o f abort i o n
,
I w i sh t o u t te r a n ot e of w ar n in g .

I n ou r b i rth con trol p r op agan da w e mu st b e ve r y

,

car e fu l to k ee p th e qu e sti on of th e preve n ti on of

co n ce pti o n an d of aborti on se p arat e an d ap art Th e

.

stu pi d l aw p u t s th e tw o in th e sam e p ar agr aph s ome ,

i gn or an t l ayme n an d e qu ally i gn oran t physi ci an s

tr eat th e tw o as if they we r e th e same thin g bu t w e , ,

in ou r sp e eche s an d ou r wr i tin gs mu st keep th e tw o

,

sep ar ate w e mu st show th e p e opl e th e e ssen ti al dif

,

fe re n ce b e twe en p r even ti on an d aborti on b etween

,

re frain i n g f rom cr eatin g li fe an d de stroyin g l ife al

r e ady cre ated ; w e mu st show th e vi ci ou sn e ss of me t
in g ou t th e sam e pu n i shmen t f or tw o thin gs which
ar e fu n dam en t ally d i fi e r en t di fi e r en t n ot on l y in d e
,

—
gre e bu t in kin d an d it i s o n ly by thu s ke ep in g th e
tw o thi n gs ap art by showi n g that w e stan d for on e
,

— —
thi n g pr even ti on an d n ot for th e othe r aborti on—
,

t hat w e can e ve r gain th e gen e r al symp athy of the

pu bli c an d th e cc op e rati on of th e l e gislators I d o
-
.
1 50 S EX KN OWLE D GE FOR WO ME N

n ot say tha t the re are n ot man y case s in w hi ch th e

in du cti on o f aborti on i s n ot on l y j u stifiable bu t im ,

p e r ati v e ; b u t th at i s a d i fi e r en t qu esti on an d th e ,

two i ssu e s mu st n ot b e con f u sed A n d w e w ou l d an d

.

sho u ld resen t an y att emp t on th e p ar t of e ithe r

en emy or fri en d to so con fu se th em .

C as e 2 Mr A an d Mi ss B ar e in love w i th e ach
. . . .

oth e r. B u t the y can n o t get mar r i e d for hi s sal ar y

,

i s too sm al l . They mi ght ri sk gettin g marrie d if ,

th e specte r of an in defin i t e n u mb e r of chil dren d i d

n ot stre tch ou t i ts re strain i n g han d S he come s.

from a good fami ly sh e w a s brou ght u p if n ot in th e

, ,

l ap of lu x u r y in th e l ap of comfo r t an d co zin ess

, ,

an d i t i s th e am b iti on of eve r y good Am e r i can to

fu rn i sh hi s wi fe at l east as good a home as he r

fath e r gave he r He r fathe r by th e w ay, died pre
.
,

matu re ly from ove r w ork in tr yin g to gi ve all pos

sible comfo r ts an d advan ta ge s to a bevy of six n u

marri e d an d marri ageabl e dau ghte r s .

A s I sai d th e fe ar of chil dr en ke p t them back

,
.

E ach ye ar the hope revive d that in an other yea r

thei r u n i on in matrimon y wou l d be con su mm ate d .

B u t th e ye a rs p asse d Mr A s hai r b e came thin an d

. . .
’

grayi sh Mi ss B b egan to l ook haggard an d pin che d

,

—an d still th e marri age cou l d n ot take pl ace Mi ss .

B w as ve ry reli gi ou s an d ve r y prope r, an d w ou l d
n ot d o an ythin g tha t w as imp ro pe r A w as n ot
.
1 52 S EX KN O WLE DGE F O R WO M E N

pe ri odi c fits of in san i ty E very year or tw o h e wou ld

.

b e tak en to th e lu n ati c a sylu m f or a f e w we ek s or

mon ths an d the n di sch arge d An d eve r y time on
,
.

hi s di scharge h e wou l d ce l ebrate hi s lib e rty by im

p g
r e n at in g hi s w i f e S h e h a t e
. d a n d lo a th e d h im ,

“
bu t co u l d n ot prote ct he r se lf again st hi s em

br ace s.
”
A n d sh e h ad to se e he r self givin g b i r th to
on e abn o rm al chi ld aft e r an oth e r S he b e gge d h e r
.

do ctor to give h e r som e me an s of preven ti on bu t ,

th at boob cl aime d i gn or an ce an d th e il l e gali ty o f

,

th e thin g Th e woman fin ally commi tte d su i ci de

.
,

bu t n ot b e for e sh e h ad gi ve n bi rth t o six abn o rm al

chil dr e n who will prob ably grow u p dru n kar ds
, ,

cr imin al s or in san e .

A n d b ecau se w e obj e ct to su ch kin d o f br e e di n g ,

w e ar e accu se d of b e i n g e n e mi e s of th e hu m an r ace ,

o f advo catin g r ace su i ci d e of vi ol atin g th e laws o f

,

God an d m an Oh f or a mi gh ty S ampson to str ike

.
,

th e imb e ci le s wi th th e jaw of an ass f or a men tal ,

He rcu l e s to loo sen th e fon tan ell e s o f thei r petrifie d

sk u ll s an d pu t som e s en se in to th em "

C as e 4 Thi s ob se r vati on con ce r n s a cou pl e bo th

.

of whom h ad a ve ry b ad he re dity Th e blood of e ach .

w as b adly t ain t e d Th e do ctor who h ad tre at e d th e

.

hu sb an d cau ti on e d them an d told them that th ey h ad

n o ri ght to h av e childr e n B u t he r e th e tabl e s we re
.

tu rn ed The do ctor wan t e d to give the m th e mean s

.
 B I RTH C O N T R OL 1 53

f or preven ti on bu t th e hu sb an d an d wi fe p i ou s
, ,

R oman C atholi cs wo u ld n ot go again st th e i r r e li

,

g i o n an d G o d ( as i f God w a n t e d a world f u ll of im
b ecil e s ) an d r e fu se d to e mploy an y pr ecau ti on s
, .

They hav e h ad fou r chil dr en so f ar On e of the m .

se em s fai rly n ormal e x cept th at h e i s sill y in whi ch

, ,

r e sp ect h e i s m e re ly like h i s p aren ts ; tw o ar e deaf

an d bli n d in on e e ye ; th e f ou rth i s a cr e tin , pr ac

tical ly an i di ot .

Thi s case b rin gs u s face to face wi th an other

phase of th e p r obl em What shou ld w e do when th e .

p ar en ts stu p i d an d i gn oran t refu se to stop br e e d

, ,

in g wo rthl e ss mat e r i al " E u gen i o agi tati on e du ca ,

ti on wi ll b r in g abou t su ch a stron g pu bl i c Opin i on

,

that n on e bu t i di ot s w h o will b e vase ctomiz e d or

,

se gr e gat e d w i ll d ar e to br in g in to th e world chil dr en

,

that ar e phy sical ly an d men tally han di capp e d .

C as e 5 Thi s co u pl e h ad b e en mar r i e d ei ght year s,

.

an d h ad fiv e chi ld r e n A n d th e wife sai d sh e co u l d

.

n ot stan d i t an y mor e —
A n oth e r chi ld n o sh e pre
.
,

fe rr e d death They p r actice d coi tu s in t e rru p tu s for

.

a whi l e wi th mu tu al di sg u st b u t wh en th e wi fe w as
, ,

cau ght again sh e sai d :,

“
N o more " An d sh e ”

wou ld n ot l e t h e r hu sb an d come n e ar h e r He cou l d .

—
do what h e ple ase d sh e d i d n ot ca r e Af te r a f ew .

—
mon th s h e b egan to go el sewh e r e co n tr act e d syph
ili s h ad to give u p hi s po si ti on th e home w a s broken
, ,
1 54 SEX KN OWLE DGE F O R WO ME N

up, th e wi f e w e n t ou t t o work ,
th e hil dren ar e sen t
c

—
te r ed in short, a home , whi ch w e ar e t old i s th e

fou n dati on of ou r soci e ty i s broken u p an d the r e i s

, ,

—
mi se r y an d wre t ch e dn e ss all arou n d an d all f or
th e l ack of a little timely in fo rm ati on .

C as e 6 M r A an d Mi ss B tw en ty ei gh t an d
. .
,
-

twen ty fiv e years old re sp e ctiv ely have kn own on e

-
,

an oth e r f or s ev e r al y ear s an d in spi t e o f the ir oc

,

cu pati on whi ch i s su ppo se d to make p e ople bl as"

,

an d cyn i cal — h e b e in g a r e port e r an d sh e a spe ci al

sto r y w r i t e r — ar e qu i te in love wi th e ach othe r .

B u t th e i r o ccu p ati o n an d i n come ar e su ch that the y

'

can n ot po s sibly aff ord to hav e an d to brin g u p an y

chi ldr en .T hey wou ld love to ge t marri e d bu t th e ,

sp e ct e r of a chi ld — o r rathe r of chi ldr en — fri ghten s

them ; an d th ey rem ain sin gl e to th e gre at physi cal
,

an d m en ta l i n j u r y of both .A cciden tally they le arn

of appropr i at e m e an s of re gu l atin g co n ce pti on , ge t
—
marr i e d an d live h appily eve r afte r tha t i s, u n til
,

th ey fin d themselve s in a po siti on to have chil dr en

an d to brin g th em u p prop e r ly .

I n what w ay w a s so ci e ty in j u re d by thi s you n g

cou ple acqu i r i n g co n trace ptiv e i n f o rm ation "

C as e 7 Mr C an d M i ss D ar e in love wi th e ach
. .

o the r U n fortu n ately the re i s a stron g he re ditar y

.

t ain t o f in san i ty on both sid e s T hey ar e too high

.

min de d to thin k of givin g bi rth to chil dre n The y .

1 56 SEX KN OWL E DGE F O R W O M E N
ci de to sep arate an d a trage dy i s in sight For
,
.

tu n ately the y le arn that con cepti on can b e p r eve n t e d ,

an d th e y co n tin u e to li v e toge th e r wi th b e n efit to

th em selve s an d harm to n on e .

I n wh at w ay h a s so ci e ty b e e n in j u r ed by those
p e opl e acqu i rin g con trace ptive in fo rmati on "
C as e 9 . M r an d M r s F h ave b e e n m arr i e d six
. .

ye ars an d i n the se six ye ar s th ey have b e en bl e sse d

, _

wi th fou r chi ldren Wh en h e m a rri e d h e w a s get

.

tin g tw en ty tw o d oll ar s a week an d that i s e xactly

-
,

what h e i s ge ttin g n ow I n th e me an tim e th e co st o f

.

livin g h as gon e u p tw en ty fiv e pe r cen t an d the re

-
.
,

ar e f ou r e xtra mou th s to fe e d an d fo u r e xtr a bodi e s

to clothe . What d ifi e r en ce thi s has ma de in that

li ttle hou sehold can be tte r b e imagin ed than state d
“
.

Th e li ttle mothe r h as age d sixtee n ye ar s in tho se

si x ye ar s an d th e re i s n ot a t race l e ft of h e r g ir li sh
,

n es s an d you thfu ln e s s S h e love s h e r chi ldr en an d

.
,

do e s n ot wan t to g e t r i d of the m S he wo u ld n ot .

t ake a mi lli on dollar s f or on e of th em bu t sh e wou ld ,

n ot give five ce n ts f or an oth e r B u t thi s i s j u st what

.

te r r ifie s th em ; th e po ssibili ty of an oth e r A n d that .

po ssibili ty mak e s h e r i r r i tabl e, mak e s h e r rep el h e r

hu sban d s slighte st advan ce s mak e s h e r move hi s
’
,

b e d to an othe r room S h e even tell s hi m to sati sfy

.

hi s sex u al de si r e s el sew h e r e an d at th e same tim e

b

sh e i s in f ea r an d tr e mblin g that h e mi ght f ollow

 BI RTH C O NTR OL 1 57

h er dvi ce I n short a n i ce you n g h ome i s abou t

a .
,

to b e di sru pt e d Fortu n ately h e re ads somewhe re

.

an a rt i cle on th e su bj e ct of volu n t ary limi ta tion o f

ofi spr in g h e b e gin s to in v esti gat e ; hi s physi ci an

,

ple ad s i gn oran ce bu t h e i s pe r si st en t, th e physi cian

,

in vest i gates an d obtai n s th e de si re d in formati on ,

whi ch h e shar e s with th e p ati en t H ar mon y i s re .

stor e d an d a h appy home i s r e e st ab l i sh e d -

.

Wh o w as in j u re d by th e cou pl e obtain in g thi s in

fo rm ati o n " A n d if n obo d y w as in ju r e d an d eve r y ,

body con cern e d w as b en efit e d then why shou ld th e ,

i mp art in g o f su ch i n f ormati on b e con si d e r e d a f el

on y pu n i shable lik e th e mo st atro ci o u s o f cri me s "
,

C as e 1 0 Mr an d M r s G h ave b een m ar ri e d fif
. . .

te en ye ar s T hey we re th e p aren ts of seven chil

.

dr en a la rge en ou gh n u mb e r f or an y fam ily Tho se

,
.

s eve n chil dr e n we re bo rn du rin g th e fir st e leven

ye ar s of the i r mar r i e d li fe Du r in g th e p ast fiv e
.

year s afraid of havi n g an y more they fir st ah

, ,

st ai n e d an d the n adopte d a m e thod whi ch e ve ry

mod e rn sexologi st kn ow s i s i n j u r i ou s to th e n er vou s

sy st e m of bo th th e m an an d th e wom an Th e m an .

b e came a wr eck ; fir st n eu rasthen i c then impoten t , ,

cran ky an d grou ch y u n abl e to ge t alon g in th e of

,

fice con stan tly squ abblin g wi th hi s w ife , who b e

,

came j u st as b ad a wre ck Thei r econ omi c con diti on

.

plu s too man y small chi ldre n preven te d th e p aren ts

1 58 SE X KN O WLE DGE F O R WO M E N

se parati on . Th ey r ema in e d l ivin g togethe r, bu t

they live d like a cat an d a d og ti e d in a bag E ach.

sil en tly p raye d t o b e r i d o f th e oth e r

. B u t a con
ve r sati on ove rheard at a Tu rki sh b aths establi sh

men t pu t him on th e ri ght trail an d on e year l ate r

,

w e fin d th e cou ple recon ci l e d, bo th i n good he alth an d

livin g a p eace fu l an d fai rly harmon i ou s lif e An d .

tho se wh o have b en efite d mo st by th e chan ge ar e th e

chi ldr en . In what w ay w as so ci e ty in j u r e d " An d
stil l i f th e do ct or w h o gave Mr G th e in formati on
.

sh ou l d have b e en cau ght an d con vi cte d h e wo u l d

,

have be en sen t to p ri son for a y e ar or tw o or five .

W ou l d h e have de se rve d i t " H e re w e have several

pl ai n sim pl e u n varn i she d an d u n emb elli she d case s
, ,

whi ch are typical of milli on s o f simil ar case s an d

w hi ch prove co n clu sively that th e l aw again st im

p artin g i n fo rmati on abou t preven tin g con cepti on is

bru tal , vici ou s an ti so ci al Shou l d n ot su ch a l aw be
,
.

re p e aled, wipe d ofi th e statu t e books "

O f cou r se , i t sh ou l d
.
1 60 S EX KN OWLE DGE F OR WO M E N

l o w in g page s I w ill e n de avor as stated be fore to , ,

poin t ou t some o f the r ock s an d sh o als on which th e

matrimon ia l bark i s so o ften sha tt e r e d an d to ofi e r ,

th e w ive s some su gge stion s whi ch w i ll he lp the m to

re tai n the i r hu sban ds afi ecti on s an d pe rh ap s e v e n

al s o the i r fide li ty .

Whi le th e advice i s in ten de d prima r ily for w iv e s ,

the re w ill be fou n d he re an d the re a salu tar y pi ece

o f advice for hu sban ds Some o f th e advi ce i s ap
.

pli cable to both p ar tn e rs an d as to those su gge s

,

—
ti on s whi ch con ce rn th e hu sban d on l y i t wil l be a
g ood thi n g f or t h e wi ve s to ca l l th e i r hu s ba n d s
’

atte n ti on to them .

Th e first f e w we e ks or the fir st f ew mon ths ar e

th e mo st importan t in th e li fe o f a ma rri e d cou ple .

The st abili ty o f th e ma rri age th e fu t u r e happin e ss

, ,

o ften de pen d u pon th e thi n gs whi ch are don e or le ft

u n d on e du r in g th e in i ti al we e ks o f marri e d lif e A .

ce rtain u n de r sta n di n g mu st b e r e ach e d fr om th e

ve ry be gin n in g . If you r hu sb an d doe s ce rtain

thi n gs w hi ch di sple ase you an d whi ch you kn ow
shou ld n ot be don e i t i s b e s t to say s o at th e v e r y
,

sta rt . It is e as i e r to pre ven t th e e stablishmen t of

a ha bi t than to bre ak a habi t afte r i t has be en

R etai n Y ou r I n di vi d u al ity . Th e firs t p i ece o f ad

vi ce I have to give you is : R e ta in you r i n d i vidu a l
 A DV I C E To TH E MA RRI E D 1 61

i ty .It i s a trite bu t p e rf e ctly tru e ob se rvati on that

altoge th e r too man y m en w h o du rin g cou rt shi p we r e

chi valry p e rso n ifie d a ssu m e a d i ct atori al ton e as

s oon as th e kn ot h a s b e e n ti e d They thi n k that th e

.

wi fe h as actu ally ce ase d to e xi st as a sep ar ate hu man

b e in g that sh e h as b ee n ab sorb e d an d wi th th e lo ss
, ,

of h e r n am e sh e h as l ost all ri ght to hav e h e r ow n

op in i o n s h e r ow n t aste s an d o f co u rse h er ow n
, , , ,

fri en d s Frie n d s w h o ar e obn oxi ou s to on e of th e

.

mari tal partn e rs on e mu st give u p sometime s ; bu t

do n ot p e rmi t you r en ti re p er son ali ty to b e ob scu re d .

E xpl ain to yo u r hu sb an d th at you ar e still an in d e

p en den t livin g hu man be in g I d o n ot say you.
,

sho u ld at o n ce sta rt a fight Nothin g i s mor e o ff en

.

sive to m e th an th e m ili tan t p u gn ac i ou s woman

, ,

w h o we ar s a chi p on th e shou ld e r an d i s con ti n u ally

“
r e ady t o i n si st on h e r rights B u t with gen tle
.
”

n e ss an d firmn e ss mu ch can b e accompl i sh e d An d .

y o u w a n t to r e m e m b e r th at m an y h u sb a n d s a ct th e

w ay th e y do n ot b e cau se th e y ar e vi ci o u s bu t be
, ,

cau se th ey ar e stu p i d or ch il di sh Some tim e s it i s

.

me re thou g htl essn e ss They have b een b r ou ght u p

.

w ron gly an d some of th em sin ce r e ly imagin e th at

,

by re pre ssin g th e wife s pe r son ality by blottin g i t

’
,

ou t they ar e actin g in h e r in t e r e st
, It i s for h er .

ow n good A se ri ou s t al k with a hu sb an d will

.
”

some time s h ave a w o n d e r fu l e ff e ct

,
I t m ay som e .
16 2 SEX KN O WLE DGE F O R W O ME N

ti mes chan ge e n ti r e ly th e cu rren t of hi s thou ghts .

O f cou r se if th e hu sban d i s a cad a con ce i te d fool ,

,

or a br u te you can do n o thin g with hi m ; bu t f ortu

,

n ataly n ot all hu sban ds b e l on g to tho se cate gori e s .

Wif e s Behavi or Tow ard Sex u al R el ati on s I am

’
.

n ow comi n g t o a d e l icate su bj ect B u t d eli cate

.
,

th ou gh i t i s i t mu st be de al t w ith u n fli n chin gl y
, ,

becau se i t i s prob ably re spon sible for mo re male

in fid eli ty than al l othe r cau se s comb in e d I sp e ak
.

of th e r elati on of th e wi fe to h e r mar ital du ti e s in ,

othe r words to sexu al re lati on s T oo man y women

, .

re gard the se xu al act as a n u i san ce as an ordeal,,

a s some thin g di sagr e e abl e to g e t throu gh wi th as

qu ickly as po ssible ; th ey regar d th e hu sban d s d e ’

man ds in thi s lin e a s an impo siti on as u n fai r or

,

e ve n a s br u tal ; an d the i r be h avi or pr eli min ary to

an d du rin g th e act i s su ch as to cool th e ardor of

an y re fin e d an d sen si tive m an .Th e r e ason s f or thi s

be havi or on th e p art of man y wive s ar e man i fold ;
thi s i s n ot th e pl ace to con sid e r th em in d e t ail I .

will all u de to the m briefly On e gr e at cau se i s con

.

gen i t al fri gidity Th e woman i s cold frigi d h as n o

.
, ,

de si re for sex relati on s an d e xp e ri en ce s n o pl e asu re ,

n o se n sati o n from th em . S u ch women ar e n ot to

blame ; they ar e to b e pitie d B u t even th ey can
.

behave so as n ot to repe l thei r hu sb an d s .

1 64 SEX KN OWLE DG E F O R WO ME N

re me dy i s simple : give h e r fu ll i n stru cti on in th e

u se of con tr acepti ve me a su r e s O the r cau se s are :
.

e xce ssive mas tu rb ati o n vagin i smu s l ocal ma lf or

, ,

mati on in flammati on e tc B u t wha teve r th e cau se s

, ,
.

“
of th e wif e s b ad be ha vi or m ay b e the y ar e all
’ ”
,

am en able to tre atm en t Some n e e d me di cal tr e at

.

men t some p sychi c tr eatmen t an d some n othi n g bu t

, ,

j u st a common se n se he art to he ar t talk

-
,
- -
.

An d I wou ld emphas iz e : Do n ot r ep e l you r hu s

—
b an ds when they ask for se xu al favor s at le ast do
n ot r e p el them too ofte n Hou se holds in whi ch r e
.

l n ti cu a ar e h ad r athe r fr equ en tly an d in whi ch th e

w i ve s l en d thei r fu l l an d e age r parti ci p ati on ar e

happ ie r hou seholds than tho se in whi ch th e sexu al

act i s in du l ge d i n r are l y an d wi th gru m blin g an d
,

si de r e marks on th e p art of th e wi fe
-
.

B u t of cou r se you shou ld n ot go to th e othe r e x

tr eme e ithe r Y ou shou l d n ot mak e too fre qu en t
.

deman ds u pon you r hu sban d With a m an th e act .

me an s a good deal mor e than i t do e s wi th a woman ;

i t e n t ail s a gre at de al mor e of phy sical an d men tal
e xhau sti o n an d a wi fe who i s u n r e a so n abl e in thi s
,

r e spe ct i s sowin g th e se e d s o f di scord an d u n happi

n e ss . S h e i s sacrificin g th e fu tu r e to th e pre sen t .

The hu sban d i s apt to b ecome affli cte d w i th sati ety

—
or impoten ce an d th e wife m ay have to l ead a l i fe
of con tin en ce for mu ch lon ger than sh e wou l d have
 A DV IC E T O THE MA RRIE D 1 65

h ad to i f sh e h ad b e en mode rat e I n n o de p ar tmen t

.

o f li fe i s moder ati on so impo r tan t as in sex life .

Nou u se in su fficien t u se an d e xcessive u se ar e al l

-
,

b ad A mu tu al ly joyfu l e age r an d mode rat e ly f r e

.
,

qu e n t partici pati on in th e sex u al act wi ll con tribu te

mo st to a happy an d lon g lif e .

Dain ty U n d er w ear Thi s m ay b e con si d ere d too

.

deli ca t e or t oo trifli n g a su bj ect to di scu ss in an

importan t sex book B u t n othi n g i s too d eli ca te or
.

too trifli n g that con ce rn s hu man happin e ss an d you ,

wi ll b eli e ve m e if I te ll you that n ice u n de rw e ar or

dai n ty lin ge rie plays a ve r y im por tan t r ole in mari
tal li fe An d e ve ry m arrie d woman shou l d have as
.

fin e an d as dai n ty u n de rw e ar as sh e can po ssibly

afi or d .A fin e or e l abor at e n i ghtgown m ay b e more
i mportan t th an an e xp en sive ski rt or h at U n f or tu .

n ate l y too man y women i gn ore thi s fact E xte rn ally .

th ey wil l b e well dr e ssed whil e thei r p ettico at s

, ,

drawe r s an d u n de r shi rt s wil l b e of th e com mon est

qu ali ty an d of qu e sti on abl e fr e shn e ss an d imm ac u
lat en e ss A n d i f an ythi n g in a woman s toil e t shou l d
.
’

b e imm acu lat e ly fr e sh an d cl ean i t i s, I emph asiz e ,

h e r u n de rwear .

Do N ot Ofl en d Again st Esth etics Some women

'

thi n k that be cau se th ey ar e mar ri ed to th ei r hu s

ban ds they ow e the l att er n o e sthetic con si de rati on .

Thin gs that they w ou l d be horrifie d t o l et a stran ger

1 66 S EX KN O WL E DGE FOR WO ME N

s ee they do be for e thei r hu sban d s e ye s w ithou t ’

he sit ati on For in stan ce n ot to be at ab ou t th e bu sh,

.
,

thou gh th e su bj e ct i s n ot a ple asan t on e the y w i l l ,

u rin a te in th e i r hu sb an ds pr e sen ce or the y w i ll l e t

’
,

him se e the i r soil e d me n s tru al n apkin s e tc Some ,

.

hu sb an ds m ay n ot min d i t ; bu t some m en ar e ve ry
se n si t ive— m e n on th e whole ar e mor e e sthe ti c than
—
wome n an d an in d i fi e r en ce towards th e wife may
h ave i ts origin in some vu lgar or u n e sthe ti c pro
ce d u r e on th e wi fe s p art Th e se xu al act as m en
’
.
,

ti on ed be for e i s a ve ry d e lica t e me ch an i sm, an d i t

,

i s ve r y e asy to di sarran ge i t Th e act o f mi ctu r i ti on

.

be for e th e m an i s kn own in man y in stan ce s to have

in stan tly aboli she d th e m an s se xu al de si re whi ch
’

w as pr e se n t b e f or e . A n d a man tol d m e that be

cau se h e n oti ce d in a clo se t a l ot of r ags s oi le d w i th

m en st ru al blood h e w as u n able to e n joy re lati on s

wi th hi s wi fe for se ve ral mon ths Y ou m ay thin k .

that the se ar e all smal l thin gs bu t lif e i s made u p

,

of li ttle thin gs an d ma n y a marr i ed li fe w en t smas h

,

on acco u n t of di sr e gardi n g th e li ttl e thin gs .

B ad Od or fr om th e M on th I kn ow of n o other
.

phy si cal ai l men t which i s so dan ge rou s so fatal to ,

th e pre gn an cy of th e l ove r el ati on as i s a stron g,

ofi e n siv e odor from th e mou th A s a n oxi ou s gas
.

bli ghts a deli cate plan t so w ill a stron g b ad odo r

,

bli ght th e deli cate pl an t of l ove Y e s a stron g mal

.
,
1 68 S EX KN OWLE DG E F OR WO ME N

we ll th e followi n g powde r . It is si mp e , c e a
l h p an d
e flici en t:

on e dram
Bori c aci d on e o u n ce

Dri e d alu m two ou n ce s

fou r ou n ce s

A li ttle of powder shou l d b e shaken in to th e

th e
sto ckin gs e ve r y morn i n g an d th e sto ckin gs shou ld
,

b e chan ge d ve ry fr e qu e n tly o n ce or twi ce a day

,
.

Thi s powde r i s also eflici en t agai n st p e r spi r ati on

an d b ad odor from th e armp i t s .

I am n ot givin g an y treatmen t for b ad odor from

th e mou th for thi s co n di ti on m ay b e d u e to a gr e at
,

vari e ty o f cau se s Th e cau se m ay r e si de in th e

.

n o se ; i t m ay r e si de in th e mou th d e cayin g t ee th , ,

thro at ton si ls I t m ay b e d u e to a b ad st omach to

,
.
,

s ome di se ase of th e lu n g s e tc Some time s it i s d u e

,
.

to ove re ati n g Wh at wo u ld b e o f valu e in on e con

.

di ti on mi ght b e u se le ss in an oth e r Th e r ight thin g

.
,

the r e for e i s to go to a compe t en t physi ci an have

, ,

hi m fin d th e cau se of yo u r trou ble an d ou tlin e th e

pr op e r tre atmen t .

Leu corrh ea Some m en fin d th emselve s en ti r el y

.

u n a bl e t o have se xu al r el ati on s wi th a woman whom

they kn ow i s su ff e rin g wi th l eu corrhe a Th e m e re .

 ADVI C E TO THE MAR RIE D 1 69

kn owl edge of th e fact t ak e s away thei r abi li ty t o

p e rform th e act It r en de r s them impoten t It di s
. .

gu st s th em an d di sgu st i s fatal to se xu al powe r

,
.

O n ly to d ay I saw in my office a woman w h o au x

-

i ou sl y be gge d for advi ce an d treatmen t S h e h ad .

b ee n marri e d five ye ar s S h e h as al way s h ad l eu

.

corr h e a from h er fift e en th y e ar as f ar a s sh e re

,

memb e r s O the rwi se sh e di d n ot su ff er For the

. .

fir st th r e e year s or so h e r marri e d li fe h as b e en a
happy on e Th en in an u n f ortu n ate momen t she
.

told h e r hu sban d abou t h e r profu se l eu corrhea an d ,

i n stan tly sh e n oti ce d a chan ge in hi m He cou l d n ot

.

fu l ly hi de th e expre ssi on on hi s face A n d sin ce .

then h e cease d to have in te rcou r se wi th h e r He .

made a few att empt s bu t they tu rn e d ou t u n sati s

,

facto r y to both, an d sh e n otice d that h e w as f orcin g

hi m se lf doin g i t agai n st hi s wi ll Sh e took some
, .

p aten t medi cin e s an d we n t to on e doctor bu t with ,

ou t an y r e su lt s Now u n l e ss sh e cou l d be cu re d
.
, ,

sh e fe ar e d h e r hu sb an d wou ld de man d a se p ar ati o n

or a di vor ce If you have leu corrhe a tr e at it An d

. .

re memb e r you n e e d n ot i n i ti ate you r hu sban d in all

yo u r u n e sthe ti c ailm en t s .

Fli rtin g Do n ot fli rt M en ar e apt to m i su n d er

. .

stan d you an d you ar e apt to ge t th e r ep u tati o n of

,

a l oo se woman wi tho u t in an y w ay h avin g de se rve d

i t I do n ot say that you shou ld al way s we ar a for

.
1 70 S EX KN O WLE DGE FOR WOME N

bi ddin g e xpressi on , an d shou l d scowl at pe ople w ho

dare to smi le at you or othe r w i se pay homage to
y o u r f e m in i n e c ha r m s .B u t th e r e i s a d ifl e r e n ce

betw een a frien dl y ex p re ssi on an d fli rtin g How .

eve r whe n you r hu sb an d begi n s to n e gl ect you , then

,

a mil d fli r ta ti o n may be j u s tifiabl e . It will al w ays

d o you r h u sban d goo d t o kn ow that the re ar e othe r
m al e s i n the wo rl d b e sid e s hi m an d that some of
,

these mal e s fin d in tere st in th e femal e wh om h e con

si de r s hi s pe rman e n t an d exclu si ve prop e rty .

S l oven l y Hus ban d s D on t l et you r hu sb an d be

.
’

come a sl ob . That i s j u st what I me an It i s n o .

u se mi n ci n g wor ds . Some hu sban ds n eve r acqu ir e

—
th e habi t or if the y have ac qu i re d it they qu i ckl y
—
l ose i t of regar din g thei r wi ve s as l ad i e s . S he
i s n ot a l ad y, she is on l y my w ife , i s a w el l
”

kn ow n joke bu t some me n take i t n ot as a j e st

,
.

S ome m e n thi n k that before th eir w ives they can be

as sl ov en ly an d u n cl e an as they p l e ase .Give you r
hu sban d to u n de rstan d that cl ean l in e ss an d fre sh
“
n e s s i s n o t a se x
-
l i m i t e d ”
a tt r i bu te, an d j u s t a s a

hu sban d wan ts hi s wif e to be cl e an an d dai n ty an d

w ell groome d, so a w i fe m ay en j oy th e sam e qu ali
-

ti e s in he r hu sb an d S ome wome n ar e ver y fas ti di

.

ou s an d whil e the y may say n othi n g to thei r hu s

,

ban ds for fear of i rri tatin g them, they may thin k a

g ood d e al .