diff options
Diffstat (limited to '13906-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 13906-0.txt | 927 |
1 files changed, 927 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/13906-0.txt b/13906-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a630da3 --- /dev/null +++ b/13906-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,927 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13906 *** + +CONCEPTION CONTROL AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE NATION + +by + +FLORENCE E. BARRETT, C.B.E., M.D., M.S., B.Sc. + +Consulting Obstetric and Gynæcological Surgeon to the Royal Free +Hospital. President of the Federation of Medical Women. + +With a Foreword by His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. + +1922 + + + + + + + +PREFACE + +This small book has been written in response to many requests for some +statement regarding the individual and national effects of the +widespread practice of conception control. + +It is not intended to give medical advice on the subject for, in my +judgment, that is best given to the individual by his or her medical +adviser, and will vary in different circumstances. + +The question as to whether control of conception shall or shall not be +practised is a decision ethical and not medical in character when +husband and wife are healthy, and in the last resort will be decided +by the individual pair for themselves; but they will be wise to +discuss the question with their medical attendant in order to realise +all that is involved in their decision. + +Space forbids anything like a full discussion of the national issues, +but that aspect of the subject demands quite as careful study as +personal needs or desires. + + F.E.B. + + 31, DEVONSHIRE PLACE, W.1. + September, 1922. + + + + +FOREWORD + + +The Archbishop of Canterbury allows me to use the following letter as +a Foreword to this little book. + +DEAR LADY BARRETT, + +I have read with great interest the manuscript of your pamphlet. Very +many of us who have daily to do with the problems and perplexities of +our social life and to give counsel to the anxious or the penitent or +the perturbed will thank you for these clear and cogent chapters. To +arguments based on moral and religious principle you add the weight of +ripe experience and of technical scientific knowledge. Your words will +gain access to the commonsense of many who would perhaps regard the +opinions of clergy as likely to be prejudiced or uninformed. I am of +course not qualified to express an independent judgment upon the +medical or physiological aspects of this delicate problem, but I +desire on moral and religious as well as on social and national +grounds to support your general conclusions, and to express the hope +that your paper may have wide circulation among those who are giving +attention to what is becoming an urgent question in thousands of +English homes. + + I am, + Yours very truly, + RANDALL CANTUAR. + + LAMBETH PALACE, S.E. + 3rd August, 1922. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + THE PROBLEM OF TO-DAY + + CHAPTER II + THE DEMAND FOR KNOWLEDGE AND FROM WHOM TO OBTAIN IT + + CHAPTER III + METHODS + + CHAPTER IV + THE EFFECT OF WIDESPREAD CONCEPTION CONTROL ON NATIONAL EFFICIENCY + + SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE PROBLEM OF TO-DAY + + +In the late seventies of last century a pamphlet entitled _The Fruits +of Philosophy_ was republished by Mrs. Annie Besant and Mr. Charles +Bradlaugh, in their desire to mitigate the suffering of poor women who +were overburdened by work and further weakened by frequent +child-bearing. They resolved to face public obloquy and even legal +prosecution in order to bring to these women knowledge of how to +prevent conception, which, in their opinion, would give the relief +they so sorely needed. As is well known, the later pamphlet on the +same subject written by themselves was withdrawn from publication by +Mrs. Besant in 1886 on religious grounds. + +During the last few years the idea of the need for conception control +has again become prominent, partly as a revolt against the bondage of +women in child-bearing, partly accentuated by the difficulties and +uncertainties of an adequate livelihood, and the desire to have a few +children well educated and cared for rather than many who shift more +or less for themselves. + +But also the claim is made that marriage exists at least as much for +the fulfilment of happiness in union with the beloved as for the +procreation of children; and that it should be possible for a married +pair to have the fullest gratification without fear of children unless +they desire them. + +Others, but these are extremists, go so far as to claim that apart +altogether from marriage vows, sexual intercourse should be the +experience of all, and that knowledge of how to avoid the birth of +illegitimate children should be given to all. + +The discussion of this subject has taken place under the title of +Birth Control, but the control or regulation of births is not really +the point under discussion. A very big factor in the diminution of +births comes under the heading of abortions, whether voluntary or +through conditions which might be remedied. That subject is not +touched upon in this paper, but only methods which avoid conception, +which is, of course, a very different subject from the larger one of +avoiding births. + +At first sight it might seem a comparatively simple thing, in view of +the knowledge which already exists of the physiological processes +involved in conception, to advise a method which shall prevent +conception at will without harmful effect upon man or woman and yet +leave intercourse unimpaired. But even at first sight it is obvious +that whatever knowledge may be available, and whatever methods may be +devised, it would not be easy to convey this knowledge rightly to the +individual it is hoped to benefit without doing harm to others. +Further thought shows that the national problems involved are so +important and far reaching in effects that they might well arrest the +attention of the most careless advocate of indiscriminate conception +control. + +This is a subject, therefore, which requires careful consideration +from the point of view of the individual, of public morality, and of +national welfare--and the more closely it is studied the more apparent +are the far reaching issues involved. It is improbable that the +practice of using contraceptives will continue for even a generation +without revealing the harmful effects which must to some extent ensue. + +In the whole discussion of this subject it is important to keep in +mind that the physical is only one aspect of the sex relation. + +In the evolution which sex has shared with all else, the psychic side +appears even in the higher animals. In them the desire is not for mere +indiscriminate physical satisfaction, but the element of choice comes +in, a factor which sometimes upsets the plans of breeders. In man this +aspect of the relation is all important. The higher side of sex, or +what we may call the psychical secondary sex characters, seem to +extend through the whole range of mental and spiritual activities. +Because of this there is freshness of contact in mental and spiritual +intercourse between men and women which differs somewhat from that +between individuals of the same sex, and very much of the joy of life +springs from the impact of these differing yet completing selves the +one upon the other. + +Where the whole being enters into the union of the sexes the complete +joy of marriage is realised, the characteristic of which is that it +does not fade, but becomes ever deeper and more fully realised, a sure +indication that the highest pleasure of sex union is only attained +when it consummates a love which involves mutual sympathy and +consideration. Physical union alone produces dissatisfaction the more +quickly in proportion as it is physical only; on the other hand, when +all parts of the nature find their counterpart in another, the joy of +such intercourse pervades the whole life, and frequent repetition of +physical intercourse is not essential to its highest development. + +This is well known to all true lovers who have for varied reasons +exercised some voluntary self-control in regard to the physical side +of sex in marriage, either in deference of the one to the desire of +the other, or to avoid too frequent child-bearing, or in special +seasons such as Lent. + +On the other hand it has been observed by most people that many +marriages which seem to promise well, quickly lose even to the eye of +the outsider all the romance of the days of courtship. Is not too +frequent physical indulgence sometimes the cause? + +Even the time of courtship is spoiled by unrestrained demonstration of +affection, and the beauty of the higher side of love is apt to lose +its delicate bloom by over accentuation of the physical in marriage; +husband and wife sadly admit to themselves that disillusionment has +come--the real truth being that in seeking only physical satisfaction +in each other, their eyes have become blinded to those higher +qualities which each glimpsed in the other during the happier days of +courtship, and the "road of the loving hearts," which they hoped to +tread through life, has been missed because they have forgotten that +"man is a spirit and doth not live by bread alone." + +To many the introduction of this aspect of the question may seem +beside the mark. For them the practical question in a world of sense +is how to avoid having children when for any reason they are not +wanted, and yet leave unimpaired facilities for married life. It is +true the problem is not always stated so bluntly. The uses of +contraceptives are explained, together with a recommendation for +moderation in physical intercourse; but as will be shewn below, if +such moderation is really practised, it is possible to live a natural +married life such as renders unnecessary the use of artificial +contraceptives with all their attendant evils and yet limit the size +of the family. + +But it is necessary to consider more carefully the claim made to-day +that contraceptives are both necessary and harmless, and that public +propaganda on the subject is desirable. + +There are several different groups for whom relief is claimed:-- + +1. Women who are suffering from chronic or from temporary ill-health +are frequently not in a condition to bear the strain of child-bearing, +and indeed it may become a real danger to their future health, either +mental or physical. + +2. There are cases of inherited disease, mental or physical, which +ought to prohibit child-bearing. + +3. There are over-worked women whose daily work, added to +child-bearing, destroys their health and vitality. These people are +found not only among the so-called working classes; the same +conditions with somewhat different types of strain are found in wives +of professional men with very slender incomes. + +4. Some parents wish to "space" their children, that greater attention +may be given to each, or they wish to limit the number of their family +on account of financial and other difficulties. + +With these and other considerations in view, the widespread teaching +of methods of preventing conception is advocated because it is +claimed:-- + +(a) That except for general propaganda, the greatest sufferers, viz., +poor women with constantly recurring pregnancies, would otherwise +never learn of any method of relief. + +(b) That many young people who for various reasons, such as housing or +financial difficulties or inherited disease, feel themselves unable to +have a family, would if such knowledge were available marry much +earlier, and their natural desires would be satisfied, while apart +from marriage they might resort to promiscuous intercourse. + +(c) That homes where the growing difficulties and strain of a +continually increasing family are leading to estrangement between +husband and wife, are restored to happiness when saved from the +difficult choice between continence, which they have never trained +themselves to practice, or many children with which they cannot cope. + +There are, however, serious fallacies in these contentions. + +The propagandists of conception control appear to take it for granted +that after preventive measures in early youth, children may be +conceived at will whenever they are desired; and, moreover, it is +assumed that apart from such precautions every woman will conceive +annually and will continue to do so until 10-12 children have been +born. + +Neither of these suppositions is supported by facts. On the contrary, +there are large numbers of married couples who would give anything to +have children, but have postponed it until circumstances should seem +quite desirable, and then, to their grief, no children are given to +them. It is very unfair to teach people that they may safely postpone +the natural tendency to bear children in youth and rely upon having +them later in life. Probably gynæcologists are consulted more often by +women who desire children but do not have them, than by those who +wish to avoid having them--the truth being that the tendency among +people in comfortable surroundings is towards relative sterility +rather than towards excessive fertility. + +Those who are interested in this aspect of the question will find the +facts admirably set forth in Mr. Pell's book on _The Law of Births and +Deaths_, being a study of the variation in the degree of animal +fertility under the influence of environment. + +He finds that the all-important factor which determines fertility is +the amount of nervous energy of the organism, and that nervous energy +is produced or modified by three specially influential factors, viz., +Food, both quantity and quality; Climate, hot or cold--moist or dry; +and, lastly, all those varied conditions which make for greater or +lesser mental and physical activity. + +Fertility, broadly speaking, varies in inverse proportion to the +degree of nervous energy or what we may call vitality. + +Conditions, therefore, which lower the general vitality below the +normal produce abnormal fertility. This excessive child-bearing under +present conditions still further lowers the standard of life and the +health of the mother, hence a vicious circle is set up, the only +escape from which will come by such consideration of the laws of +health relating to work, housing, food and recreation as shall ensure +the maximum of vitality to the workers. This is the true method of +conception control. + +There comes a point in the development of nervous energy which is +productive of sterility. It is true that principles based on so many +varying factors will necessarily appear to fail in individual cases. +Environment with its influence on the nervous energy of the individual +will be modified by the inherited tendency of that individual towards +fertility or the reverse. We find, therefore, isolated cases of large +families among the well-to-do and small families among those whose +vitality is below the normal, but if the general principle is true we +should expect to find a larger number of _sterile_ marriages among the +well-to-do than among those whose lives are more full of hardship, and +this undoubtedly is the case. + +This aspect of the problem is deserving of careful study. The desire +for children in so many homes where every advantage could be given, +may be gratified when more knowledge of how wisely to modify the +environment of the rich is within our grasp. + +It may be that the more simple life among those who have much will +give to them the prize of children which they covet more than things +which wealth can buy. + +But let us return for a moment to the false expectation that children +will come to all unless prevented. + +The results of this assumption are really serious. They involve the +training of large numbers of people in unnatural practices, which in +many cases are unnecessary, even if they were desirable. They rob many +families of the children who would have been the delight of their +parents through middle and later life. + +Moreover, it is obvious that advice which may be quite necessary in +cases of ill-health or special conditions, may be fundamentally wrong +to give broadcast to all individuals, for apart from the fact that +when given to all it is largely unnecessary, there are other serious +objections, as follows:-- + +1. A public opinion at the present time is being gradually produced +which takes it for granted that as a matter of good form young people +should not have children for a few years after marriage, and it is +becoming a common practice to start married life with sordid and +unnatural preparations for a natural act; yet many of these young +people, men and women alike, are most anxious to have children, and +only seek to know how to prevent them because they believe it to be +"the thing to do." + +One or two illustrations which have come to my personal knowledge will +perhaps show the kind of idea which is conveyed to the mind of young +people by books and speeches on this subject, though such results may +not have been desired by the authors or speakers. + +A young bride came to her mother on returning from her honeymoon and +said, "Mother, how long must we wait before having children--is it +really necessary to prevent them for a year or two? We are both dying +to have babies." + +A young couple on the eve of marriage consulted a gynæcologist +regarding the question of using the cap pessary to prevent the +possibility of having children for a few years. + +The bride, who was greatly distressed, produced the pessary which she +had purchased, and said she could not possibly use it; her fiancé, +however, had been advised that she could, and ought to do so, hence +the first serious dispute had arisen between them, clouding the +future. + +She was told by her doctor that it was quite impossible for her, and +this fully satisfied the future husband. + +The next point was if this method were impossible what should be used. + +They were a splendid young couple, with ample means to support a +family, and the doctor naturally asked--"But for what purpose do you +need any methods to prevent children at all?" They hesitated and +looked at each other, and then said--"I don't know, but we thought it +was the thing to do." + +They left with the whole nightmare put aside, determined not to spoil +the perfect consummation of their happiness. + +Many similar cases might be quoted where young people, without any +considered motive, are acting in accordance with the vogue of the +moment. + +2. The use of contraceptives does not encourage self-control, yet the +cultivation of self-control is a far higher gain to the individual and +the nation than any apparent advantages obtained by its abandonment. + +By no means unimportant is the influence that wide diffusion of the +knowledge of how to prevent conception would have in causing more +irregular unions and greater promiscuity in sex relations. The effect +of this would not only loosen, rather than strengthen, the marriage +tie, but would inevitably lead to an extension of venereal disease. +Many people seem to think that contraceptives prevent venereal disease +at the same time that they prevent conception. But this is not so. The +use of methods of prevention by women is no protection to them from +infection. + +3. We have, moreover, to take a wider view, and consider who will +receive and act upon the advice given, and hence what the result will +be on the differential birth-rate of the community. + +It is quite obvious that the educated classes can most easily follow +instructions which result in protection from conception, and since +such knowledge most easily circulates among the more highly endowed +classes, it has been claimed that it is important to make efforts to +let the knowledge be so widespread that it may reach all. The result, +however, could only be that the practice of conception control would +spread throughout the upper, middle and more intelligent of the +working classes, and this would involve a very serious reduction in +the births of those who furnish the leaders and efficient workers in +all branches of life, and in those only. + +For the birth-rate amongst the least intelligent, least efficient and +the mentally deficient will be unaffected. It must be apparent that +after a very few generations of such weeding out of the best, with the +continuous multiplication of the worst type of citizen, the general +standard of efficiency, enterprise and executive skill of the nation +would be seriously impaired. Such, briefly stated, is the problem +before the public at the present time. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE DEMAND FOR KNOWLEDGE AND FROM WHOM TO OBTAIN IT + + +Even the brief survey given in the first chapter will have suggested +to the reader that the people who ask for knowledge seek it for +various reasons. Indeed, the first thing that strikes anyone who gives +consideration to the subject is the difference in type and +circumstance of the people for whom relief is claimed. We begin to +realise at once that the subject of conception control is an intimate +and individual one, and can only really be dealt with by advice which +is given to the individual and not to the public at large. + +This is perhaps most obvious in the first group mentioned on page 17, +where the woman is suffering from chronic or acute disease, and the +necessity for preventing conception is clear to her medical adviser. +If disease renders child-bearing a danger to the life and health of +the mother, it becomes a positive duty of her doctor to prevent such a +catastrophe--but the method advised will differ according to the +special nature of the case. + +Again, where in the case of husband or wife there is a serious +inheritance of mental or physical disease, and especially when the +same weakness exists in both families, it is justly regarded as a duty +by the married pair not to bring children into the world. It may be +contended that men and women with such an inheritance should not +marry, but that is a matter for the decision of the individuals +concerned. It not infrequently happens that marriage has taken place +before they know of the inherited tendency. In such cases clearly the +advice of the family doctor should be given as to the best course to +pursue in order to avoid conception. + +The case of the overworked and burdened mother with a large and +increasing family is nearly allied to that of a woman with disease, +though in her case the causes for ill-health are more complicated. + +While it is true that ill-health and premature ageing in working women +are the result of many causes, yet where child-bearing still further +injures health it is essential that she should consult her medical +adviser on this point, for she not only needs treatment to restore her +health, but also advice specially suitable to her own case, as to the +best method to avoid conception for the time being, and such advice +will vary according as the disability is temporary or permanent. + +It is, happily, as possible for the poor woman to obtain advice in all +matters of health as it is for the rich. The mothers of the country +are in touch everywhere with maternity clinics, where doctors advise +them on all questions of health relating to pregnancy, and treat each +woman as a separate individual. + +But the case of the poor working woman overburdened with work which +she cannot accomplish--yet with the added burden of bearing more +children than her more fortunate sisters, deserves some further +consideration. + +What is it that prematurely ages so many of these women of the +slums--is it child-bearing alone? + +The answer to that is immediately in the negative, for women in +comfortable circumstances may have large families, with no sign of +weariness and dejection. No, the causes of ill-health and debility +are diverse, and to pretend to solve the question by conception +control is a mockery, for it salves the conscience of the community +without really dealing with the question of the disabilities of the +working woman, or the true cause of her excessive fertility. + +Ill-health in working-class mothers often has its origin in inherited +weakness and lack of care in childhood. It is further accentuated by +overwork, with no labour-saving devices; lack of suitable food; too +few, if any, hours of recreation, and hence very little out-door +exercise. Badly ventilated homes deprive the mother of necessary +supplies of oxygen, and insufficient sleep is often the last straw +which breaks down the patient burden bearer. A true and haunting +picture is given in a recently published book called _The Woman in the +Little House_ (which first appeared in a series of articles in the +journal "Time and Tide"), describing the anxiety of a working woman at +night to keep her baby quiet that the husband may sleep. + +Now it is quite true that a small family instead of a large one will +diminish the work and anxieties of such a mother, but it will not give +her the remedies which she needs, nor will it diminish the excessive +sexual demands made upon her. + +Everyone who knows these women intimately realises what an exhausting +feature is this habit of excess due to lack of knowledge or +self-restraint on the part of the husband. + +I believe if facilities were provided whereby the woman could do her +laundry with modern appliances outside her own home, if family meals +were arranged in service rooms equivalent to the arrangements in +service flats, and if there were crêche rooms where children might be +left for an hour or two in safety while necessary work was done--we +should find a greatly increased standard of comfort even in existing +homes, and a great improvement in dietary for the whole family. Such +relief, added to teaching both to husband and wife as to the times of +conception, would revolutionise the life of women more than any +teaching of artificial birth control, and would lift it up to a higher +level instead of degrading it to the grossly physical. + +We come to very different considerations in group 4, p. 18, where +choice rather than necessity impels the parents to limitation of the +family. The teaching now being advocated by certain books and +pamphlets advises deliberate delay in child-bearing for a period after +marriage, and the spacing of certain periods between the births of +such children as are allowed to come into the world, with limitation +of the number in each family. + +Teaching on these lines, if followed, would involve an artificial mode +of sex life always--natural spontaneous union would find no place. +Already young wives are seeking advice for some relief from methods of +preparation which they say have destroyed in them all spontaneous +desire. The tragedy of it all is that even to attain the end in +view--moderation in the size of families--such methods are to a large +extent unnecessary. Not to every young married couple does a child +arrive at the end of a year. Some, using no artificial checks, wait +two or three years before the first baby comes. Even if it does come, +however, at the end of a year, there are many advantages to +counterbalance the small means and perhaps hard living of the young +pair. For when people are young they can put up with small means, +because they are strong enough to work hard and help each other; +indeed, the demand for little work and many luxuries in youth is not a +healthy one, it is a sign of decadence in the race. + +Moreover, even though an early family involve real hardship for +awhile, it has the great advantage that parents and children later on +are still young together, and that means far more to the child in +understanding friendship and helpfulness during the most critical +period of life than extra comforts or pleasures would have meant to +the parents, and if young parents realised this, would they not put +the child first? + +The so-called advantages of a few years between one child and the next +so that the parents may give fuller care and attention to each, are +far outweighed from the child's point of view by the advantages of +playmates in the nursery of nearly its own age, who are a source of +education in the give and take of life such as no adult can supply. If +parents wish to have only three or four children, it is to the +advantage of the mother as well as of the children, to have the little +family early in life--they are then all in the nursery together, and +later all at school, and her life work is in this way so arranged +that she may give most service to the world in addition to carrying on +the race. + +Our conclusion is that for mothers and children it is very desirable +that no contraceptives should be used in the early years of married +life. + +In the vast majority of families where no restrictions or unnatural +means are used and where mothers nurse their children for eight or +nine months, children only come every two years. Even if a young +couple decide that they cannot afford to bring up more than four +children, they have first to prove that four children will be given +them--in many cases they will not have so many, and as years go by the +fertility of the mother becomes progressively less, so that if +child-bearing is postponed till after thirty, in a certain number of +families no children are born. There are many men and women who +bitterly regret having let the years go by in which children might +have been born to them, and it is only fair that young couples of +to-day should fully understand this risk. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +METHODS + + +There are certain points in regard to methods of preventing conception +which should be made clear. + +It is, of course, obvious that conception can be voluntarily +controlled by abstention from intercourse except when children are +desired. This has been called a counsel of perfection. It could only +rightly be so described where such a method of life was both desired +and approved by both husband and wife. It would not be a fair thing +for either to enforce a practically celibate life on the other without +the fullest understanding and consent before the marriage vows were +taken. + +But conception can also be controlled by avoidance of those parts of +the monthly cycle in which conception most commonly takes place. That +in the great majority of women there is a time in the monthly cycle +when no conception occurs has been noted for a long time. The +rough-and-ready method of reckoning the date of birth in relations to +the last menstrual period is an example of the assumption that +conception will probably have taken place a week later, and the +frequency with which such reckoning is justified shows that it is not +altogether unfounded. During the war it was possible to make some more +exact observations owing to the short leave granted to soldiers to +visit their homes. Seigel has published a paper in the "Münchener +Medizinische Wochenschrift," 1916, in which he gives information +regarding the conception of between two and three hundred children +born during the war. He finds that the likelihood of fertilisation +increases from the first day of menstruation, reaching the highest +point six days later, the fertile period remains almost at the same +height till the 12th or 13th day, and then declines gradually until +the 22nd day, after which there is absolute sterility. + +This suggests that conception control can be attained without +artificial methods if intercourse is confined to one week in the +month. + +Such control of conception, though natural, does not make it any more +desirable to space the births unduly so that the children are brought +up in separate units instead of in a happy family group in which they +can share games and interests--but it does avoid the risks which are +associated with artificial methods of conception control. + +It is not proposed to discuss in detail artificial methods in this +pamphlet, because no advice can be wisely given on this subject in a +general way. Those who after careful consideration choose to use +artificial means to prevent child-bearing will be wise if they consult +their medical attendant as to those methods which are least harmful +for their individual case, and ask for careful instruction in their +use. + +Most of the methods so widely advertised are productive of diseased +conditions, whether from the nature of the method itself or from the +way in which it is used, and all of those recommended to women +interfere with normal physiological processes. The object aimed at in +methods recommended to women, is either to produce, by drugs or +otherwise, conditions in the vagina inimical to the life of the male +cell, or to prevent by mechanical means the reception of the semen +into the uterus. Owing to the uncertainty in the results of either of +the above methods of prevention, the later editions of books which +teach conception control now advocate the use of both methods at the +same time in order to approximate more closely to certainty of result. + +All these artificial preparations for intercourse demand from the +woman an investigation of and interference with her own internal +organs, which is revolting to all decent women, and such teaching is +directly opposed to the advocacy of cleanliness and non-interference +with the genital organs, which is the natural habit of healthy-minded +women. + +The effects, however, go further than this. Nature has provided in the +healthy vaginal secretions an antidote to infection which quickly +destroys harmful germs. If the natural secretions are altered it is +difficult to restore them to their natural quality. + +Professor Arthur Thomson, F.R.C.S., has shewn ("British Medical +Journal," January 7th, 1922) from observations of the lining of the +womb in animals and in women that "the weight of evidence goes to +prove that its function is more likely to be absorbent than excretive, +and that as such it plays an important part in the animal economy." + +After describing at length the evidence that the male secretion +consists largely of the secretions from special glands as well as the +sex cells, he refers to the fact that these are all largely received +into and absorbed by the glands of the womb, and he discusses the +probability that such absorption profoundly and beneficially affects +the physiological reaction in the woman. He points out that the use of +artificial checks "while preventing fertilisation may also be the +means of depriving the female of certain secretions which may exercise +a far reaching influence on her economy"; and he concludes, "As a rule +we cannot interfere with the normal course of nature without some +consequent evil result. May this not be an instance in which for some +apparent gain in one direction, the woman pays the penalty?" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE EFFECT OF WIDESPREAD CONCEPTION CONTROL ON NATIONAL EFFICIENCY + + +In every nation individual capacity varies within wide limits. We have +men and women of brilliant attainments, and of all grades of +intelligence ranging downwards to the mentally defective. There is no +doubt that all grades of intelligence can be improved by education, +but there appears to be a limit to the capacity of development of each +individual. Lower intelligence, therefore, is not only due to lack of +opportunity, but to an inborn constitutional defect. + +Further study has shewn this defect to be hereditary--the parents or +grandparents of such people shew defective intelligence, and their +offspring are likely to do the same; indeed, if two mentally defective +people marry it is fairly certain that their children will all be +mentally defective. + +There are, however, no sharply defined classes of intelligence; just +as the mentally defective are in many grades, so ordinary men and +women vary from low or average intelligence up to outstanding cases of +genius or capacity. + +By the newer methods of mental testing it has been shewn that children +of various classes of the community, as well as men and women of +different races, can be grouped according to their intellectual +capacity, and that no educational facilities will develop that +capacity beyond a certain point. + +Professor W. McDougall, F.R.S., in his most useful and interesting +book on _National Welfare and National Decay_, reaches the important +conclusion "that innate capacity for intellectual growth is the +predominant factor in determining the distribution of intelligence in +adults, and that the amount and kind of education is a factor of +subordinate importance." He claims that the evidence is overwhelming +as to the validity of the results obtained by mental testing. + +A few examples of experimental work given in Professor McDougall's +book will suffice to show the trend of these results. + +Tests of intelligence were carried out on recruits for the American +Army, white and coloured, and they shewed marked superiority of the +white race. + +A special test was carried out in Oxford by Mr. H.B. English, who +compared the capacity of boys in a school attended by children of the +intellectual classes with that of boys in a very good primary school, +whose fathers were shop-keepers, skilled artisans, etc., coming from +homes which were good, with no sort of privation. The result showed +marked superiority of the sons of intellectual parents. Mr. English +concludes that the children of the professional classes, between 12 +and 14 years of age, exhibit very marked intelligence, and he is +convinced that the hereditary factor plays an altogether predominant +part. + +In another experiment, Miss Arlitt, of Bryn Mawr College, tested 342 +children from primary schools in one district, who were divided into +four groups:-- + + Group 1. Professional. + Group 2. Semi-professional and higher business. + Group 3. Skilled labour. + Group 4. Semi-and unskilled labour. + +Marked differences between the groups were shewn. The intellectual +capacity was represented by figures as follows:-- + + Group 1 125 + Group 2 118 + Group 3 107 + Group 4 92 + +A further research of 548 children, grouped according to the +occupation of their father, gave its results in terms of the +percentage of children in each group who scored a mark higher than the +median for the whole 548. They are as follows:-- + + Professional group 85% + Executive group 68% + Artisan group 41% + Labour group 39% + +In the "Journal of Educational Psychology," Vol. IX, 1916, Mr. A.W. +Kornhauser gives evidence from the examination of 1,000 children drawn +from five schools in Pittsburgh. + +Schools A and B were attended by children of unskilled manual workers. + +Schools C and D by children of skilled artisans and small shopkeepers. + +School E by children of parents in very comfortable circumstances. + +The results are tabulated as-- + + Retarded, _i.e._, below average. + Normal, _i.e._, average. + Advanced, _i.e._, above average. + + | Retarded. | Normal. | Advanced. + A } Manual workers {| 45.2 | 47.1 | 7.7 + B } {| 36.7 | 55.9 | 7.4 + | | | + C } Artisans, etc. {| 29.4 | 50.2 | 20.7 + D } {| 28.8 | 50.2 | 19.5 + | | | + E Most comfortable | 12.7 | 62.7 | 24.6[A] + +[Footnote A: I am indebted to Professor McDougall's book for +information here given.] + + +These experiments all shew the trend of intelligence (and with it will +power or power of concentration, and what we may call general +capacity) to be more concentrated in the so-called higher grades of +society, and to be less and less evident as we descend in the scale +from skilled to unskilled workers. It would, of course, be clear to +all that the children of mentally deficient parents can only be a +burden on the State or can rarely contribute anything of value to the +common weal. + +Now the teaching and advocacy of methods of conception control is most +easily assimilated and practised by the intelligent classes; indeed, +we may say with certainty that such methods can only be used +effectively by the intelligent members of the community, such as +leisured, professional and mercantile classes, skilled artisans and +better class workers, whereas the lowest type of casual labourers +whose home conditions render the use of preventive methods difficult +or impossible, and the mentally deficient and criminal classes, are +unaffected by such teaching. + +The result in a few generations must be a marked decrease in the +numbers of the intellectual and efficient workers, while the +hopelessly unfit continue to produce their kind at the same rate as +before. + +The figures given do not suggest that individuals with marked ability +are to be found in the upper classes only, but they do indicate that +there is a larger proportion of boys and girls in the more comfortable +classes whose inherited ability is above the average, though this may +be partly due to the more intellectual atmosphere in which their early +childhood has been passed. + +The provision of education for all, with facilities for children of +every class to pass on to higher grades of work, is essential if the +latent powers in all, whatever they may be, are to be developed to the +utmost. + +The point for our consideration at the moment, however, is that if the +production of all capable workers, whether mental or manual, is to be +curtailed and the numbers of the population maintained in greater +proportion from the mentally deficient or criminal classes, the result +must be national disaster. For in a very short time there will not be +enough leaders of real capacity to occupy positions of initiative and +responsibility in the various activities of the country at home and +abroad, nor will there be an adequate supply of good practical work: a +lowered standard of efficiency must result. From a national point of +view, therefore, we regard the propaganda in favour of conception +control to be a real and increasing danger. + +The problem of the mentally deficient is of another order. In this +case another kind of control is urgently needed, but it is one which +can only be undertaken by the State, and not by the individual. It is +to put in force such a method of compulsory segregation as would +ensure the comfort and contentment of the mentally deficient, and +safeguard them and the nation from the reproduction of their kind. + +The problem also of the insane and criminal classes in relation to +heredity is one which demands careful consideration by those competent +to give it. + + + + +SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS + + +1. There are certain women who for medical reasons should be prevented +from bearing children. + +2. There are couples with undesirable inheritance who rightly decline +to bear children. + +3. There are many women of the poorer classes in whom child-bearing is +sometimes the last straw in circumstances all of which tend to destroy +health and vitality. + +4. Public teaching on contraceptives, like medical advice advertised +in newspapers, is generally applied to cases for which it is +unsuitable and applied in the wrong way. + +It is therefore detrimental to public health as well as being +detrimental to public morality. + +5. A public opinion in favour of small spaced families does not serve +the best interests of the children or of their mother. + +6. Married love should express itself at once in the usual way without +the use of artificial contraceptives. + +7. The diminishing fertility of the more capable classes is a national +peril. + +To counteract this tendency every encouragement should be given to the +intelligent and efficient classes of the community to bear healthy +children. + +The study of problems which give rise periodically to a propaganda in +favour of the practice of conception control reveal the fact that +excessive child-bearing is found in those classes who suffer the +greatest privation, and in whom large families are a real hardship, +while many couples among the well-to-do are childless though greatly +desiring children. + +Such facts suggest that the true remedy for the general problem lies +in raising the standard of living among working-class mothers and +advising a more simple life to the more richly endowed. + +8. It is desirable that the Government should make provision for +methods which will arrest the propagation of the mentally deficient, +insane and criminal classes. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13906 *** |