Private Sex Advice to Women: For Young Wives and those who Expect to be MarriedArmitage, Robert B.
Science
Private Sex Advice to Women: For Young Wives and those who Expect to be Married
Armitage, Robert B.
Marriage; Sex instruction; Women -- Health and hygiene
IS IT INJURIOUS TO HEALTH? It is sometimes urged against Birth Control
that the use of contraceptive methods is injurious to the health of
women, in some cases a long list of physical and mental ills being given
as possible of being caused by such methods. Opposed to this is the
contention of the members of the medical profession who have arrayed
themselves on the side of scientific Birth Control. The latter
authorities positively contradict the assertion that women's health is
injured by the practice of rational and scientific methods of Birth
Control; although these authorities freely admit, in fact they CLAIM,
that certain unscientific methods and practices popular among certain
persons--such as the use of certain chemicals and mechanical
appliances--undoubtedly have resulted in physical harm, and they
strongly advise against the use of such bunglesome methods.
One of the leading medical advocates of scientific Birth Control in the
United States throws down the gauntlet squarely before those of his
profession, and others, who urge this objection to scientific Birth
Control, in the following challenging words: "I challenge any physician,
any gynecologist, to bring forth A SINGLE AUTHENTICATED CASE in which
disease or injury resulted from the use of modern methods of prevention.
I know they cannot do it." And others in the ranks of the medical
profession have made similar assertions and claims. The unprejudiced
person who will consult the best medical authorities on the subject will
unquestionably agree that the best medical opinion of the day holds that
scientific Birth Control is not in fairness to be open to this
objection.
IS BIRTH CONTROL UNNATURAL? Another favorite argument of the opponents
of scientific Birth Control is the broad statement and claim that "all
voluntary attempts to limit procreation are unnatural," and therefore
wrong. This objection, while usually offered without any particular
argument, explanation, or proof, must be carefully and honestly met and
answered by the fair-minded advocate of Birth Control.
In the first place, it may as well be admitted that regulation,
restriction, or control of the procreative functions by application of
the intellect or reasoning processes IS unnatural, in the sense of not
being indicated by Nature and enforced through the instinctive actions
of the race. The only instinct which primitive man seems to have had in
this case (and these he held in common with the lower animals) was that
of free and unlimited sexual intercourse, in response to his instinctive
desires, with this exception (and this exception should be carefully
noted), i. e.: that the male respected the instinctive disinclination to
cohabit during the period in which the woman was pregnant, and often
also during the period in which she nursed her infant. This instinct,
unhappily for the race, the "civilized" man has overridden until it has
practically ceased to manifest its voice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account