Tokology : $b A book for every womanStockham, Alice B. (Alice Bunker)
Science
Tokology : $b A book for every woman
Stockham, Alice B. (Alice Bunker)
Women -- Health and hygiene
My diet was of fruit and vegetables, with graham mush for breakfast. I
was very regular the last three months with my sitz-baths, taking them
just before retiring, and finding them very quieting.
I took a walk every day for the first seven months. After that my only
exercise was my housework. I wish that this valuable book could reach
all. If anything I have said will help some poor mortal, I shall be
very glad to have you use my words.
Occasionally it has been reported to me that women following the
teachings of _Tokology_ in pregnancy have failed in securing desired
results. Almost invariably in such cases investigation has proven
that some of the directions have not been followed. Nearly always the
_fruit diet_ has been adopted quite faithfully, and sitz-baths taken
as directed. Often no special change has been made in _dress_, the
_exercises_ and the hot bath at confinement have been omitted, and the
teachings in Chap. XI. _entirely ignored_.
These are all equally important with diet and bathing. The millennium
for women, so far as health is concerned, would be at hand if they
could be convinced of the injurious results of corsets, bands and
heavy skirts. _These must be discarded._ There is no compromise if one
desires the physical development so essential to healthy child-bearing.
The stock-raiser would not allow one single girth around a mare in foal
that in any way restricted respiration, digestion and circulation,
lest the mare or her offspring be injured. In the physical life of
woman she is just as amenable to the laws of nature as is the animal.
If a man were to exchange and wear his wife’s clothing, for one month,
only he would show more interest that the mother of his child should
avoid the deleterious influence of the fashionable dress. The natural
and artistic lines of the body must be preserved to insure the noble
attributes and capacities of motherhood.
_Exercise_ is especially essential in pregnancy. Those recommended in
_Tokology_ increase the capacity of the pelvis and abdomen, develop
the muscles to be used in parturition, aid digestion, and equalize
circulation.
Many ladies, following faithfully the directions for exercise, have
been very lax in regard to diet and baths, and yet brought about
remarkable results in having an easy delivery. Several instances
have come to my knowledge of ladies who, having taken elocution
lessons during pregnancy, and with these lessons a thorough course
of gymnastics, have brought about a natural delivery, where labor
previously had been prolonged and severe. These were persons who had no
knowledge of special baths or _fruit diet_.
The following interesting letter is from an intelligent lady who is
selling _Tokology_ as missionary work:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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