But I would not denounce woman alone, for the wrong does not lie wholly with her. Dr. Holbrook in an article on sanitary parentage, says: “That which polite language veils under the designation ‘social evil,’ and which desolates so many happy homes, and brings its quick harvest of misery, remorse, disease and death, chiefly lives because man does not know aright, does not truly reverence and honor woman, and keep in subjection that which may become one of the monster passions in his heart, and is thus continued from generation to generation.” Often, we believe, are women driven to abortion, by maternity being thrust upon them, when they are already weakened by too frequent child-bearing. A case of this kind came into my office a few days since. A bright, pretty little woman, scarcely more than a girl, sat down before me with the exclamation, “Doctor, I have missed my monthly period, and have come in to have you give me something to set me right.” “Are you married?” I questioned. “Yes,” she answered. “Do you not think that you may be pregnant?” I enquired. “Yes: I fear that I am,” she cried, with tears in her voice; “but I have one little one, not yet two years old, and a baby of eight months, and it does not seem that I can have another one now.” She was but twenty-two years old, and I could not help mentally calculating, what the number would be were she obliged to go on at this rate, until the child-bearing age was passed. My heart ached for the child mother; but I could say to her only this: “My dear, do you think it would be better for you to endanger your health, and perhaps take your life, and leave your two babies without a mother, than to go on patiently and have this baby, and live to care for them all?” I said to her, “Never allow yourself to think for a moment, of taking the life of a little unborn child; it is murder, dear, and nothing else. I know you have not thought of it in this light. Go home, talk it over with your husband candidly, tell him that you will never be guilty of the sin of abortion, no matter how many children you have. Insist upon the better way, namely, such continence in the marriage relation as shall not impose the burden of maternity upon you oftener than once in two or three years. Help him to see that the selfish gratification of his desires are hardly worth while when secured at such a cost to your health and comfort. Make him to see that the children that come from such self-indulgence cannot be the strong, vigorous and noble children they would be if generated under self-control. Occupy separate beds, and help him by every means in your power to attain self-control, and become master of his passions, not their slave.” I do not know the outcome, but I feel certain that the little woman went home with something to think about, and I trust with profit.