"SEX AND LIFE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 13

"SEX AND LIFE."

Dr. Sylvia Chapman Talks to Women.

Speaking specially to tlie younger women, Dr. Sylvia Chapman, in an address on "'The Physical Basis of Hex," delivered at Wellington recently, said that a primary need was the right understanding of the chief functions of the body and the subject under review was fundamental to the health, happiness and usefulness of all citizens. In the past, ignorance had produced a ho.->t of serious consequences, but the change of attitude in the past 20 years had been marked.

It was now no longer considered wrong, morbid or vulgar to wish to understand these functions and parents had only recently begun to educate their children in the right way. Physiology had been taught in the past with sex excluded and natural curiosity repressed. Surrounding the subject with myetery led to unnecessary fears and anxieties. To avoid nervous shock; girls should have the proper knowledge before they married. The use of diagrams could not possibly show the wonderful complexity of liuman physiology, but they served to convey accurate, if limited, information. Emotional Characteristics. Closely allied to the physical aspect was the emotional and this was stimulated by the contemplation of the secondary sex characteristics of form and texture which differed in the sexes. In that it also embraced mental and spiritual aspects, the human relationship differed from that of the animal. Alcohol, taken in small doees, affected a person in two waye, said Dr. Chapman. It heightened emotional reaction and at the same time dulled the moral sense and weakened the will. Thus an emotional situation between a man and a woman, which ordinarily they would be capable of controlling, might pass bevond their control.

Children sometimes became ' the victims of undesirable habits, often induced by wrong handling in childhood. Right understanding could often cure euch habits. The waste of emotion and energy was the worst feature of these cases.

Regrettable Developments.

Reviewing the urgent problems of to-day, Dr. Chapman pointed out the unhappy fact that the greatest faculty of all wae being debase,! and thus became in some aspects destructive to the community. Three-quarters of the estimated 0000 yearly abortions were criminally induced and deaths of women from this <-au«e in the years 1931-35 totalled 17ti. The gravity and danger must be- realised. It had been found that 43 per cent of women suffered direct injury in this way, resulting in serious nervous or glandular derangements. The practice of savage races in exposing unwanted children to death wa« not more horrifying than the loss of human life through abortion in New Zealand to-day.

Dangers of Disease.

An important physical aspect that could not be overlooked was the danger of disease, said Dr. Chapman, and ehe explained the methods of infection and the resultant symptoms. Ancient civilisations, such ae the Greek, reeognised the dignity and beauty of the human body ae their conception of the divine. Later, as ease and luxury advanced, they became decadent, their art suffered, and their moral fibre slackened ae it had done in the Chaldeans, Egyptians and Romans. The Jews were the exception, recognising strict purity, but even they had at times suffered in the same way when they ceased to safeguard their ideals.

Individual Stewardship.

In conclusion, Dr. Chapman stressed the great responsibility of those invested with creative power. Within marriage it entailed the rearing of children and their successful training for good citizenship. Outeide of marriage the duty of individuals was to find social release* and proper direction <,f this great power, with benefit to themselves and their community. Either of these courses demanded the best in each person and in either could be found the fulfilment of life. A healthy public attitude toward all prospective mothers was a vital need to restore these functions to their place of rightful diVnitv

OLD COMRADES.

WOMEN EX WAR WORKERS. wKf °^ d Association of Ex-war Workers held a social evfnmg in the British Legion rooms Durham Street East. cfmpetit s' conniunity singing and dancing were the' on er of the evening and a thoroughly en oyable time was spent Mrs Af T n ™ .T aS , the winner of "Contents 6f My Mother's Work Basket" and Mrs. V«o the winner of the "Age , - , comneti tifa During the Xfe tTI J° *°\T Uis h °P ed to be able l n h t ? Id an °ther social and dance this nlonth, as the previous one held in Julv was quite successful. J

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

The fiftieth anniversary of the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Doughty formerly of Wellington, now residing & lauranga was celebrated last week "in honour of the occasion a surprise supper party was arranged by the guests and management at Springside. Heleneville where Mr. and Mrs. Doughty are staving, and the usual toasts were suitably honoured. J

METHODIST WOMEN

nf ti, aVI? °S the Watervlew branch of the Methodist Women's .Missionary Auxiliary wae held in the church, Mrs Bennett presiding. Mrs. Armitage gave lltJ <lealin? with the work amol,g children in Methodist orphanage*. Mrs. Roseer was soloist and Miss Thomas accompanist.