SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 111, 12 April 1937, Page 12

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

REPORT OF COMMITTEE. RECOMMENDATIONS MADE. Several conclusions have been arrived at by. the special committee ; which was set up by the Government to inquire into various aspects of the problem of abortion in New Zealand. The report, which has been released for publication by the Minister of Health (Hon. P. Eraser) was signed by Dr. D. G. McMillan, M.P. (chairman), Mrs Janet Eraser, Dr. Sylvia G. Chapman, Dr. Thomas P. Corkill and Dr. T. L. Paget. One of the findings is as follows: —"It has been estimated that some 6000 abortions occur in New Zealand every year. Of these, it is believed that 4000, at a conservative estimate, are criminally induced either through the agency of criminal abortionists or by self-induction, either of which is equally dangerous. It is clear that death from septic abortion occurs almost entirely in such cases." The committee, after taking evidence from witnesses representing all sections of the community, lias formed tho conclusion that the main causes for resort to this act arc: (1) Economic and domestic hardship; (2) changes in social and moral outlook ; (3) pregnancy among the unmarried; and (4) in a small proportion of cases, fears of child-birth. Consideration has been given to the possible remedying of these causes.

(a) In so far as economic hardship is the primary factor, certain recommendations have been made regarding financial, domestic and obstetrical help bv the State. "(b) To lessen any fear of child-birth where this exists, it has been recommended that the public should be informed that New Zealand now has a very low death-rate in actual childbirth and that relief of pain in labour is largely used. At the same time the committee has advocated that further efforts in the direction of pain relief should be explored. (c) For dealing with tho problem of the unmarried mother, the committee considers that the attack must be alongthe lines of more careful education of tho young in matters of sex, prohibition of the advertisement and sale of contraceptives to the young, and a more tolerant attitude on the part of society toward these girls and their children. (d) The committee believes, however, that the most important cause or all is a change in the outlook of women which expresses itself in a demand of the right to limit —or avoid —the family, coupled with a widespread halfknowledge and use of birth-control methods—often ineffective. These failing, tho temptation of abortion follows. GIVING OF ADVICE. The committee can see only two directions in which abortion resulting from these tendencies can be controlled: — . (1) By the direction of birth-control knowledge through more responsible channels where, while the methods would be more reliable, the responsibilities and privileges of motherhood, tho advisability oi self-discipline in certain directions, and other aspects of the matter would be discussed. Ihe committee believes that it is through the agency of well-informed doctors and, to a certain extent, through clinics associated with the hospitals, that this advice should be given. It is not, however, considered that this is a matter for the State except to a limited degree. (2) To appeal to the womanhood ot New Zealand, in so far as selfish and unworthy motives have entered into 'our family life, to consider the grave physical and moral dangers, not to speak of the dangers of race suicide which are involved. This, it is considered, is a matter for all women e social organisations to take up seriously. r Certain further measures of a more general nature came under the examination of the committee. The prohibition of the promiscuous advertisement of certain goods and of their sale to the young; the licensing of the importation of certain types or those goods; the restriction of the sale or distribution of such goods to practising chemists, doctors, hospitals, and clinics ■ the prohibition of the advertisement, or of the sale, except on medical prescription, of certain drugs and appliances which might be used for certain purposes; these measures are recommended. The specific legislation of therapeutic abortion (by doctors for health reasons) as a safeguard to doctors was fully examined, but is not recommended. The committee is satisfied that the present interpretation of the law 'is such that, where the reasons for the operation are valid, the doctor •runs no risk of prosecution. The risks of an alteration in the law are great. Legalisation of the act for social and economic reasons was also put forward. The committee has discussed the matter, and strongly condemns any countenancing of this measure. "Though it may be conceded that legalised performance of the operation by doctors in hospitals might reduce the incidence of surreptitious abortion and deaths from septic abortion, we do not accept this as any justification of a procedure which is associated with grave moral and physical dangers," states the committee. With regard to sterilisation, the committee adopts the same view as toward the specific legislation of therapeutic abortion. It is believed that, where the reasons for the operation are in accord with generally accepted medical opinion there is no bar to its performance. The committee, however, sees tendencies in the direction of extending this operation far beyond the hounds of this accepted medical opinion. For this reason it does not recommend any alteration in the present position. FEAR OF AVAR.

“While dealing with the question of social outlook, it will not be out of place to refer to an aspect which, though mentioned hv _only a few wit* nesses, is known to till social workers as a factor of increasing importance,” the report says. This is the fear ot war. It may take the form of (a) com scious visualisation of the horrors of war, or (b) sub-conscious fear evidenced by excessive anxiety regarding tho future. Iu cither case it acts as a powerful deterrent from child-bearing, although it is doubtful whether those who are influenced by this fear would resort to abortion where contraception had failed. “It is clear that, whether the motives by worthy or selfish, women of all classes are demanding the right to decide liow many children they will have. Methods which depend on selfcontrol are ruled out as impracticable. Contraceptives are largely used, and. judging by the marked decline in the birth-rate in recent years, are in many eases successful. In othei cases, however, they are not so, and there is then' frequently a resort to abortion.” Insofar as hardships resulting from economic difficulties are genuine, the committee believes that there is a real call for and that there are definite possibilities of relief by the Statd. Two classes in particular call for most sympathetic consideration: —(1) The wives of the unemployed, or of those precariously employed. (2) The wives of those

engaged in small farming, especially in the dairy farming districts of the North Island. For such women the committee considers that much could be done by way of financial, domestic, and obstetrical help.