THE VITALITY OF THE RACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14528, 20 May 1909, Page 5

THE VITALITY OF THE RACE

JIHASTMiES FOR Plll^EliVATlON. IMPOUTANT AIJUMWS BY DP. UA'IVIIKLOR. .A large ga.iicring of. ladies and a few gentlemen a-.-em'oled yc-ierday afternoon in the Hum.- Hull on the oei-a-iou of the second annual ir.ec;in-' of the Society for Ihe Promotion of the Health of Women and Children. His Worship the .Mayor (Mr J. H. Walker) o;eupi?d lh- chair, and was niniported on iU? platform by hi* Lordship Ihe Priiital'j (liishop Nevill). Dean Fitchctt, Dr Nisbet, and Father Coffey; Professor Park. Drs Pickeriil ami lhttchclor. Hon. ,1. B. C'allwi. AI.L.C. .\le-.-is (i. -M. Thomson. .M.l'., .lames Alien, .M.P., A. S. Adams, .1. 11. 110.-king, und D. I'.. Tbeoinin. Apologies for ab-ence were received from his Honor Mr Ju-tice Williams, lite Hon. J. It. Sinclair. Lev. W. Hewilc-on, Canon King, .Mr and .Mis C. L. Denuiston. and Mr T. W. Keiunthotue, who forwarded a donation of £5 ss. Tite Chairman said he had much pleasure in acceding tu the request to lake the chair at litis me-ling in his official capacity as Mayor of the city. They had l.cfore. thrm aheavy business paper, and he would at one» call upon Dr liaichelor for his addiis-'. AN I.MPUFASIVK STATLMKXT. Dr lialch.-lor, after a brief introduction eulogistic of Ihe work undertaken by the society, said he would endeavour lo place Iv-forc them certain thoughts and deductions, the outcome of his own personal experience and observation after some 40 yeats' active engagement in the work of his profession. He trusted he would never be afraid to express his opinions because (hey might be unpopular. Then the doctor continued:—l-et me ask this question': Are the preseni conditions of life, as lived by a large proportion of the young women of ibis Dominion, favourable to what I must emphatically assert is the main function of womanhood; the raising of a healthy and vigorous rae?? Is it not rather altogether pushed into the background, and made a totally secondary lonsidetation, unci is not her success in ? ome profession which ensures immediate emolument looked upon us the. first and main object of life for the majority of our girls? If this is the case, we are perpetrating a grave error opposite! lo the mod elementary principle.* ot physiology, and 1 cannot hut think that our existing educational system for girls is primarily and principally m fault in the iniittor. Let me clearly stale that, so far as regards the higher education of women, providing if is conducted on reasonable lines and in accordance with her peculiar physiological necessities, I a.m fully in sympathy: but my contention k that OK.ontial physiological principles are being totally ignored, and that our present educational system encourages and invites young women to enter a course of study for which Nature never intended them, and which undoubtedly, in a considerable numlwr of cases, is followed by an inadequate development of those organs and functions which are characteristic of healthy womanhood.—(Applause.) Uu lo a. certain age, say, to (ho twelfth or thirteenth year, hoys and girls can work and bs taught together in the same classes with advantage, the girl, on the whole, probably being the brighter and more conscientious in her work, bill after that age their course of study should absolutely diverge. Physiology teaches us that the stress ot the development of certain organs and functions in the female lays an enormous strain on her constitution. While a moderate exercise and development of her mental powers, are. beneficial, an undue lax on them lends in not a few cases to a failure in development in hat physical characteristics, and often to a breakdown in both directions. WUONCI EVOLUTION. As a. nwiitiil man practising for over 20 years specially in diseases of women, evidence is almost daily brought before me of the mi.chiei wrought and the disasters that ensue. When we see young women competing with men, undertaking the same 1 niversity curriculum anil examinations, when we see them entering professions, eager to obtain clerkships, ottice-work, and typewriting, and when the work in our factories is largely conducted bv female labour, Ollt! cannot but realise that our social evolution is piogressing on incorrect lines, and is diveiging further and further from lite home hie which tends to the i-euriit.r of a. healthy population. -(Applause.) When these young women marry, what is heir subsequent historv? If ih->re is a faintly at all, instead of childbirth being a. normal physiological process attended bv little risk or •undue suffering, we find iit a. large proportion of cases the process becomes an absolutely pathological one. and I think every practitioner of Jong experienc;. will endorse this view: that'{be percentage of normal imaidotl eases altencled by lite doctor in our large towns is year by year decreasing. Neura.-ihcnie females cannot boat' Hut pains of labour as their healthier mothers did before (.hem. Narcotics and aut-eslholies must be freely employed, ami manipulative, assislancii has frequently to lie nttitlc use of, while the ultimate results compare most unfavourably with those, of Nature's unaided efforts. As a sequence, despite the fact that the practitioner of the present day is far better equipped than his predecessors of 30 years ago, his results are no befk-r as regards maternal and infant mortality. WOMEN" STUDENTS. Our Universities invite and hold out inducements to young women lo ,-nter lJic-ir doors. At, the inception of the medical woman era. in tnv student clays it was natural that I should have sideci with the thoughtless and often boyish opposition at; first aroused; years lafc>r, after my connection with our local I'nivetsity, impressed by the excellent students some of these Indies proved themselves lo be, J was inclined to think that the change might eventuate successfully, but as a result of more extended experience the conclusion forced upon mu is that in only a few very exceptional coses arc women suited for a profession which makes such incessant demands on the physical and nervous energies of those who pursue it.—(Applause.) A small proportion of our lady doclors have attained a, moderate success. But at what cost? My experience of medical students, put brielly. is this: Of the men a small proportion break down during their course of siudy; of Ihe women the majority doit is the few who do not. The average male student, and sometimes the studont below the average, usually turns out a fairly useful and successful practitioner; the brilliant female student, at the best attains only mediocrity. WOMEN AT WORK. When, again, numbers of young women arc found entering into clerkships, ollica and factory work, this seems to me largely attributable to our educational system, that does not aim at preparing our girls, for a domestic life, but at tempts to train them to pass a useless matriculation examination. Does our State system of education encourage girls to enter domestic service? Yet, 1 confidently assort, the girl employed in domestic duties in a good homo, with a good mistress, is happier, better off, leads a more wholesome and healthier life, will make a better wife and mother, and is more likely to rear a healthy stock than her sister whose aims, possibly, have been more ambit ions. That my views are shared by the majority of mankind is shown by ihe fact that the competent domestic usually promptly acquires an establishment of her own, while the scholarship girl with the D certificate will probably face many years of weary leaching in a back-block school.—(Applause.) Two causes of the difficulty of domestic service suggest themselves to me: First, the cteicy to educate our girls on wrong lines, and second, the absurd and stupid stigma almost invariably attached to domestic service. It is esatntial thai the Stats recognise the nerc-sity for a radical divergence hi the education of boys and girls about the age. of puberty; alter passing the standard usually attained at this age let the girl's studies be chielly directed to domestic iu;ina':e!i:..'.nt. domestic economy, physiology, and hygiene. SUGGKSTKI) yen J LOTS. Is domestic tuanagentenl, in which should bo included the care r.f the infant, such a simple mutter that every woman can llouiider inio it and is-come comtietcui intuitively? Is domestic economy so generally practised thai there is no need for special instruct ion either for the poor or for the rich? The amount of over-f«ding, bad feeding, extra vacant .feeding, and wasteful fe.-ding, :-wn anion; the poorest, is stupendous. Yet ihcK- is no mystery about the suhjcel: a girl of very ordinary intelligence and veiy mod..rate education ionic! readily acquite a suliieient of the fundamentals. If girls were soundly instructed in the c:r.era! princioles of hygiene, might me. this" be nitf;' useful ifiau a smattering of Kr.snch, algebra, or Hue-lid. The tondetf.- of their education at prc-selil is to train ihem for wine occupation which will be ai-.!i:!e-.'d a* soon as their normal career if n::'.!rin'ony is adopted, h it not mote in ar:-o;-: ! Willi cnuinon sense to train them p-mciiktllv for thc-e domestic dm:■:-.= for which Nature he" dc.-.incd them, and a kiiowUvlg,: of wliVh plays such an important pari in the. ttavelopiiiem of a nation? Is if altogether impracticable for our State schools, assisted by our technical schools ajicl oitr- UtiivereitTi to devise u

ti-heme, whereby domestic, management might. he systematically taught and diplomas granted guaranteeing a certain standard of dliekwy and ensuring the possessor an improved status? OCR MAIUUACK CUSTOM?. Now lit me briefly refer lo an etttirelv iltlKrcni subject-one of vital imporiauc-e lo women, and one i haimost distinctly-hoidd rank high in the functions of illi-, society, for years pad it ha.' forced itself upon me a- the mb;; shocking atrocity ot modem civilised life. 1 refer io our marriage ens-i.on.s-;lie ijotial and haphazard manner in which patents allow their daughters to enter niatiiiiiotiv, without tlioiiithi or scrutiny as to ihe line;.-; .{ the husband. It 'will clout.! itVs horrify many when 1 imlie.-litat-iii'.'ly iLvevi thai a large percentage of men enter married life wbil" .-till sull'ei-ing from the ell'ei-ls of discuses—diseases peculiarly liable to aliVci the wife, endangering bs-ahh or, it may br. life, ami in the offspring leading to hereditary manifestations of di-.c.:se too numerous to speeifv. in large- centres in the Old World reliable authorities have estimated that some 90 per cent, of re.-pcciablo married women who are admitted oil.) special wards for diseases of women in large hospitals are siill'cring from tits effects of these maladies. In this town, in tnv opinion, the moral lone c>f our men is liy'no'iueaiis a low one; yet 1 am timvinicd it is no over-estimate to slide that fully 50 ps:r cent, of decent married women who ■outer the gynaecological ward of the Dtinedin 110-milal ilo so as the result of these diseases, When you further consider that this ward contains 14 beds. usually fully owtipiiil, and j-ecngni.-c Hint, this ward 'is merely the relies of what exists outside tlie Hospital (for there is no reason for supposing that the well-to-do classes of the community are more exempt than tlte pooler, or that their moral code is of a higher standard), vott may realise to what degree this must affect the health and well-being of ill" community; for results are far-reaching. There arc at the present moment not hundreds but thousands of innocent women in New Zealand fullering from the effects of these maladies. Lives innumerable have been lost, and desperate operations aw performed almost daily in this Dominion to relieve some unfortunate, sufferer. Wives are rendered ihildh-.-s, life-long sufferers, anil invalids. Vun aie not callously indifferent; it. is simply a matter of ignorance with the iiiciiorilv. The larger proportion of these men who marry do not. realise for a moment that a taint acquired |X>ssibly y?«irs before, and probably altogether forgotten, may vet be lurking dormant in their system's. To me it seems that the moral code for men and women litis over been, ami probably ever will lie, regulated by different standards. Nature has set an altogether different Nemesis for men aim women for That the amelioration of existing ton.dit.ions is impracticable is not my creed. It wo cannot expect lo eradicate male immorality we can, at anvraK regulate, and thereby reduce, its baneful ii'iluence. If, as is undeniable, a serious proportion of the evils to winch I have referred a.i-2 attributable to the marriage of the unfit, what valid objection can be'raised to the Stale demanding of every man, l.«forc entering on a ma.trimonial alliance, that he should submit himself to medical inspection, which shall certify to his fitness or otherwise?—(Applause.) NO MAWKISH SBNTIMKXTALITY. In Ibis young country, which Nature has 52 bountifully endowed, the reproach h ours alone if our race fails to achieve tire highest level of mental, physical, and moral etfU-ieney. Our invigorating climate favours the production of a healthy and vigorous stock. Our isolation by 1200 miles of ocean protects from dangers other 1-nds find it so hard to guard against. Our concentration in a oomnarafive'.y limited and fertile area facilitates control and supervision impracticable in larger countries. Tlieniassets of the workers live- under conditions that for tk- most part allow of ample provision for all those essentials of life that conduce lo health and happiness. We hav-ei rdready sltown that wo refuse to be trammelled liy lira traditions and conventions of the Old World, and do not fear exploiting fresh ficlils. Why not, then, make some effort to eradicate or mitigate disr-aw that has liocn at the root of so much racial decadence in the Old World? Let no mawkish sentimentality (a weakness bv no means limited to the female sex) be raised to oppose measures wldch would fend to abolish untold miicry. siekn?s3. and sufierinfi. Men. as a rule, are not opposed to methods for dealing wi'h this scourge. The women of this land now bave the pow.M- .o resolutely insist on drastic measures to counteract Ibis canker of modern civilisation, and. for the fkc of vour sons and daughters, for the sate of the generations yet, unborn. I urge you to grasp your opportunity, and grasp ii in tint?.—(l/oud apii'anse.) AN ENDORSEMENT BY DR (KING. Dr Trilby King rose to propose a vote of thanks to Dr Ibtehelor for his address. .Speaking for himself, he said aWutoly that Ii? had never heard any address which he thought would be pregnant with so much gcotl to the community as the address they had just iistened to.—(Applause.) lie did not think there was one woman m that, large meeting who could fail to be deeply grateful lo Dr Batchelor for the earnest words he had spoken—(Applause,) The address had raised the point as to whither the function of the society includsd the welfare of women apart from the welfare of I he children, tie could absolutely reassure Dr liatehelor on that. point. The society was the Society for ths Promotion of the Health of Won*.-,. and Children. .Some branches had k.en formed elsewhere under the title ol ;■ Society for the Protection of Infant Life." But thai was limiting the original scope, and intention of the foundets of the society, and the branches in question bad since altered iheir title to accord with that of the parent, organisation. The society was exactly what its name represented it to be. People sometimes thought it was a charitable organisation, and that its elforls were directed towards one class more than another. Again and again they had said the society was for the whole community, and was for the benefit of one class as much as for another. It was a society banded together for mutual aid and insti'tietion. They recognised that there was a want of knowledge of matters which warp of vital importance to women and "children, and that that want of knowledge was a very serious evil to the race. As to the question of education matters, it was impossible for him to convey iiow strongly he felt tlrat the common education of men and women upon similar lines was one of the most preposterous farces ever perpetrated. He could not understajid how women allowed to be imposed upo>- them an education whioh was evolved for men. and which was admittedly far from ideal even for thorn. If it was wrong fur the men to be crammed with mathematics. Algebra, and other subjects which had no utility in ordinary life, how inliuirely more wrong it was that woman, whose natural interests, tastes, .vnd aptitudes trended in other directions, should bo required to submit to such impositions. It was ever more than a serious waste of lime—time which might be better employed in learning these things and under/standing those principles which underlaid the malting of happy homes. This was recognised bv the growing tendency in America lo teach girls what wtw called the " Science of Domestic l'jconoinics," which was simply defined as the "knowledge of bow to do well, and the reason why- of everything connected with the home." Further, due attention to recreation, exereise, and bodily development wore being insisted on. ile agreed with ]> Baiohelor that there was no valid objection to .women being highly educated. It was not the higher education, but the entirely wrong class of education, that hurl tlleni. (iirls should not be encouraged io cram subjects that were anil foreign lo their nature. As to the question of the education of women tor the learnwl professions, he asrreed with Dr bau-helor that it was an alwolutely indiMtyisible thing. Had he ever so many girls to he placed in any walk of life, certainly none would ever be destined for any_ profession which necessitated an excessively heavy .nental lax and nervous sirain upon them during the most momentous growing period of life. Jn America. Dr Howard Kelly—probably the greatest, authority upon these questions in relation to the disabilities and diseases of women—hat'_ lately said that there was perfect unanimity among the most eminent members of the medical profession as io the necessity of education being given io women in relation to their function as the mothers of the community, This was ihe opinion of doctors practising among ;iie poor and ignorant as well as among the ignorant and well io do. Further, ~|;e women of America themselves were taking the matter up. and the soundest thinkers amongst them were advocating thai (he consideration -ho'.tld be given to these subject-;. A-~ to the society itself, it had naturally first turned its attention mainly to the children, li had lmm in existence during two years. Dunedin was the firstformed branch. There, had been eightothers formed, the latest being- at Timavu. During the existence of the society he might s.iy ib.il throughout New Zea!n>;tl many thousands of women and children had come under the care of the soeioty and its nurses. The number of communications the sc/.ieu hid received he was confideat must

amount to not loss than 20.000—(Applause) The Doctor then iofol rod In what was bring clono at ilie latcsst formed branch— namely, that in U'imai-it,—which had been at work only about, a couple of months, lieferriug m a lonu IctKr ho ltail just received from Si--!w Alii?, tho Tiinarii I'liinket nurse, In- said that a. few facts would serve to illustrate the onerey and .Uv.ition with which t.hi! work was being carried on. ami wouM also show that the' broader educative factors referred to by Dr. liatchelor were receiving full intention. Some 50 mother.--- or nearly ICO mothers ami babies-were under tho care of the Tima.ti nurse, and she hail met with every pu.-.-ible hail) and encouragement from the' mcmhcr.s of the tnt'tlie.il profession.--(Applause.) Nearly all flic mothers hail called in her services a! the instance of doctors, and she was lecturing to Mie nurse., at. thy local hospital on the care ami foedimr of babies, flcsidcs this, she was giving :i special coutse of practical instruction to girls tit the. Technical .School under the following; head-'iugr;:—Dome-tic hygiene (including- food and clothing-), four evenings; health of mother, three evenings; care and feeding of baby, 12 evenings; care of children, one evening, lieluriung- to the broad issue, ho said l.ho decadence of nations was threatening Jiiany lantis. and the main factors involved were .-neb as Dr Jiatehelor hail .-.■- fenreil. to. Fiance, with its declining liiith rale, kill already become a second-class Power. Ancient history taught the same kj.-ou. The, decay of Greece and Porno was not primarily line to a falling-oti' ill the prowo,i, of the Phalanx and the Legion, but to increasing luxury, lessened exertion, lessened contact with the open air, arrowing expense in the cost of living, and an increasing selfishness which expressed itself in a disinclination for the ties of marriage ami parenthood. Normal home life was shirked, and decadence and sterility led k> the fall. Wo heard much nowadays about national defimcc, hut wo must not put our whole trust in the "rooking tube and iron •shard." The safely of nations was not a question of the gun alone, but also of the man behind the sun, and he was the resultant of Hie grit an:! self-Micrilice of his mother. Jf they l)ad not plenty of noble moUiws tlioy kicked the lirsi clement of racial success and national greatness. Recalling tin interview of seme four years previously, Dr King mcniioned thai Dr liatehelor had'then spoken ofthe enormous riumlwr of women who came under operation through disabilitien and diseases resulting from tlte fact of their not having nursed their offspring, and he said I hat when this was superadded to what Dr fiatchelor had told them to-day they were justified in feeling that a now era for women and children could bo brought about by due attention to I lie well-recognised causes of the common ills from which both so grievously anil so unnecessarily suffered. In conclusion be would ask them to very Ite.artilv record their thanks to Dr Balchclor for 'his admirable adclvoss. Dr Kin"- then read portion of the annual report, which was printed and circulated in book form. Owing to the length and detailed character of this document the major portion was taken ;us read. The balance sheet showed that the total income for the year, inclusive of the balance of £43 Zs 9d brought forward from last year, nrmiimi«"d to £1761 18s lid. while the expenditure amounted to £1226 lfe 2d leaving a credit of £535 is 9d. which, Willi an estimated value of £190 for tlte furniture in the home, left the assets of the society at £725 2s 9<l. The Chairman moved, and .Mr .1. it. Husking seconded, the adoption of the report, ami the motion was tarried with enthusiasm.

Messrs A. S. Ac'ams, Mr G. M. Thomson, M.P., and Mr James Allen, M.L\, also spoke. Tire eleoiion of oflice-lioaveis for the ensuing year ranked as follow.;:— president, Mrs'T. Xisbcl: viM-prcsiilcnr». Mrs .]. 11. Hf.skiiiff ar.'d Mrs (>. Joachim: secretary, ?>!rs E. Carow: assistant secretaries, .Mis King and Mrs K. S. Ramsay: treasurer, Mrs Cohen; inlinpr trcasuror, Mis? Cohen; (.oinniiitec—Me.-d.imes James Allen. ,1 Loudon, - I/hvards. J. Ross, K. S. Ramsay. .1. M. Ritchie, - Allan (Mosgiel). A. .laclwon, .1. M. Gallaway, (I. 1.. Dejinislon, W. A. Mooro, — Donald. Leslie Harris, .1. 11. Walker. W. I'. E:!iiioikl, K. Wil liiims, ]). K. Theoniin, Tnibv King. 0W. Rah ray, - A nimbi. T.' IC. Si.Jev. Misses (iow, liesuiek, Adjutant Tweed. Sisters Krncsline, Kvelyue, and Annie: honorary physicians to Kavitano HomeDr Krnest Williams: lion, physicians to the sosic-iy— Drs .Stanley lint - clinlor, Russell, Ritchie, and Sidney Allen: hon. gyne«:lori-r. l)r V. 0. Rn.lehflor; hon, (ier.toi .surgeon, llr I'iek?roll: hen. analysts. 11 r and Mrs Donald: hon. solicitor, Mr .1. U. Callan, jun.: lion consult in<r physician, ])r F. Truhy Ivinir. llr Xislit'l proposed a yole of thanks 1o '111- Truhy Kin;,', Mis Kinsr. iho speakers, the office bfarers. jihl the Mayor for presJdin;,' and for granting ilie use of the Town Halt. , IJishop Xovill «!>coinl?d the moiicn. and refnrrcd to the foundation of J'lunkel nurses as being one lliin;; whkh v.oulil cause the mines of Lord and Lady Phmket to 1m reniejubercl with honour. Uotli proposals wore carried with enthusiasm.