PRE-NATAL CULTURE.

White Ribbon, Volume 25, Issue 300, 18 June 1920, Page 11

PRE-NATAL CULTURE.

(By Nurse Ada K. Chappell.)

The constructive power of pre-natal influence seems little known, generally speaking. “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” is an old say ing. Hut I would like to press the fact that the one who is the cradle moulds tho;e who rule the world. The right tnejldink' of the coming generations is the most vitally important thing at the present time. The heritage of the future children of some of our prospective fathers, because of the infernos of different kinds through which they have passed in this war, will be of a lower type both in health and characteristics than previous generations. Therefore, everything which can counter balance this should be inculcated in the [.re-natal period thiough the mother. All the presentday problems to do w ith humanity can be largely, at least, solved in the mcvlding of the future race in the right directions, while the human building is being constructed. This reconstruction rests on women—on mothers. How can they utilise this constructive force unless they know they possess it, and some of the laws, a: least, which govern it? F.lie Reclus. the great anthropologist, says: “ft is to women, I think, that mankind owes all that has made »ir men.” Dr. Turia says: “The brain of man still continues its phychic evolution.” Swinev says: “Where? Where nature alone works insistently in her unseen laboratory, the mother’s womb, and the higher the individual organisation, the more rapid the adaptation of ways to means, of method to purnose. There must also he co-ordina-tion between physical, mental and t srchic conditions, when this embrvrivc building ur> of the nervous system takes place.” Luther Burbank, in his hook, “The Training of the Human Plant, ’ says: “Mv own studies have led me to be assured that hereditv is only the sum of all past environments, in other words, environment is the architect of heredity; and I am assured of another fact, acquired characteristics are transmitted—even further, that all characteristics which are passed on have been acquired.” Tf we accept as fact that characteristics .vhich have been acquired durirg the life of the individual can be

tiansmitted to the future children of those parents, we admit the law which tie Bible gives us that like begets like, but it is the like of the period when begot, and not of some remote period. Continually remarks are passed about the differences of the cl:; racteristics of children of the same parents, the same ancestors, and t same environments, so far as outward circumstances are concerned. If credi'able, we glibly say, “They must take after some ancestor.” If not creditable, we hear, “I don’t know who they take after; certainly none of my family.” I am not so lacking in scientific knowledge to discredit heredity, hut I do say we have In a wholesale manner swept problems of this kind on one side by saying tf!eV irust be a throw-back to some ancestor or other (usually pure guess work) in the same way we use to attribute •Ji the obscure ills of babyhood to teething. Now, we know , while these things may complicate teething, yet there is a root cause, and usually 3 removable one. In the same way we may look nearer at hand for the causes of these characteristics, and see if there are not some factors which can be harnessed and controlled to work for the good of humanity by aiding the necessary reconstructive, livery wide-awake mar. and woman knows some fundamental reconstruction is necessary, even though they may not see how it can be accomplished. Usually it is believed the character of a potential life is fixed when once its embryonic life has commenced. It is from this initial stage rhai the influence commences which is usually called “pre-natal influence,” or “pre-natal culture.” I prefer the term “culture,” because it represents to all of us something that may be improved by culture which brings even* influence to bear to develope the best, ?nd guarding against all influences which may cause ihe less best to develop. Nav, pre-natal culture means e\en more than the developing of the best already existing; it means producing something not there before, while yet in utero. O. F.. Newton, in the preface of his book on pre-natal culture, says: “A mother may, during the period of gestation, exercise some influence by her ow r n voluntary’ mental and physical action, cither unwittingly or purposely, in determining the traits and tendencies of her offspring. This is now a common belief among intelligent people. But

probably few have an understanding of the process by which results are af fected, or conception of the extent to which it may be controlled by intelligent purpose and wi e direction for the benefit of our children and the improvement of our race.” The greatest emotions of the mother •ire those which seem to stamp the characteristic on the child. If a mother is at a dead level, and nothing stands out to stir her emotions either to pleasure or the reverse or to spo cial effort, her children—so far as I can gather from my studies —arc likely to be markedly true to ances ♦oral traits of character. When we, a~ a race, understand the laws which govern this period, the mothers, during this period especially, v il’ be the supreme care of every sane person whose life touches theirs; and the arrangements of all homes will he made for her benefit and the life she is building; every one and every thi ig having to fall into line with this supreme purpose. As things are, it is the exceptionally fortunate mother wht receives ;.;uch practical consideration at th: a period. This does not refer to the working classes only, hut ~0 all classes, educated and uneducated. The selfishness of many husbands will have to be completely changed. They will need to realise the dignity of their manhood as shown bv the care and protection they give their wives, not from the outside world only, but perhaps more from themselves. The way young wives have to humour the moods of their husbands, to keep harmony in the home, is appalling when we consider the reflex action on the life being- built. I must say, I believe that many mothers and wives are largely to blame for the *el f.shness of their men-folk. When th?t man-child is born he has just as innate fine qualities as the womanchild. If the mother continually parses over things from birth up bv ssy ; ng “he is a bov,” which she would not pass over in the girl-hahv, she can rest assured she is forging chains to bind some woman with sooner or later. The woman who is so selfishly unselfish that she gives no ore else a chance to exercise that vir tue when she is about, is injuring all she comes in contact with. Many a man, when he is first married, would do any mortal thing to express hi* love for the woman who has crowned his life; but she demands a monopoly cr expressing her Jove in service, and

n course ot time the husband takes it for granted that she waits on him, and when the children come and her hands are full, she grieves at the selfishness <*i her husband, the verj thing she has biought about herself. There is an intense pleasure to those who understand some of the science of pre-natal culture to live and plan for the de ve’opment of good traits of character 'h their children. The quota of time allotted to this life-building means more or less ot withdrawing from in torests outside the home ; and thus, in the past, for want of outside stimulus, the thoughts have been gloomy, and o*ten full of pain in anticipation. 'I his need not be, and should never be al owed. The husband could surely copy the bird, who sits near and sings to cheer his mate while the incubation p< riod is keeping her close. One n e ther said to me the other day, after we had a talk together, “Why! motherhood, I now see, is a fascinating science. Home life could never b< dull if we understand the science of training on children and developing the good in them, and letting the evil die out, because we are careful only to call forth the good; and when we unde island how we can form the character of our children, to a large extent, during the pre natal period.” William Penn said, so long ago, mat men gave more care to the breeding of their cattle than they did to that of their children. I am certain, if new human lives had as much care given to their right formation as any successful farmer gives his cattle, the tace would spring forward by leaps pnd bounds. When men and women u c e their practical common-sense on these the mother will find that period of her life more joyous and happy than any other. She will feel th<- fairy tale* of her childhood pale he lore the marvellousness of sharing with (iod this creative power and moulding a physical temple for an immortal soul to dwell in. (To be Continued in Next Number.)