I have a sister-in-law who has five children, and from the first month
of pregnancy she is real ill, the sickness (as she herself puts it)
strains her all to pieces, after which she is in a state of collapse.
It is painful to be with her, the faintness and sickness continue,
right up till the eighth month. It is not safe for her to go any
distance by herself, as it comes on at any time, and her legs are
blue-black until after her baby is born. All her children are living;
her confinements are normal. She is a very plucky woman. Of course,
she has to do everything herself; she could not afford to have anyone
in to help her, and in that state she has to do all her own washing,
cleaning, etc. She has been to the doctor during these bad times, but
he does not seem able to relieve her, only tells her to rest her legs
all she can, which of course is one of the things with a family around
you the mother cannot do. Her husband was only getting 15s. at the time
she was having her first three children. Now he is getting £1 per week.
He works for the Rural District Council.
_Wages 15s.; five children._