16. EAT all kinds of grains, vegetables and fruits, and avoid salted
meat, but eat chicken, steak, fish, oysters, etc.
17. THE WOMAN WHO EATS INDISCRIMINATELY anything and everything the
same as any other person, will have a very painful labor and suffer
many ills that could easily be avoided by more attention being paid to
the diet. With a little study and observation a woman will soon learn
what to eat and what to avoid.
[Illustration: _Nature Versus Corsets Illustrated_
A. The ribs of large curve; the lungs large and roomy; the liver,
stomach and bowels in their normal position; all with abundant room.
B. The ribs bent almost to angles; the lungs contracted; the liver,
stomach and intestines forced down into the pelvis, crowding the womb
seriously.]
18. The above cuts are given on page 113; we repeat them here for the
benefit of expectant mothers who may be ignorant of the evil effects
of the corset.
Displacement of the womb, interior irritation and inflammation,
miscarriage and sterility, are some of the many injuries of tight
lacing. There are many others, in fact their name is legion, and every
woman who has habitually worn a corset and continues to wear it during
the early period of gestation must suffer severely during childbirth.
[Illustration: _"The House We Live In" for nine months: showing
the ample room provided by Nature when uncontracted by inherited
inferiority of form or artificial dressing._]
[Illustration: _A Contracted Pelvis. Deformity and Insufficient
Space._]
19. THIS IS WHAT DR. STOCKHAM says: "If women had _common sense_,
instead of _fashion sense_, the corset would not exist. There are
not words in the English language to express my convictions upon this
subject. The corset more than any other one thing is responsible for
woman's being the victim of disease and doctors....
"What is the effect upon the child? One-half of the children born in
this country die before they are five years of age. Who can tell how
much this state of things is due to the enervation of maternal life
forces by the one instrument of torture?
"I am a temperance woman. No one can realize more than I the
devastation and ruin alcohol in its many tempting forms has brought
to the human family. Still I solemnly believe that in weakness and
deterioration of health, the corset has more to answer for than
intoxicating drinks." When asked how far advanced a woman should be
in pregnancy before she laid aside her corset, Dr. Stockham said with
emphasis: "_The corset should not be worn for two hundred years before
pregnancy takes place._ Ladies, it will take that time at least
to overcome the ill-effect of tight garments which you think so
essential."
20. PAINLESS PREGNANCY AND CHILD-BIRTH.--"Some excellent popular
volumes," says Dr. Haff, "have been largely devoted to directions how
to secure a comfortable period of pregnancy and painless delivery.
After much conning of these worthy efforts to impress a little common
sense upon the sisterhood, we are convinced that all may be summed
up under the simple heads of: (1) An unconfined and lightly burdened
waist; (2) Moderate but persistent outdoor exercise, of which walking
is the best form; (3) A plain unstimulating, chiefly fruit and
vegetable diet; (4) Little or no intercourse during the time.
"These are hygienic rules of benefit under any ordinary conditions;
yet they are violated by almost every pregnant lady. If they are
followed, biliousness, indigestion, constipation, swollen limbs,
morning sickness and nausea--all will absent themselves or be much
lessened. In pregnancy more than at any other time, corsets are
injurious. The waist and abdomen must be allowed to expand freely with
the growth of the child. The great process of _evolution_ must have
room."
21. IN ADDITION, we can do no better than quote the following
recapitulation by Dr. Stockham in her famous Tokology: "To give a
woman the greatest immunity from suffering during pregnancy, prepare
her for a safe and comparatively easy delivery, and insure a speedy
recovery, all hygienic conditions must be observed.
"The dress must give:
"1. Freedom of movement;
"2. No pressure upon any part of the body;
"3. No more weight than is essential for warmth, and both weight and
warmth evenly distributed.
"These requirements necessitate looseness, lightness and warmth, which
can be obtained from the union underclothes, a princess skirt and
dress, with a shoe that allows full development and use of the foot.
While decoration and elegance are desirable, they should not sacrifice
comfort and convenience.
22. "LET THE DIET BE LIGHT, plain and nutritious. Avoid fats and
sweets, relying mainly upon fruits and grain that contain little of
the mineral salts. By this diet bilious and inflammatory conditions
are overcome, the development of bone in the foetus lessened, and
muscles necessary in labor nourished and strengthened.
23. "EXERCISE should be sufficient and of such a character as
will bring into action gently every muscle of the body; but must
particularly develop the muscles of the trunk, abdomen and groin, that
are specially called into action in labor. Exercise, taken faithfully
and systematically, more than any other means assists assimilative
processes and stimulates the organs of excretion to healthy action.
24. "BATHING MUST BE FREQUENT and regular. Unless in special
conditions the best results are obtained from tepid or cold bathing,
which invigorates the system and overcomes nervousness. The sitz-bath
is the best therapeutic and hygienic measure within the reach of the
pregnant woman.
"Therefore, to establish conditions which will overcome many previous
infractions of law, _dress_ naturally and physiologically; _live_ much
of the time _out of doors_; have _abundance_ of _fresh air_ in the
house; let _exercise_ be _sufficient_ and _systematic_; pursue a _diet
of fruit_, rice and vegetables; _regular rest_ must be faithfully
taken; _abstain_ from the sexual relation. To those who will commit
themselves to this course of life, patiently and persistently carrying
it out through the period of gestation, the possibilities of attaining
a healthy, natural, painless parturition will be remarkably increased.
25. "IF THE FIRST EXPERIMENT should not result in a painless labor, it
without doubt will prove the beginning of sound health. Persisted in
through years of married life, the ultimate result will be more and
more closely approximated, while there will be less danger of diseases
after childbirth and better and more vigorous children will be
produced.
"Then pregnancy by every true woman will be desired, and instead of
being a period of disease, suffering and direful forebodings, will
become a period of health, exalted pleasure and holiest anticipations.
Motherhood will be deemed the choicest of earth's blessings; women
will rejoice in a glad maternity and for any self-denial will be
compensated by healthy, happy, buoyant, grateful children."
[Illustration]
[Illustration: SWAT THE FLIES AND SAVE THE BABIES. LIFE CYCLE OF A FLY
EGG STAGE 1 DAY
MAGGOT STAGE 5 DAYS
PUPA STAGE 5 DAYS
14 DAYS LATER IT BEGINS TO LAY EGGS]
[Illustration: JOAN OF ARC.]
* * * * *