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BIRTH CONTROL NEWS
SOME BOOKS.
"MARRIAGE AND PERIODIC ABSTINENCE. THE NATURAL METHOD OF SCIEN- TIFIC FAMILY REGULATION." By J. H. G. Holt, M.D. Longmans Green. Pp. 174. Charts. Price 8s. 6d. net.
The author of this book is described as practising at The Hague and Utrecht, so presumably his data are derived from Continental women.
This may account for some of the peculiar state- ments made in these pages.
In the spate of books on the variously named safe period" this takes a relatively serious place. Obviously its compilation has involved considerable work, and the author's efforts to be thorough include the starting point of Genesis and a few notes from old Indian sources. One of the most interesting features of this and other recent books on the "safe-pericd," is the criticisms they contain of other writers' "safe-periods."
safe-periods." While they all agree in advocating some infallible rule for the estimation of a "safe- period," they vary both as to which it is and how to arrive at the dates for specific women.
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Dr. Holt, for instance, speaking of Siegel's oft-quoted work, says, "These calculations cannot serve as a serious scientific work." On the very next page he makes us smile himself by saying, There are no women who have their menstruations regularly every twenty-eight days," and it is a striking mistake' of Dr. Siegel's investigations that he took his records from women who had. He slates the American, Dr. Dickinson. Dickinson and Bryant's published statistics can- not be considered to be founded on a sound basis." Dr. Ogino has his turn too, and our author says, about devia- tions of the cycle, that it is strange that "Dr. Ogino who has always avoided
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October, 1937
this statistical error
should now fall into it himself when referring to the influence of a psychological shock on menstruation.'
Speaking of what he calls "ovulation bleeding," which sometimes is mistaken after childbirth for menstruation, he says, "Even doctors make this mistake, and one of the errors that follows is the belief that the period during which a woman is most apt to be fecundated is at or near menstruation."
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In short, this book emphasizes the extreme care required in the "research necessary to establish the "safe-period' in any woman.
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The author himself puts the follow- ing into italics. For women who wish to use the "safe-period" it is necessary that: Every new case should be con- trolled monthly by an expert, i.e. at every menstruation, for six to twelve months, After that a report should be issued after every third cycle. Any prescription will only be valid provided the woman remains in her usual circum- stances during the period which we will call the period of attention." "It is not a simple method," says our author, and heads a section of his book in capital letters. "To be assured of success the method should not be applied without the advice of 2. physician.'
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The number of undesired and unpre- meditated pregnancies reported in the chapter dealing with Test Cases makes one wonder at the credulity of the public. The enemies of the true scientific birth control are now eagerly putting about the idea that birth
control is difficult and unreliable and must be in charge of a doctor! We suppose some day all the world will realize the simplicity of really scientific contraception as demonstrated at the C.B.C. Clinics.
Vol. xvi, No. 3.
BIRTH CONTROL NEWS
CORRESPONDENCE.
Twelve Children.
DEAR MADAM, I am writing to ask you for your Birth Control, as I have had 12 children, and being 42 years of age, I don't feel fit to have any more as I get worried at times, and should like your advice. Believe me
Yours truly,
Malta's High
Rate.
Mrs. W.
Infant Death In the British Medical Journal the following very interesting letters appeared during the summer.
Health Problems in Malta.
more com-
SIR,In your issue of June 5 (p. 1179) Dr. G. Arbour Stephens raised the problem of the high mortality rate among the infants and children in Malta, which he attributes to defects of feeding caused by an insufficiency of good milk and fresh vegetables."
May I point out from the start that the problem is a much plicated and difficult one to solve? Among the factors responsible the following should be remembered: (1) The overcrowding caused by a popula- tion of 2,434 persons per square mile; (2) the high birth-rate of nearly 34 per 1,000; (3) the inclement weather during hot rainless summers which exceed four months in duration; and, (4) the limited economic resources, which entail a low standard of living among the poorer classes. Many mothers lack a good education, but it is always difficult for them to pay enough attention to their infants when they must cater as well for a family of six or seven other children with only their husbands' very limited earnings.
There is also the problem of proper feeding. Goat's milk is not used for infants on such a large scale as might
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be supposed; and if it were it might be preferable to many of the cheap artificial milks actually on the market.
I am, &c., WALTER GANADO.
Floriana, Malta.
SIR, I read with particular interest the letter of Dr. G. Arbour Stephens infant mortality in dealing with Malta, in which he attributes the high mortality-rate among children to lack of vitamin B in their diet. As a local medical man who has had the opportunity to study the question on the spot, I beg to differ. Of course, lack of vitamin B in foodstuffs and bad nutrition in general, both in the pregnant mother and in the child, play a part, and a good one at that, in bringing about that appalling death-rate which reflects so badly on our sanitation; but this is a contributory cause. The real cause of infant mortality in Malta is over- population; all other causes (bad feeding, uncleanliness, infections, &c.) follow in its wake and help to increase its ravages. Malta is a small island with the densest population in Europe, and a birth rate which surpasses by far that of any other country, and is out of proportion to our own economic wealth. Our birth-rate, which needs no alleviation of taxes and distribution
of prizes to be encouraged, as is done in other countries, is very high and alarming; only the usual indifference of the British Government and the fatalistic attitude of our own are not alarmed.
High infant mortality follows in- variably overcrowding...
I am, &c.,
Jos. BONNICI.
Valletta, Malta.
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