1938-08-24 — Page 15

"Law Is Enough"

Among the views on the case expressed by Churchmen were these:

of

York The Archdeacon (the Ven. A. C. England): I do not consider it is a matter on which the Church is called on to express an opinion. The In has found Mr. Bourne not guil- ty, and that is enough,

Dr. Charlen Brown (past pre- sident of the Free Church Council): I welcome the jury's verdict. I think most Free Churchmen will agree with it, although the general question has never been fully considered by us.

Father Arthur Day, S.J. (of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm-street. W.): The Romon Catholic Church teaches that one must not take the risk of destroying human life-that the child.

Rev. Clarendo May (Vicar of Windmill-street, St. Peter's,

and W.): Common Hense Christianity are absolutely on It was the the side of the jury. only thing that could be done in the circumstances.

SHE'S SIMPLY

Gorgeous

"SHE" enters. All eyes are upon her. On every lip the question "who Is SHET"

Immaculate from head to foot- styled to the minute-looking as it she had just come from the hair dresser.

And then the secret is out. SHE only goes occasionally to the hair- dresser to have her wave set her coiffure modernized! A friend tells how particular she is to shampoo- regularly at home.

And there's really no trick to it. Discriminating women know that Mulsified teaves the hair soft and

casy to manager.

serves the wave-

makes it sparkle with new life, gloss and Justre.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, WEDNESDAY,

“MOTHERHOOD LAW MUST BE CHANGED"

Doctors Demand

Protection

By PAUL BEWSKEN

STRONG demands

for an immediate amendment of the existing law regard- ing the performing of what are now illegal operations are being made by a large sec- tion of the medical profession, following the acquittal of Mr. Aleck Bourne, the Wimpole- street, W., surgeon, at the Old Bailey.

Mr. Bourne was found Not Guilty of unlawfully operating on a girl of 14 who had been assaulted by Royal Horse Guards troopers.

Pressure will now be brought on the Government from many quarters to introduce a new Bill which will make it impossible for a reputable surgeon to be put in the dock for an action which is considered correct by many doctors and by a vast section of public opinion.

An Inter-Departmental Com- mittee on Abortion, set up by the Ministry of Health, under the chairmanship of Mr. Nor- man Birkett, K.C., is now sit- ting,

has followed Mr. and Bourne's case with great in- terest. It is expected to publish its report in the autumn.

the

Rollo

This committee includes Countess Baldwin and Sir Graham-Campbell, chlef Metropoli- tan nagistrate.

The Government, it is hoped, will then decide to take steps Bill to 10

nata introluce modify the existing law, which

to is claimed

be rnost (in- satisfactory.

2123

re-

the

Strong public fechling aroused by the ease may determine the Britiah Medical Association to take some teod. The association did not act on the report by the committee set up by it in 1934 to consider the medical napects of the subject, which alteration of commended existing law.

The present prosecution, invited by Mr. Bourne, who was a member of that committee, as a test case, litt now brought the matter to a head. It is likely to influence the associa- tion strongly.

While

many eminent members of including the medical profession, Lord Horder, have shown themselves in favour of an alteration In the law, there is a certain section which op-i pose It. OPPOSITION

specify what "unlawfully" means ond gives no indication as to when the result may be pro- cured lawfully.

The other is the Infant Life (Preservation) Act, 1929, which makes a person liable to alte sentence who causes, by a wilful act, the death of an unborn child capable of being born alive-that is, 28 weeks or more after preg-

this Act

Act an exception In nude where the act is done

讚

known obstetrician say that he had carried out ruch an operation be- cause the woman was going out to Central Africa, where she would not be able to obtain the services of an Are we to efficient obstetriclan. consider that as a legal operation

one7 illegal

or an

The existing law should be reformed to include not only the life but the health of the mother as a possible Indication for the legal termination of pregnancy,

danger of

of advantage

any

avoid being taken of this amendment for carrying out operations in cases not justified would suggest that a board of three the family doctor, the sur geon, and a disinterested medical man-should consent. The opera- tion should also be notified in ad-

vance,

"The present law cannot be claim- ed to be sufficient protection against the professional malpractitioner, the

and the force of sympathelle publle opinion,"

It in general knowledge among the medical profession that many

one,

ghly qualified doctors of blameless reputation have carried out opera- tions on young girls who have been molested. This is stated frankly in the report of the special committee set up by the British Medical As- sociation, which included Mr. Bourne himself.

The report stated that it is "most desirable that the law should at least contain an expltelt statement of the contai principles which should govern the

of lawful artificial termination preg- and suggested that such naney operations should be allowable in cases of mental deficiency and eer- tain kinds of hereditary disease.

Among those who have defended is Dame Louise the existing laws Mellroy, one of the most distingulalı- ed women gynecologists, who, in the Journal of State Medicine, writes: "From

my own experience

never felt obstetrician, I have inw T

to be irksome nor have I been prevented from performing induction (of miscarriage) in cases where I conscientiously considered it advis able after consultation with my col- WHAT THEY SAY

to preserve the mother's life. These two Acts, in the opinion of many distinguished doctors and sur- Keons, are

are far too vague, and place too heavy a burden of responsibility on a medical man in deciding how far his discretion may go, "MUST BE REFORMED

One of the most famous obstetri-Jeagues." cians in the country said "The lives and domestic happiness of the whole community are intimately concerned with the question of reforming the

involved.

03 an

the

Other opinions which have been expressed are:

Sir Beckwith Whitehouse (Bir- mingham): Termination of pregnancy is bring practised to-day for reasons which certainly have no relation tu preserving the life of the mother but health would be impaired. Under are justified on the grounds that her

the

low the medical profes present sion is flirting with illegal practices.

W. F. Oxley (Lecturer in Dr. W

the

Londen Enst Midwifery

doctor Maternity

Hospital); The

his

| rust

net in accordance Womely.

generally recognised duties.

of

not

be

"At present pregnancy may only be terminated legally if the mother's or child's life is threatened. The law has not the slight interest in the

"Both the medical and legal mother, apart from her death.

professions are trying finel

40 loop-holes to make this oliviaus a right. We realise that wrong a

mother

of the greatest the

is Importance both in the life of the home and of the nation.

of saving the life or the health The doctrine that the life of the no

his

would patient, and child is paramount is now

Justified in performing abortion for langer held. "We cannot agree that it does no:, sociological or eugenic purposes.

Dr. Douglas Lindsay (Municipal or mental matter what a physical

may become se Obstetrician to Coulsdon and Purley, wreek the mother long as she does not actually lose Surrey): Some years ago I had the unfortunate duty of seeing a young! her life.

"Where the law should be re-giri of 13 of very good family formed i

is in regard to the therapeu-pregnant after rape, give birth to an am satished operations carried out by relegitimate child. I

surgeons for bonn-fide that on the strength of that solitary putable Much controversy is likely before medical reasons. These operations, case there should be an amendment

change

in made.

Iteliglous which are out the increase, are illegal in the faw, bodies will undoubtedly, take as the law stands. THE NEW FRENCH REMEDY, prominent part.

Womenwhaknowwill tell you that the na ural olls in Mutsilled nourish the scalp- prevent its drying out. Free of harsh alkali Mullied is safe even for baby's tender scalp.

Mulsified

COCOANUT OIL SHAMPOO

THERAPION No:1 THERAPION NO.2 THERAPION NĚ:3

No. £ Oursa DischargM.

Be

~ cost of $4.7. WhLoo

10 Cars Chroniserve alon

Ho.seura MAIL, DR. LE OLEHO'S PILLS for the Liver Kidney and Je eletroys &bladders

casts

Is

objection In some raised on religious grounds: in others because it is claimed that the present law is adequate. Doctors in the north are much less liberal in their views than those in the soul.

iny

Two Acts of Parliament at present govern the subject.

One is the Offences Against the Persons Act of 1861, which provides a punishment up to penal servitude for life for any- body "unlawfully" procuring a

This does miscarriage.

not

tic

"I cannot accept the theory that they are lawful because they are 'not unlawful.' "9 OUT OF 10"

Mrs. Janet Chance (chairman of the Abortion Law Reform Society): The case has only touched the fringe of the problem. There are--it is estimated-about 00,000 cases a year "In London nine out of ten of in which women take the law into

own hands. These these operations performed by re- their putable doctors. are carried out forenses we are anxious to bring into reasons of health and health only. In doctor's consulting room for advice

1 heard a well- and possible operation. "Not long ago

YOUNG Bank Assistant Promoted

CASHI

when he got rid of NIGHT STARVATION

I HAD EARLY TEA HALF

AN HOUR AGO. 1 MUST

GET UP WISH I DIDN'T FEEL SO DONE UP IN THE MORNINGS I'M GOOD

FOR NOTHING

ALL DAY.

LOOK HERE YOUNG MAN, YOU'RE LATE AGAIN THIS MORNING, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU LATELY?"YOU WERE ONE OF OUR PROMISING

YOUNG MEN ONCE!

SORRY, SIR, BUT I'M NOT FEELING WELL. I'M ALWAYS

TIRED AND... ...I SUPPOSE I'D BETTER

SEE THE

DOCTOR

AT THE DOCTORS TIRED, WHEN YOU WAKE UP NO ENERGY ALL DAY-LOOKS LIKE A CASE OF NIGHT STARVATION ENERGY IS STILL USED UP DURING SLEEP! YOU MUST REGAIN IT. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND HORLICKS, REGULARY LAST THING AT NIGHT-

are the

AUGUST 24, 1938,

The Same

Fifty Years

OF

1888 (DAPER 1938

REMEDIES

In Every Land

Even the coolic who pulls you all day Knows, when you sneeze, just what to say: "Master wantchee 'ASPIRIN'

BAYER'S goodle 'ASPIRIN', Bimeby cold, he very quick go 'way."

'ASPIRIN'

Bayer

To be really beautiful..

means Best

To be really beautiful, you must have perfectly clean, white teeth. Be wise. Clean your teeth every night and morning with the toothpaste that is world-famous, the toothpaste -Odol, on which many of the most noted beauties rely UseOdol mouthwash, too. It will protect your mouth and throat from germs, and will make your breath fragrant and sweet,

Oddl

ODOJ adal

Obtainable from any leading store:

China Agents:

CARLOWITZ & CO.

Tel. No. 31225.

M-M-M. TASTES DELICIOUS, GLAD I BOUGHT

THE MIXER

HORLICKS REGULARLY SOON GAVE HIM NEW VITALITY

2 MONTHS LATER

THEY HAVE PROMOTED HIM I KNOW, BECAUSE I SAW A LETTER FROM HEAD OFFICE ON

THE BOSS'S DESK.

I WISH I KNEW HIS SECRET SINCE HE WENT TO SEE HIS DOCTOR HE'S BEEN FULL OF VITALITY.

If you wake tired, if you suffer from ¡nerves enervation and that dreadful feeling of exhaus- tion GUARD AGAINST NIGHT · STARVATION

Horlicks is best made In the speciál Horlicks mix- er. Obtainable at all good stores--80 cts, large size and 40 ers, small®

TAKE

HORLICKS

YOU SLEEP SOUNDLY, WAKE REFRESHED AND HAVE EXTRA ENERGY ALL DAY

CANTON AGENTS

for the

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

WM. FARMER & CO. VICTORIA HOTEL BUILDING: SHAMEEN, CANTON, TEL. 13501.

Page 15Page 16