e. A woman,
therefore, cannot exercise her function of motherhood if she is a
neurasthenic.

Inasmuch as it has been proved that the regeneration of the race is
dependent upon the maintenance of mentally and physically fit mothers,
any condition that interferes with this standard is contrary to the
eugenic requirement. Children sent out into the word unfit physically or
morally are factors detrimental to the best interests of society and to
their own progress and prosperity. A mother rendered incapable through
sickness is, therefore, a menace to the home and to the eugenic promise.

FEW AILING WOMEN BECOME PREGNANT.--Nature fortunately seems to apprehend
the true condition because few of these women become pregnant. This
suggests an inquiry into the cause, or causes, underlying this
unfortunate situation.

Are women responsible for these ailments?

Most married women whose health is broken down by some disease peculiar
to their sex refer the commencement of their suffering to a confinement
or premature birth. The large majority of those women whose health is
affected, because of some "female weakness," suffer from a displacement,
or malposition of the internal organs, and as this condition is most
frequently a product of maternity, there would seem to be some
reasonable degree of justification for the assumption that the wrecked
health is the result of a legitimate physiological act, and consequently
a natural phenomenon. This is not, however, altogether true. A
displacement is not, under any circumstances, a natural process. It is
the result of causes which are avoidable. Most of them are the penalties
imposed by nature because of the infraction of her laws. We will not
consider those causes which have their beginning in wrong methods of
dress or conduct during the years prior to maternity. Many such cases
exist, but they are too few in number to justify consideration at this
time. They are frequent enough, however, to suggest to mothers that it
is always wise to keep a close watch over the tendencies and conduct of
their daughters.

THE CHIEF CAUSE OF FEMALE DISEASES.--When a woman has given birth to a
child her womb begins to contract and in a very brief space of time will
resume its normal position, provided nothing interferes with the
process. Nature will do exactly what is right if she is permitted to
work in her own way. In another part of this book I have explained why
it takes time for the recently pregna