ven that twenty-five per
cent. of the sterile marriages are due to sterility of the male. Oh, the
innumerable women who have submitted to unpleasant treatments and even
operations in the hope of overcoming sterility when all the time the
fault was elsewhere! The microscope has proven that even though a man
may seemingly be healthy and capable of sustaining the marriage
relation, yet his efforts are valueless; for the spermatozoa, the
life-giving element, are dead, due usually to an inflammation which
accompanied an attack of this seemingly mild disease,--gonorrhoea.

This disease is responsible for many of the one child marriages. How
often we see a family with only one child, this child born during the
first year of married life, then there are no more pregnancies. The
woman probably has contracted a disease from her husband and, during the
period immediately following the birth of her baby when the entire
generative system is in a condition to easily become inflamed, the tubes
have become closed. Another pregnancy is very unlikely.

Another factor in sterility is abortions. So many times we hear a young
married woman say, "I do not want a child the first year, but after that
I would like one." In order to carry out her desires it is not uncommon
for an abortion to be performed during the first few months. In many
cases an inflammation follows this interference and the tubes become
closed permanently. Then when the woman is ready to have a child it is
impossible. Girls about to enter marriage should be cognizant of this
possibility and not take any risks, for few women would do anything
voluntarily that would condemn them to childless lives.

CHAPTER XII

PREVENTION OF PREGNANCY

This morning I received a letter which says in part, "I am a young
school teacher and do not know lots I should, but will come to you for
advice. Now I am engaged to the dearest boy in the world. I will do my
best to be a good wife and do my duty. But my health is not so very good
and I want to put off motherhood for awhile. Will you kindly tell me
some remedy that will keep me from becoming pregnant? I have long wanted
to ask someone but always was afraid. Mother never tells me anything."

This is the type of question that is asked every physician many times.
Those who do not ask, wish to--and blame physicians for not telling the
things they want to know. What is my answer to such a question? Just
this:

There is in effect a f