n.

With the developmental growth of the product of conception, the uterus
or room that had been particularly prepared for the "big reception" of
the second week, has also grown to great dimensions. It fills almost
the entire abdomen and as a result of the pressure against the
diaphragm the breathing is somewhat embarrassed.

The door of this "room" has been closed by a special mechanism,
while, in the fullness of time, Mother Nature begins the delicate work
of opening the door, through whose portals passes out into the world
the completed babe.

The authors feel that this discussion of, and protest against,
abortions, _should be_ accompanied by an appropriate consideration of
the control of pregnancy. We are never going to eliminate the abortion
curse of present-day civilization by merely preaching against
it--warnings and denouncements alone will not suffice to remove the
stain. Notwithstanding our feelings and convictions in this respect,
we are also well aware of the fact that public sentiment is not now
sufficiently ripe to welcome such a full and frank discussion of the
subject of the prevention of conception as the authors would feel
called upon to present; we are equally cognizant of the fact that
existing postal regulations and other Federal laws are of such a
character (at least capable of such interpretation) as possibly to
render even the scientific and dignified consideration of such
subjects entirely out of question.

CHAPTER III

BIRTHMARKS AND PRENATAL INFLUENCE

In the preceding chapter we learned that when the two germ cells came
together, there occurred a complete blending of two separate and
distinct hereditary lines, reaching from the present away back into
the dim and distant past. By the union of these two ancestral strains
a new personality is formed, a new individual is created, with its own
peculiar characteristics.

HEREDITARY TRAITS

Probably none of the laboriously acquired accomplishments of the
present generation can be directly--and as such--handed down to our
children. What we are to be and what we will do in this world was
largely determined by the laws of heredity by the time we were well
started on our development experience _en-utero_ during the third or
fourth week of our prenatal existence, as outlined in a former
chapter.

It is now generally accepted in scientific circles that acquired
characteristics are not transmissible. Someone has aptly stated this
tr