e of
information, as such. I have seen too much of its powerlessness in
medical men and students. No one knows so much of the harm of
morphine as the physicians do, yet there are more cases of
morphine habit among physicians than among any less informed
profession. It is, of course, easy to make young children familiar
with the facts of maternity and birth. Compared to the ordinary
methods of concealment and lying by parents to children about
these matters this is doubtless an improvement, but it does almost
nothing to meet the moral problems of sex which come up later in
the child's life. One may know all about maternity, without
knowing anything of the difficulties and dangers of sex. Many have
thought that by thorough teaching of the physiology of
reproduction in plants and animals we can anticipate and to a
considerable extent prevent the dangers and temptations referred
to above."

It is not proposed "to consecrate affection" or "to safeguard morality"
by hygienic knowledge; but simply to protect health. Of course,
information will not restrain everybody; but if physicians did not know
the dangers of morphine many more would be victims of the drug. Dr.
Cabot overlooks the fact that physicians know how to use and obtain
morphine, while other professional men do not. Teaching concerning
maternity and birth will not directly meet the moral problems of sex,
but it will help develop an attitude, "a consecration of the
affections," that will guard against the dangers of sex. Such teaching
to children is only one of many steps in the scheme of sex-education.
No responsible advocate of sex-instruction claims that teaching
children concerning the reproduction of animals and plants does
anticipate and prevent sexual temptations; but it is a foundation for
practical knowledge of human sex problems. I have elsewhere referred to
the effect of such studies on attitude.

[Sidenote: Contagion of personality.]

(4) "The positive moral qualities which make us immune to the
dangers of sex are obtainable not through warnings as to dangers,
but through the more positive activities just alluded to. All that
is most practical and successful in this field of endeavor may be
summarized as the _contagion of personality, human or divine_.
What is it that keeps any of us straight unless it is the
contagion of the highest personalities whom we have know