Girls marry, in the final analysis, because love for the male is an
innate natural principle of the female nature. At its best this love
is pure and chaste. The good woman realizes that its first purpose is
not mere carnal pleasure. It is a special avowal of the wife's
relations to her husband, and its natural as well as moral end is the
establishment of the family on the basis of a healthy progeny.
BEFORE MARRIAGE
The wife-to-be, like her prospective husband, will be well advised to
ask for a medical health certificate. No man, no matter how good his
reputation may be, should marry (on his own account as well as that of
the girl) without thorough examination by a physician. The
consequences of venereal infection administered to unborn children by
their parents are too horrible to allow of any risk being taken.
Another bit of advice, which cannot be too highly commended, is that
the prospective husband and wife, before they marry, have a plain talk
with each other regarding individual sexual peculiarities and needs. A
heart-to-heart talk of this kind would be apt to prevent great
disappointments and incompatibilities which otherwise may become
permanent.
THE WIFE AND HER POSITION
The natural instinct of a man is to seek his mate. On her he depends
for an orderly and lawful indulgence of his sex demands. The greatest
longevity and best health are to be found among happily married
fathers and mothers. No young woman should marry without a full
knowledge of her sex duties to her husband. And she should never
consummate the marriage vow grudgingly.
CHILDBIRTH HYGIENE
Childbirth is the natural consequence of marriage. Its processes have
already been explained in Chapter II of this book. There are, however,
some hygienic facts in connection with it which should be noted. Once
pregnancy is established, as soon as the fact is suspected, the
mother-to-be should look on the little embryo as already a member of
the family. Every act of each parent should now be performed (at least
to some degree) with reference to the forthcoming infant. The mother's
thoughts should be directed to it as much as possible. Mentally she