inished among the modern women of
civilized countries. This sad sign of degeneration is due to a large
extent, as _Bunge_ has shown by careful statistics, to the habit of
taking alcoholic drinks, and is combined with other blastophthoric
degenerations due to hereditary alcoholism. The future will show
whether the artificial feeding of infants with cows' milk will benefit
humanity. In any case it allows infants to survive who would die
without it. On the other hand the development of a degeneration can
hardly be an advantage for the species and we should hope for a return
to the natural rule by abstinence from all alcoholic drinks.

The false modesty of women concerning their pregnancy and everything
that concerns childbirth, the pleasantries often made with regard to
pregnant women are a sad sign of the degeneration and even corruption
of our refined civilization. Pregnant women ought not to hide
themselves, or to be ashamed to carry a child in their womb; on the
contrary they should be proud. Such pride would certainly be much more
justified than that of the fine officers parading in their uniforms.
The external signs of the formation of humanity are more honorable to
their bearers than the symbols of destruction, and woman should become
imbued more and more with this truth! They will then cease to hide
their pregnancy and to be ashamed of it. Conscious of the grandeur of
their sexual and social duty they will raise aloft the standard of
our descent, which is that of the true future life of man, at the same
time striving for the emancipation of their sex. Viewed in this way,
the sexual role of woman becomes elevated and solemn. Man should less
and less maintain his indifference towards the social miseries to
which the slavery of woman has led, which has lasted thousands of
years and which has dishonored the highest functions of her sex, by
abuses without number.

The hygiene of pregnancy, labor and its sequels, is of the highest
importance. It certainly should not consist in exaggerated care and
precaution, for in spoiling and softening women by inaction more harm
than good is done. On the other hand, the social cruelty which
neglects poor women of the people in confinement, often even without
giving them sufficient nourishment, is revolting, and it is here
especially that the reform of social hygiene becomes an elementary
necessity for humanity.

All that we have just spoken of binds the woman for months or years t