rtions without any apparent cause and
all at about the same age of the foetus, he immediately becomes
suspicious of syphilis either of the father or the mother. It is a
peculiar fact with this disease that it may be transmitted to the
offspring without the mother ever actually having the disease. This is
an instance of "visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth generation." Many a weak frame owes its condition
to a dissipated father, grandfather or even great-grandfather. It is
possible, though, for a man or woman who has had this disease to have a
healthy child if the disease has been properly treated.

Under some circumstances, especially with a deformed pelvis, if
pregnancy were allowed to proceed normally it probably would result in
the death of the mother. Then, it is considered justifiable for the
physician in charge of the case to produce an abortion in order to save
the life of the mother. Those cases are rare and such a procedure never
is undertaken except in extreme cases.

Criminal abortions are those brought on simply because the woman does
not desire to have a child. These often are produced by the woman
herself by means of drugs that set up uterine contractions (labor pains)
or by means of something introduced into the uterus. In either case it
is a dangerous procedure. Infections may be carried into the uterus by
means of whatever is introduced into it. This may set up an inflammation
that may result in the death of the woman. It is a dangerous procedure
to introduce anything into the womb. Some women are extremely foolish or
reckless and use anything that may be handy. Sometimes grave harm
results. Instances are on record of women who have punctured the walls
of the womb by the use of hatpins or other sharp instruments. If an
abortion is produced by either drugs or instruments there is danger that
all the products of conception may not come away. If even a small
portion remains in the uterus it may cause a hemorrhage or, becoming
decomposed, produce a poison that may result in the death of the woman.

It would be impossible to estimate the number of abortions performed on
unmarried girls, as well as married women, during one year by midwives,
unscrupulous physicians and by many respected family physicians. We
never hear of one of these except through the occasional one who is so
unfortunate as to meet death. We cannot entirely blame the one who
performs the abortion.