COMMENT AND REVIEW
Lavina L. Dock is a trained nurse of long and wide experience in more than one country. She is the author of “A Text Book of Materia Medica for Nurses,” now in its fourth edition, revised and enlarged, and, in collaboration with M. D. Nutting, R.N., of “The History of Nursing,” in two volumes.
Miss Dock’s present book, “Hygiene and Morality,” is of far wider appeal than either of the former works. The title is a good one, for it links two aspects of one subject, and presents the new case without ignoring the old one.
The work deals in the main, in plain, simple moderate language, with the pathological aspects of what is called “the social evil”; laying stress not so much upon the moral danger, long known, as on the physical danger, to which we are but just awakening.
The first part gives clear descriptions of the venereal diseases, now known to be caused by specific germs; and to be both infectious and contagious in the highest degree; giving statistics as to their prevalence.
The general estimate, in syphilis, she quotes as from five to eighteen per cent of the population, varying in the different countries. Taking the most modest estimate for ours, and allowing our population at 80,000,000—this would give us an army of 4,000,000 syphilitics at large among us—unknown to the public.
Say they had leprosy, or cholera, or smallpox, and imagine our horror; yet these diseases are not comparable in their terrible consequences; not only to the victims, but to their children and grandchildren.
In gonorrhoea, a cause of sterility, blindness of babies, and all manner of surgical operations and “diseases peculiar to women,” so common among innocent wives, Miss Dock shows us that European records give about seventy-five per cent of men as infected. In America things are better, a conservative estimate giving the proportion of our men having either syphilis or gonorrhoea as about sixty per cent.
As each of these diseases affects both wife and child, it is specially necessary that women should be informed about them.
The second part treats of Prostitution; the efforts made at its control and regulation, and the new widespread movement for its abolition; and gives melancholy figures to show not only the immense extent of this evil, but the fact that the large majority of its victims are unwilling ones.
Abnormal women who might wish to follow this trade are so few that in order to supply the market, innocent young girls, numbering in America about fifty thousand a year, must be forced into this profession, into shame, disease and painful death; hence the “White-Slave traffic.”
The third part discusses Prevention; with wise and hopeful words; telling how chance infection may be avoided, how patients with these diseases should be isolated; and how all children should be educated in full knowledge of this danger and its best avoidance.
Miss Dock is also very clear and strong in showing that women can best reduce this evil through the use of the ballot; and gives conclusive evidence of what is already accomplished in those states and countries having equal suffrage.
It is a clean, forcible interesting book, most moderate in tone; and giving a long list of scientific authorities.
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Now for an amusing book!
This is “Marriage as a Trade,” by Cicely Hamilton, a clever and forcible
English writer, co-author of that delicious little play “How The Vote
Was Won.”
A keen and accurate weapon is Miss Hamilton’s pen; and in this work she uses it with delicious dexterity to prick bubbles, to slice off masks, cut veils and bandages, and dissect ancient idols.
Her special matter in discussion is exactly given in the title, and she does not stray from her theme; but brings out, sharply and inescapably, the universal fact, that marriage, to a woman, is not only a happiness (or a grief!), not only a duty, or at least a natural function, but a trade—she earns her living by it!
Miss Hamilton points out very forcibly that not all women are fitted by nature for following the same trade, that not all of them like it; that it produces low grade work and discontented lives; and that many women would infinitely prefer working at some other business.
The value of this book is is the sharp light thrown on this large subject from the woman’s view—or at least from a woman’s view; and one that will be shared by many others.
Its amusing quality is for those who like trenchant wit and penetrating satire.
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Mary Jonston is a writer of good novels, strong, thrilling, excellent in workmanship, as all who have read her “To Have and To Hold” will agree; and it was that quality of literary skill which made me seize upon this, in the Woman’s Journal of October 8th, before I noticed the name of the author:
THE WISE HOUSEKEEPER:
Will be against
A HOW BUILT ON SAND.
Will be for
THE CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE.
Will be against
GROUNDS WITHOUT SHADE AND WATER.
Will be for
CONSERVATISM.
Will be against
QUARRELS WITH NEIGHBORS.
Will be for
INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.
Will be against
EXTRAVAGANT HOUSEKEEPING.
Will be for
ECONOMY IN ADMINISTRATION.
Will be against
PENNY WISDOM AND POUND FOOLISHNESS.
Will be for
LIBERAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR COMMON WELFARE.
Will be against
DISHONEST SERVANTS.
Will be for
INTELLIGENCE AND HONOR IN OFFICE.
Will be against
DIRT.
Will be for
CLEAN POLITICS.
Will be against
MOTHS, RUST AND MILDEW
Will be for
AN END TO GRAFT.
Will be against
UNTRIMMED LAMPS.
Will be for
THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.
Will be against
UNPAID BILLS.
Will be for
JUSTICE.
Will be against
DARK CORNERS.
Will be for
COMMON OWNERSHIP IN COMMON NEEDS.
Will be against
DARKENED WINDOWS.
Will be for
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
Will be against
CANDLES BURNED AT BOTH ENDS.
Will be for
ABOLITION OF CHILD LABOR.
Will be against
CARELESS BREAKAGE.
Will be for
ACTS LOOKING TO PREVENTION OF MINE, RAILWAY AND FACTORY ACCIDENTS.
Will be against
HOUSEHOLD DRUDGES.
Will be for
AN EIGHT-HOUR DAY.
Will be against
BAD DRAINS.
Will be for
A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
Will be against
STAINS THAT WILL NOT COME OUT.
Will be for
JUVENILE COURTS.
Will be against
POISONS LEFT WHERE THE CHILDREN CAN GET THEM.
Will be for
WAR AGAINST THE SOCIAL EVIL.
WAR AGAINST ALCOHOL.
Will be against
MISTAKEN PARTNERSHIPS.
Will be for
WISER MARRIAGE LAWS.
Will be against
SPOILED CHILDREN.
Will be for
A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EUGENICS.
Will be against
A MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE WITHOUT AUTHORITY.
Will be for
THE FRANCHISE FOR WOMEN.
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“To-day’s Problems” is a good ten cents’ worth—or five, if you live in
Chicago.
It is a pocket-size pamphlet, full of short bits from some hundred and fifty leading writers, workers, and speakers, along lines of Social Progress.
Ministers, college professors, economists, sociologists, editors, authors, organizers, poets, orators; a millionaire, a member of parliament, a prince,—it’s a great booklet. And not a thing in it that fills one page, even.
To-day’s Problems. Trade Union Book Concern. Chicago, Ill.
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We mean to carry lists of books useful to our readers. We wish to prove that it will pay publishers to advertise with us. If you order any book reviewed here, please send your order to The FORERUNNER.
“Pure Sociology,” by Lester F. Ward, Macmillan, Pub., $4.00.
“Hygiene and Morality,” by Lavina L. Dock, R. N., G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
Pub., $1.25.
“Marriage as a Trade,” by Cicely Hamilton, Moffat, Yard & Co., Pub., $1.25.