The Mother and Her Child | Page 7

the alimentary canal
presents itself as one straight tube which is a trifle larger at the head
end. And it is interesting to note that at this early date, even the arms
and legs are beginning to bud and push out from the body.

LATER EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
In the fourth and fifth weeks, the lungs and the pancreas may be found,
the heart develops, the nervous system has taken on more definite form,
and several of the larger blood-vessels are appearing.
By the eighth week, by the most wonderful and complicated processes
of overlapping, pushing out, indentation, enfolding, budding, pressing,
and curving, the majority of the important structures are formed--the
eyes, ears, nose, hands, feet, abdominal organs, and numerous glands.
Thus, at the end of two months, almost every structure and organ
necessary to life is present in a rudimentary state.
AT THE END OF THREE MONTHS
By the close of the third month, witness the work of creation! From the
blending of the two germ cells there has come forth a beautifully
formed body (Fig. 1). True, it is but three and one half inches in length,
but it is nevertheless a perfect body. About this time, the sex may be
determined. The eyes, nose, ears, chin, arms and legs and even the
fingers and toes may all be clearly distinguished.
A "jelly mass" at three months? No, by no means! No! Life and form
and features are all there. It really has a face, whose features may easily
be delineated.
In all my experience, I have yet to find the woman who wished to
continue in her wicked and criminal intent after she had listened to this
story of the creative development of the first three months of her "child
enmothered."
During the next four months, which take us to the close of the seventh,
rapid growth and farther development take place to the extent, that,
should birth occur at that time, life may continue under proper
conditions.
LAST WEEKS OF PREGNANCY

Everything is now nearing completion--only awaiting further growth,
development, and strength--except some of the bone development,
which takes place during the remaining two months. Growth is rapid,
strength is doubled, and as the two hundred and seventy-three days
draw to a close, everything has been completed. It has all taken place
according to the laws of creation in an infinite way and with clock-like
precision.
With the developmental growth of the product of conception, the uterus
or room that had been particularly prepared for the "big reception" of
the second week, has also grown to great dimensions. It fills almost the
entire abdomen and as a result of the pressure against the diaphragm
the breathing is somewhat embarrassed.
The door of this "room" has been closed by a special mechanism, while,
in the fullness of time, Mother Nature begins the delicate work of
opening the door, through whose portals passes out into the world the
completed babe.
The authors feel that this discussion of, and protest against, abortions,
should be accompanied by an appropriate consideration of the control
of pregnancy. We are never going to eliminate the abortion curse of
present-day civilization by merely preaching against it--warnings and
denouncements alone will not suffice to remove the stain.
Notwithstanding our feelings and convictions in this respect, we are
also well aware of the fact that public sentiment is not now sufficiently
ripe to welcome such a full and frank discussion of the subject of the
prevention of conception as the authors would feel called upon to
present; we are equally cognizant of the fact that existing postal
regulations and other Federal laws are of such a character (at least
capable of such interpretation) as possibly to render even the scientific
and dignified consideration of such subjects entirely out of question.
CHAPTER III
BIRTHMARKS AND PRENATAL INFLUENCE
In the preceding chapter we learned that when the two germ cells came

together, there occurred a complete blending of two separate and
distinct hereditary lines, reaching from the present away back into the
dim and distant past. By the union of these two ancestral strains a new
personality is formed, a new individual is created, with its own peculiar
characteristics.
HEREDITARY TRAITS
Probably none of the laboriously acquired accomplishments of the
present generation can be directly--and as such--handed down to our
children. What we are to be and what we will do in this world was
largely determined by the laws of heredity by the time we were well
started on our development experience en-utero during the third or
fourth week of our prenatal existence, as outlined in a former chapter.
It is now generally accepted in scientific circles that acquired
characteristics are not transmissible. Someone has aptly stated this truth
by saying that "wooden heads are inherited, but wooden legs are not."