If any reader doubts my statement as to the physical failure of our
city-bred women to fulfil all the natural functions of mothers, let him
contrast the power of the recently imported Irish or Germans to nurse
their babies a full term or longer, with that of the native women even
of our mechanic classes. It is difficult to get at full statistics as to
those a higher social degree, but I suspect that not over one-half are
competent to nurse their children a full year without themselves
suffering gravely. I ought to add that our women, unlike ladies abroad,
are usually anxious to nurse their own children, and merely cannot. The
numerous artificial infant foods now for sale singularly prove the truth
of this latter statement. Many physicians, with whom I have talked of
this matter, believe that I do not overstate the evil; others think that
two-thirds may be found reliable as nurses; while the rural doctors, who
have replied to my queries, state that only from one-tenth to
three-tenths of farmers' wives are unequal to this natural demand. There
is indeed little doubt that the mass of our women possess that peculiar
nervous organization which is associated with great excitability, and,
unfortunately, with less physical vigor than is to be found, for
example, in the sturdy English dames at whom Hawthorne sneered so
bitterly. And what are the causes to which these peculiarities are to be
laid? There are many who will say that late hours, styles of dress,
prolonged dancing, etc., are to blame; while really, with rare
exceptions, the newer fashions have been more healthy than those they
superseded, people are better clad and better warmed than ever, and,
save in rare cases, late hours and overexertion in the dance are utterly
incapable of alone explaining the mischief. I am far more inclined to
believe that climatic peculiarities have formed the groundwork of the
evil, and enabled every injurious agency to produce an effect which
would not in some other countries be so severe. I am quite persuaded,