MATERNAL SUFFERINGS.

Shannon News, 1 July 1924, Page 2

MATERNAL SUFFERINGS.

(To the Editor). Sir—The \“Grateful" Ex-patient,” etc., writes pi matters of which she is totally ignorant. She alsomakes the ridiculous statement that “Medi-co-Mother’s” 'letter is in the interests o.t one class, \vhen its one plain-' ly-snown object is to* let light into and do away with the, cruelties practiced on tire poor, for wealthy Women do not need to go where they can he confined at 30s per week. The tact of the. “grateful etc.” having been able toj enjoy the “good food, perfect rest, etc.,’' shows how incapable she is of sympathising with the poor wretches enduring the torments ' of stitches in the very tenderest portion of the human frame, “without anaesthetics.” What groundless assertions she makes! Who told her that “the truth is that no woman is allowed to leave St., Helens if there is the. slightest thing wrong? ’ ’ Only a doctor would he in a position • to say that! What does she suppose she would be allowed to see of these operations Avithout anaesthetics? And what a thoughtlessly cruel thing for her, because she had good times, to stand in the way of investigation, which has for its object the betterment of conditions for her wretched (too numerous) sisters.—l am, etc., “COMMON SENSE.”

MATERNAL MORTALITY.

(To the Editor); Sir,—l entirely disagree with your correspondent of June 24, i.e., that “a working man’s 1 wife is another question.” Your correspondent is evidently favoured by nature, and should hesitate to inflict indescribable torture on the vast majority of mothers not, so favoured.' The “M.D.” mother has, for all time the thanks of mothers for the light she has shed on the “Back to Nature” method the Department is hopeful of imposing on all mothers, and which is practiced at St. Helens and .elsewhere hy doctors, but never by one who has been ’“through' the mill.” Let mp tell the Department also that we women don’t want to mother the children of men too thriftless or selfr i«h to make onv provision for them. Why should this class only be encouraged to multiply. The establishment of. St. Helens Homes was a political move which served the purpose of the Government of that day, got the men’s vote, .and threw the burden on the women (nursing, staff firstly and then,, the patients). Shannon should lead in “Help ourselves” movements and if there is one citizen. who would donate a suitable site (half an acre), with the co-operation of local bodies, sports associations and churches,, we should be able to erect free of debt, a suitable maternity home, but certainly not to be administered by . any hospital board, the Government to find plant and furniture. This could be' made selfsupporting by charging a minimum fee—not to be more than half the Aveekly wage of the father, those who could pay nothing to go to St. Helens. I hope to see this matter strongly taken up ■■ by ! those in a “sufficiently comfortable position, in life’’ to devote their time to it. Also I think the time is ripe in New. Zealand for the inauguration of a new “8.M.A.,” British Mothers’ Association, to insist on having the aids which, nature has revealed to science for the healing of mankind.—l am, etc., A THREE’ DAYS’ VICTIM.