Consulting Obstetric And Gynæcological Surgeon To The Royal FreeHospital. President Of The Federation Of Medical Women.
With A Foreword By His Grace The Archbishop Of Canterbury.
1922
This small book has been written in response to many requests for somestatement regarding the individual and national effects of thewidespread practice of conception control.
It is not intended to give medical advice on the subject for, in myjudgment, that is best given to the individual by his or her medicaladviser, and will vary in different circumstances.
The question as to whether control of conception shall or shall not bepractised is a decision ethical and not medical in character whenhusband and wife are healthy, and in the last resort will be decidedby the individual pair for themselves; but they will be wise todiscuss the question with their medical attendant in order to realiseall that is involved in their decision.
Space forbids anything like a full discussion of the national issues,but that aspect of the subject demands quite as careful study aspersonal needs or desires.
F.E.B.
31, DEVONSHIRE PLACE, W.1.
September, 1922.
The Archbishop of Canterbury allows me to use the following letter asa Foreword to this little book.
Dear Lady Barrett,
I have read with great interest the manuscript of your pamphlet. Verymany of us who have daily to do with the problems and perplexities ofour social life and to give counsel to the anxious or the penitent orthe perturbed will thank you for these clear and cogent chapters. Toarguments based on moral and religious principle you add the weight ofripe experience and of technical scientific knowledge. Your words willgain access to the commonsense of many who would perhaps regard theopinions of clergy as likely to be prejudiced or uninformed. I am ofcourse not qualified to express an independent judgment upon themedical or physiological aspects of this delicate problem, but Idesire on moral and religious as well as on social and nationalgrounds to support your general conclusions, and to express the hopethat your paper may have wide circulation among those who are givingattention to what is becoming an urgent question in thousands ofEnglish homes.
I am,
Yours very truly,
Randall Cantuar
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