XI FOR A GIRL

On the twenty-first day of a woman’s lunar month a change occurs in the uterus. Activity commencing in the left ovary affects the whole being in a greater or lesser degree. Slight pains are experienced in the back, and the sensitive and highly strung feel a tenderness in the left breast and left thigh, as in the same way during the next month such pains may be felt on the right side. The left ovary has become restive, and, already seven days, and sometimes nine, before her “flow” is due, has ruptured the Graafian follicle, setting free the female ovum. This premature rupture of the vesicle, with the bursting of the Graafian follicle, is brought about by the actual formation of the “female” ovary, and, its development being less than and its retentive qualities inferior to those of the right side, the female ovum is often launched as much as nine days before its menstrual flow is due. The life of this ovum, like that of all ova, is from eight to fifteen days, and, in a normal woman, it is receptive to fertilisation from the twenty-first to the twenty-eight day of the lunar month which terminates with the next period.

Thus in all normal cases, the twenty-first day of the lunar month, or the seventh day before the next period is the most likely day for conception of the female offspring. Healthy and regular cases are in a large majority; indeed, among native women, untouched by modern civilisation, they are probably the general rule.

A lady writes:

I have three little girls ... and they were all started before the period.... I seem never to be able to conceive at any other time.

Another says:

I was told that boys were conceived seven days before the period. I tried this method, but it was a girl.

Herein lies the true explanation of the fact that nearly all first children, who are not “prematures,” and born within the first nine and a half months of marriage, are girls. The bride generally arranges that her wedding shall take place the second week, after the period is safely over. She thus carefully selects for her marriage a date, at least ten days after the expiration of menstruation; which, if it happens to be the fruitful month, will fall in with the girl-conception time. And, if she conceives, her first child is bound to be a girl.

In order to make sure of my ground, and in deference to the expressed wishes of many gynæcologists, I have taken statistics relating to this over a number of years, running into a thousand cases, with the result that 80 per cent. confirm my dicta—than which there could hardly be better proof. If to these statistics is added the fact of the greater activity of the left ovary in young womanhood, I submit that the combination of conditions renders my statement of the facts almost irrefutable.

There are many women who can only conceive a girl on the last three days before the period is due, showing that in their case the ovum is discharged shortly before the flow starts. Other women again are unable to conceive at any time except on the very day the period is actually due—I know of many such; they all had girls and never a son. But in all these cases I have found a certain morbidity of the uterine condition, combined with a tendency to hysteria and nervous disorders.

The closely impending flow, though not yet present, must render the existence of the germ precarious, and is usually conducive to bearing-down sensations at the menstrual times. This is often accompanied by a slight “show,” which may cause alarm, though not necessarily in any way a serious matter.

Here let me state most definitely for the benefit of those mothers who desire female issue, that the great majority of girl-infants are conceived on the seventh or eighth day before the period is due, those being by far the most actively receptive days for female pregnancies. It is the seventh day that I have always advocated in my formula, and on that day, in all normal cases, the strongest girl-babies are conceived.

It must be remembered by those wishing to profit by my formula that a girl can be conceived only every alternate month, one month being fruitful and one fruitless.

It is not difficult to find out which month is fruitful, but it is perhaps wiser to avoid confusing the issue by making calculations with regard to this contingency.

In order to avoid male issue relations must not take place for ten days after each period.