of her influence on her offspring than that the unborn child should participate in her renewed health and strength, and at length come into the world with a far better chance of life than if the mother's disease had never been suspended? The children of scrofulous parents are also frequently regarded as exceptions to the principle of hereditary influence; and it is quite true that, as children, they often present an appearance of health which is apt to deceive a superficial or inexperienced observer. They may be so plump, well-grown, and rosy-complexioned, as to present the very picture of health. But beneath all this fair and promising surface lurk too often a softness and delicacy of structure, and an excitability of the system, which indicate the absence of real stamina. Such children generally shoot up, tall, thin, and impressionable, or they become full, heavy, and languid; falling victims, sooner or later, to the very parental infirmity which, in their earlier childhood, seemed least likely to attack them. The condition of the mother being thus influential on the well-being of her offspring, the importance of contributing in every possible way to her health, comfort, and cheerfulness, especially during pregnancy, is surely very obvious. This, however, must be done by rational observance of the laws which regulate the exercise of the various functions, and not by the foolish indulgence of her whims. Gloomy, painful, or harassing impressions ought to be guarded against, and good-natured equanimity and cheerfulness cultivated by all around her. Let it be her B constant aim to engage in healthful and invigorating occupation, which shall afford a wholesome stimulus to her intellectual and moral faculties, and withdraw her attention from dwelling too much upon herself. In her leisure hours, let her seek some rational and invigorating exercise of mind and body, and be on her guard against giving way to caprice of temper, to the temptations of indolence, to endless novelreading, or to any form of social dissipation. In very few instances does it become advisable to cease from engaging in the ordinary duties of the family, or to change such habits of life as have been found by experience to be healthful. Among the circumstances which require attention during pregnancy, even more than at any other time, may be mentioned breathing a free, pure air; sleeping in a wellaired room, on a bed not so soft as to induce relaxation, and either without curtains, or with curtains never closely drawn; regular daily exercise in the open air; and great attention to personal cleanliness, to dress, diet, and all the ordinary conditions of health. Having treated of most of these in my other works, I shall confine myself at present to such modifications of them as apply PECULIARLY TO THE STATE OF PREGNANCY, and shall begin with the subject of DIET. DIET. A notion is very prevalent, that an unusual supply of nourishing food is required during pregnancy, on account of the rapid development of the new being in the maternal womb. In some instances in which the general health, digestive powers, and appetite improve during gestation, an increased allowance of food becomes necessary, and is productive of much advantage. But in the great majority of cases, where no such improvement takes place, and the appetite is already more vigorous than the powers of digestion, nothing but mischief can follow from increased diet. It is true that substance is expended in the development of the child; but Nature herself has provided for that demand by the suppression of the periodical discharge to which women are at other times subject, and which ceases altogether when the age of child-bearing is past. When, therefore, during pregnancy, the health is good and the appetite natural, there is no need whatever of increasing the quantity or altering the quality of the food which is found by experience to agree with the constitution, nor can anything but harm result from attempting to "support the strength" by too nutritious a diet. When, from mistaken views, a change is made from a plain and nourishing diet to full and generous living, and especially if the usual exercise is at the same time diminished, a state of fulness, no less dangerous to the mother than injurious to the embryo, is apt to be induced, or is prevented only by the digestive powers giving way,-which leads to much suffering from nausea, heartburn, flatulence, inordinate craving, weakening perspirations, and other unpleasant symptoms. Where digestion continues unimpaired, and the superfluity of nourish ment is taken into the system, a fulness with sense of oppression ensues, which infallibly leads to mischief, when not timeously relieved, either by nature or by art. Occasionally, bleeding from the nose or lungs, or from piles, removes the impending danger. At other times it may be necessary to draw blood from a vein to avert it; now and then it happens that Nature seeks relief by attempting to re-establish the customary discharge from the womb, and, in this state, imprudence on the part of the mother may induce miscarriage, to the risk of her life. In short, the fulness of system thus imprudently induced must have vent somewhere; and it will depend on the existence of any local weakness, or some accidental circumstance, in what organ and in what way the relief shall be effected, and with what extent of danger it shall be accompanied. To the child, no less than to the parent, its consequences are injurious, not only by endangering premature birth, but by affecting the future soundness of the child's constitution; and hence arises a solemn moral duty of the mother not to place herself voluntarily in circumstances which may not only defeat her fondest hopes of happiness, and leave her a prey to broken health and enduring regret, but also permanently impair the constitution of her offspring. But, while avoiding one error, we must be careful not to run into the opposite extreme, and sanction an insufficient diet. Many women in the poorer classes suffer grievously in this way, and, from absolute inability to procure nourishing food in due quantity, give birth to feeble and unhealthy children, whose whole life is a scene of suffering, but who, fortunately, do not often long survive. This, in truth, is one cause of the physical inferiority of the children of the working-classes, and the greater mortality observed amongst them; and as it almost necessarily leads to moral inferiority likewise, it eminently calls for the serious attention of philanthropic and enlightened statesmen. As reasonably may we expect fine fruit and rich harvests from an impoverished soil, as well-constituted children from parents exhausted by bodily exertion, and insufficiently nourished. It is in workhouses that the evil is seen in its most glaring form. These are peopled by the children of the lowest, most sickly, or most improvident parents. From birth, they are the worst fed and the most miserably clothed; hence their bodies are stunted and weak, their minds and morals impaired and degraded. If the children in any workhouse be contrasted with the children at even a common country-school, their physical and mental inferiority will be conspicuous, and we shall be struck with the absence from their expression of that elasticity and hilarity of spirit which distinguishes a healthful and happy childhood. The effects of insufficient diet in impeding the development of the infant in the mother's womb are so well ascertained, that no doubt of the fact can exist in the mind of any one who has examined the subject for himself; and, were this a proper place, I might point out the risk which is incurred, by enforcing too rigid economy in this respect in workhouses, of |