Personal Reading

My Personal Reading, by Shiloh Fish

Written by John M. Riddle, this book attempts to make sense of the historical records of birth control.

His book covered the history of contraception and abortifacient methods from ancient 17th century and Victorian England, and the techniques they utilized to limit their population size.

Methods used in an attempt to prevent pregnancy included:

• vaginal pessaries, generally herbs or gummy homemade substances that could also act as spermicides by altering the chemistry of the vagina

• the “Rythym” Method, similar to the modern natural family planning method, where they attempt to map the female fertility cycle and avoid intercourse during such days.

Abortion methods were also implemented (although controversial) if a child was unwanted. Techniques for this included:

• incantations by midwives

• orally consuming a poison

• surgical operation and dismemberment of the fetus

Infanticide was a practice for exposing of unwanted infants.

Although the frequency of this act is unknown, but demographic records indicate an unusually high male to female ratio, much more than one would expect in a neutral environment free from human interference.

The book also cited a letter a man wrote to his wife telling her to keep the child if male, and expose of it if female.