Sex efficiency through exercises : special physical culture for women / by Th. H. van de Velde ; [photos, by E. Steinemann].

indebted to the information given me by Mr. Georg Yske— formerly gymnastic instructor in Amsterdam—for many practical details and suggestions which have been of help here, and I record and express my sincere thanks to him. Together we planned and, so far as possible, personally experimented with the whole series of exercises, and I took the part of the mother—expectant or convalescent—whom we wished to help. My readers may smile at such an idea, but I consider it the duty of anyone who wishes to prescribe or help with the gymnastic treatment of pregnancy or the puer- perium—or any remedial gymnastics—to try the possible exercises in person on themselves. Doctors, midwives, nurses, can only form an idea of the necessary amount of exertion by trying it on themselves. And even the gymnastic instruc- tress, who is fully aware of this difficulty in theory, should really also have the opportunity of experiencing the other side : of being a patient as well as an instructress, and realising how different the " easy movements " may appear to an exhausted or burdened body. This statement is in no wise intended as a reflection on a most helpful profession, but applies equally to all strong and healthy people of any profession in their dealings with the sick and weak. I would go further and say that the fact that doctors are generally wholly immune from the risks and burdens of maternity is the real reason why they so seldom use the Swedish system in the treatment of pregnant and convalescent women, and also of women recovering from illness other than child- birth. In prescribing this system, I admit the difficulty of having an assistant or attendant present when the patient carries out these exercises. Nevertheless, the supervision and support of a doctor, midwife or nurse—all of whom should, there- fore, have sound gymnastic knowledge—or of a gymnastic instructress, is necessary in most cases ; and the gymnastic instructress should, of course, make herself acquainted with the relevant facts respecting gestation and involution after gestation. Individual conditions are most important here. The amount of exertion needs careful watching and regulating.