The image contains the following text:
CHAPTER XVI
SUMMARY AND EPILOGUE
The Significance of Physical Culture for Sex
Efficiency
Philosophy—the intensive culture of the speculative
intellect—and gymnastics—the most important section of
physical culture—have this in common : they both lead the
thinker, who consistently follows any trend of thought, from
an individual standpoint to a more or less definite " system "
of thought or action.
My trend of thought in these pages has passed theoretically
from explanation of the role of pelvic zone and pelvic floor
in sexual communion, and of the influence of the pelvic
articulations and the control of abdominal and pelvic muscles
and of respiration on the process of birth, to the consideration
of the value of general and local muscular exercise for
puerperal involution, and for health and recovery after child-
birth. On the practical side, I had to enumerate and describe
the particular muscles which need exercise and the best way
of learning to control them. I had to explain the appropriate
exercises in detail, and to deal with the respective indications
and contraindications * for these exercises. Finally, I con-
structed a definite and detailed system of pelvic exercises with
supplementary special exercises for pregnancy and the
puerperium.
The Tone was set for this system :—
First, through the aim of the whole sequence and the
valuation of sexual functions, the culture of 100 per cent,
sexual efficiency, and an active share in the experience of
communion and the benefit and pleasure this experience
* Technical medical terms for " Reasons for adopting any particular
method of treatment" and " Reasons forbidding such treatment,"
respectively.
