The Victorian Era Makes Me Laugh

A while back, Husband got me an old, crackly, browned, and falling-apart book called Light on Dark Corners; A Complete Sexual Science and a Guide to Purity and Physical Manhood; Advice to Maiden, Wife, and Mother; Love, Courtship and Marriage written by Prof. B.G. Jefferis, M.D., Ph.D and J.L. Nichols, A.M. It was published in 1897. Husband knows I love this kind of stuff.

For a Victorian-era book on sexuality, there are actually some pretty progressive concepts put forth. For example, don't rape your wife. She'll love you more if you don't.

I was flipping through the book last night, wondering what Dr. Jefferis had to say about pregnancy. Some of it is delightfully weird. Causes of miscarriage include excessive sexual intercourse, dancing, eating late suppers, and "fashionable amusements." Also, in order to have beautiful children, pregnant mothers should avoid thinking of ugly people.

Much of the information in the book is enlightening about the time. They didn't have pregnancy tests back then, so there is a section on "Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy." The first conclusive symptom of pregnancy is when the mother starts to produce pre-milk. Morning sickness and changes in the menstrual cycle could possibly be attributed to other things, but producing milk is a sure-fire sign of a baby on the way. I didn't think of that, but it makes perfect sense.

If I had the time, I would scan in every page of this book before it all rots away.