Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-05

Europe, as most valuable contributor to the
literature Of gyraecology, aud sends the follow
ing answer to the question propounded TO him;
UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO, MEDICAL DE-
PARTMEST, BUFFALO, May 3, 1880.
Ny DEAR DocToR-I feel sure that all
authorities will agree that marriage at
the ages you mention, or at any age
prior to eighteen years. cannot fail to be
very injurious to any girl. Prior to eighteen the
body is not properly developed It is still grow
ing, and therefore it needs all the nourishment
nutrition. OF course the earlier the marriage
the more forcibiy do these observations apply,
and marriage at fifteen or sixteen can hardly
fail to be exceedingly disastrous IN its results
In view of these facts. il seems 10 me to be the
duty Of every physician to protest in the strong
est manner possible against the practice of girls
contracting marriage prior to the age of eighteen
years Yours very truly. MATHEW d MANN.
DR.. Thomas Adds Emmett enjoys a high repu-
tation as genealogical surgeon, and for some
years past has held the position Of surgeon to
printed below, is as trenchantly expressed as
his Principles and Practice of Gynecology.
book which has been widely read and COM
mended by the medical professions:
SO MADISON AVENUE, NBw York, April %, 1890.
DEAR DocroR-In reply 70 your letter OF in
Quiry l would say that the question OF the age at
which girls should marry Is very serious one,
and Is worthy OF the most careful consideration.
II is one in which the whole world has most
vital interest, and with regard to
which young women and their parents generally
consider that q woman is fully developed until
she has reached twenty-five or twenty-three
years of age. A woman runs great risk If she
marries under the age of eighteen years, as she
is almost certain to be injured by maternity.
have noticed that large number of the cases of
cancer that have had to treat have been those
early age. Many other serious ailments are
produced by early marriage. Yours truly,
THOMAS Adds EMMETT.
DR.. Walter F. Atlee of Philadelphia is perhaps
l-rNnN fall
connection with some of the most difficult and
important operations in genealogical surgery,
which he has performed many times upon pa
tients who have come to him literally from all
parts of the world, His writings upon these
subjects have commanded universal attention
and respect; His answer to my friends letter is
couched in the following terms:
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. April rs, 1890.
DEAR SIR-There can be no question in my
mind that the proper time for entrance upon the
marriage relation is that period of life at which
the developments OF the organism has been
thoroughly completed, and when the constitu-
tion is definitely established. In my opinion,
this would be when a man is twenty-five and
woman twenty years of age. For the woman
who is Of robust health, perhaps even eighteen
years may not be too young, but man should
NOT marry before he is at least twenty five years
of age Please bear in mind that answer as
physician, and not moralist a political
WALTER F. ATLEE.
DR.. Tneophilus Parvin is generally recognized
in his profession one of the highest of all au-
thorities upon the subject under consideration.
He is the professor of obstetrics and diseases OF
women and children in Jefferson medical col
lege, Philadelphia. His writings in connection
with the above named branches of medical
science have been widely published, and their
reputation as standard works is fully estab-
lished. He writes as follows:
1926 SPRUCE STREET, J
PHILADELPHIA May 8, 80.
DEAR DocToR-My opposition 10 girls con-
tracing marriage at an early age is most plainly
in NV NrO I n n N
know how can possibly give it any stronger
utterance. Girls should be thorough and COM
plete women, physically, mentally and morally.
before they become wives. Very few are per
fectly developed in all these respects until be-
tween twenty and twenty-five years of age.
Too early marriage is to be reprehended for
many reasons that it would require too much
time to point them out. Sincerely,
THEoPHILUs PARvIN.