ANTE-NATAL HYGIENE : DISCUSSION 413 



case, but they had far more agencies to cope with the drink- 

 ing cronies on the staircase than the drinking cronies of the 

 husband in the public-house. Then it was said that in law 

 the husband was liable for the expenses and that the husband 

 should have the 305. because he was liable for the expenses 

 of the confinement, but her contention was that in so far 

 as it was made the wife's property the husband would be 

 protected to the extent of the 305. by the provisions of 

 the Married Women's Property Act, which made the wife 

 responsible for her property to the extent to which it could 

 cover the amount. In the matter of this maternity benefit 

 there was a distinct and specific purpose for which it was to 

 be spent, and they protested against the idea that the 305. 

 was sufficient for the complete expenses connected with 

 the confinement throughout. As they knew, the midwife 

 was under an obligation to call in the doctor in serious 

 cases, and the doctor's fee alone very frequently amounted 

 to a guinea, and even in some cases more. The vital pur- 

 pose for which the maternity benefit was needed was to 

 obtain more nourishment for the mother, and medical and 

 nursing skill, but they knew that 305. would not pay for all 

 the extra nourishment she needed and the extra help in the 

 house; and the husband would still have a certain amount 

 of liability for additional expenses during the period of con- 

 finement. What was the practice of the average working 

 class husban'd ? The husband gave the wife so much money 

 out of his wages. If he was a decent man he would probably 

 give the wife all the wages he earned except is. or is. 6d. 

 for tobacco money. She was speaking of the men earning 

 305. and below a week. Both the husband and the wife 

 knew that they needed every penny in order to meet the 

 rent and the family requirements. When the ^ confinement 

 came that was extra expense, but the wages did not go up 

 to meet the confinement. To meet the expenses of the mid- 

 wife the woman managed to save is. or is. 6d. a week out 

 of the housekeeping money. When the 305. maternity 

 benefit was given, the woman got it into her head that it 

 was to be her money and that she need not make provision. 

 And she was quite right too. If, however, the money did 

 not come to hand she was in a worse position financially 

 than under the old arrangement, when she knew she had to 

 look forward and save the expenses. She appealed to that 

 gathering when they had the resolution before them that 

 it should be passed unanimously, in the knowledge that they 

 would be performing a great social service to raise the 

 status of motherhood and improve the physical health of 

 the community. 



