PHYSICAL PREPARATION. 167 



the creation of a new life. Most of the sugges- 

 tions here given are quite as applicable to the 

 mother during gestation as to the period of prep- 

 aration. 



One of the first things to be considered by those 

 contemplating parentage, is their constitutional Improving 

 adaptability. As indicated in our chapter O n Adaptation ' 

 "Parental Adaptation," a couple, each of whom 

 is strong physically, mentally and morally 

 because of inadaptability may be quite unfit to 

 unite in the creation of a new life; therefore, if 

 prospective parents are not quite well mated they 

 should endeavor to improve their adaptability 

 before becoming parents. If they are too much 

 alike, or if both have some physical or mental 

 peculiarity, too weak or abnormally strong, these 

 conditions should be overcome by systematic 

 training, so that the two natures may form the 

 counterpart of each other and blend in offspring. 



Perhaps the most essential thing in physical 

 culture, preparatory to parentage, is the develop- 

 ment of strong digestive and nutritional powers. 

 All authorities are agreed that lack of nutrition importance of 

 in the parents is one of the greatest causes of^ wtrition ' 

 arrested growths, deformities and weak consti- 

 tutions in offspring. Every farmer understands 

 that poorly fed animals produce poor progeny; 

 the same law applies with equal force to the 

 human family. Many children are born with 

 rickety, puny bodies and weak constitutions, 

 solely because the parents were not well nour- 

 ished when the germ and sperm cells were form- 

 ing and also during embryonic development. 



Few persons are well fed. Even in this land 



