SEPARATION OF SEXES 101 



pactness, co-ordination, or perfect adaptation to violent 

 movements, were evidently incapacitated — utterly 

 unable and unfit to maintain their lives in the strug- 

 gle. And what is the bearing of these conclusions 

 on the survival chances of the human brute-females 

 in the last stages of pregnancy ? 



Evidently the natural protrusion and extreme dis- 

 tension of the abdomen, at such times, intensified 

 the risks arising from the exposure of the vital parts. 

 The increase in weight, bulk, and pressure, in the 

 lower forward part of the pelvic region caused the 

 body to be easily unbalanced. The anterior, pos- 

 terior, lateral, and round ligaments, which in quad- 

 rupeds prevent the gravid uterus from pitching too 

 far toward the diaphragm, are at least insufficient, if 

 not entirely unadapted to such a purpose, in the up- 

 right human female. Sudden, vigorous, or violent 

 motions accurately adjusted to their purposes and 

 severe and continuous efforts are, therefore, if not 

 impossible, at least so very dangerous to the life of 

 the mother and embryo as to be incompatible with 

 race survival. But it has been demonstrated above 

 that such movements and efforts were absolutely 

 necessary to maintain and obtain the barest primary 

 daily prerequisites to the continuation of life. If, 

 then, none of these actions necessary in defence of 

 life, pursuit of prey, of food, or in obtaining water, 

 or in escaping from enemies, were possible to the 

 pregnant females, how could they then save their 

 lives by intellectually initiated conduct at all ? The 



