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XXIII— On some Laws of the Sterility of Women. By J. Matthews Duncan, M.D. 



(Read 19th February 1866.) 



Before commencing the discussion of the subject, it is necessary to make some 

 definitions, with a view to avoiding the confusion which extensively prevails, 

 from the neglect of the all-important definition of terms. I might be even more 

 exact than I shall be, and excuse myself from adopting such a seeming improve- 

 ment, on the ground that further refinement of definition would itself cause con- 

 fusion in the present stage of advancement of our knowledge. 



Absolute sterility, I shall hold to mean the condition of a woman who, under 

 ordinary favourable cirumstances for breeding, produces no living or dead child, 

 nor any kind of abortion. 



Ste?*ility, I shall hold to mean the condition of a woman who, under ordinary 

 favourable circumstances for breeding, adds not even one to the population, or 

 produces no living and viable child. 



Relative sterility, I shall hold to mean the condition of a woman who, while 

 she may or may not be absolutely sterile, while she may or may not be sterile, 

 is, under ordinary favourable circumstances for breeding, sterile in relation to 

 the circumstance of time ; or, in other words, in relation to her age, and the dura- 

 tion of her married life. 



Chapter I. — Sterility of Marriages in our Population. 



Under this head, the age at marriage, and the duration of it, are not regarded. 

 We simply compare the number of people living in the married state, without 

 and with living children. The only information I have on this point is derived 

 from the writings of Dr Stark.* " It is a pity," says he, " that when the census 

 was taken up, a query had not been put to every married woman, whether she 

 had borne children. We have at present no means of ascertaining what propor- 

 tion of the marriages proves unfruitful ; and it is no criterion to ascertain the 

 number of married persons who had children living with them on the night of 

 the census. Married persons who had a numerous family, may have none with 

 them, because they are grown up, or are absent at schools or trades. We know, 

 however, from other sources, that a considerable proportion of marriages proves 

 unfruitful ; and as it was shown that the married women of Scotland produce 



* Census of Scotland, 1861. Population Tables and Report, vol. ii. p. xxxvi. 

 VOL. XXIV. PART II. 4 Q 



