Toxemia is the basic cause of all diseases. To prevent Toxemia, avoid enervation in children. Of all the nerve-destroying influences to which children are subjected, the most pernicious are those that cause fear--fear of failing in school; the displeasure of teacher and parents; stupid scolding by parents, whose only excuse is grouchiness from their own torpid livers, brought on them from eating bacon, eggs, liver, hot bread, and coffee for breakfast, or some other as vicious indulgence, which causes domestic bickering. Unhappy homes are a constant menace to the health of children. Parents should spare children an exhibition of their venom.

Standing at the head of the list of causes of enervation in children is Fear. We as a people overlook the real menaces to health, and teach bacteriology, infection, contagion, etc. And, to immunize against these so-called influences, we vaccinate and contaminate the blood of children, thereby adding an ally to Toxemia and fear, to break down resistance still further.

Just why the profession reasons so grotesquely concerning health, diseases, and their causes and treatment, is beyond understanding. The most obvious truth should be that 100 per cent health is all the immunization which an animal or a man needs. This being true, why not "get down to brass tacks," discard our rag-baby delusions concerning germs, contagions, infections, etc., and be taught by the obvious--namely, that health is the normal state, and that any influence that lowers nerve-energy lowers the health standard? Germs cannot be a cause, because they are ubiquitous--ever-present. If they are the cause of disease, no one would ever reach the state called health. So-called epidemics, contagions, and infections do not influence normal, healthy children. Who are the children that make up the sick list? They are found in homes where discontent, scolding, complaining, nervousness, loud voices, sharp rebukes, threatenings, fault-finding, disputes, arguing, castigating, are the daily routine. Real love and kindness are crowded out. Everyone is grouchy, and there appears to be a rivalry in seeing who can make the most cutting retorts. No care is given to eating, and little to the proper preparation of food. The best food will disagree when temper, irritation, and grouch prevail.

Unpoised parents always have nervous children. Such homes have much use for doctors--medical men who talk of germs, pure milk, vaccine, serum, contagion, and a lot of inane bunk on that order, but not a word concerning the pure milk of human kindness, love, and sympathy.

Fear in the homes and schools is the cause of about all the so-called diseases that belabor health officers and cause them to issue their bulls ordering vaccination, quarantine, tonsillotomy, tests, etc., etc.

Fear enervates; Toxemia follows; after which any old so-called disease may start. Then complicate it by "regular treatment," and "say, boy!" you are in line for any unusual usual disease.

That children are made sick by fear is not strange when we think of how fear is taught to children by parents and teachers, and then followed up by three professions--preachers, doctors, and lawyers; the latter enforcing the mandates of the doctors. The bogy devil and hell have gone out of fashion, but have been supplanted by the fear of germs and the dreadful diseases they cause, and the more dreadful brews concocted to scare away microscopic witches.

These various usurpers of nervous energy are worthy an illuminating essay each; for all play a part in the denaturing of man, and by building enervation, lay the foundation for all so-called diseases by causing retention of toxin in the blood. When enervation is produced, elimination is checked, and Toxemia is established; then deterioration of the organism begins, subtilely at first, manifesting on organs most stressed by use and abuse, showing up as functional derangements, which subside, to recur at longer or shorter intervals, until organic change (pathology) is established.

Lack of harmony in the homes is one of the most constant causes of enervation followed by Toxemia, and then the diseases "peculiar to children."

Children suffer from this cause. Even the infant is made sick by the mother's milk, when the latter is irritated by the domestic infelicities occurring daily. Mothers are often subjected to the bestiality of sensual husbands, which prenatally curses the child; and the pernicious influence often remains throughout its life.

Prospective mothers should hold in their consciousness the ideals on the lines of which they would have their children evolve. A passive wish will not etch into the nervous system of the prospective child a formative desire--the mother must live her desires. Honesty must be lived--not simply paying debts agreed upon, but doing unto others as she would have others do unto her. This commandment, which is the foundation of ethics, is acted upon perfunctorily and ostentatiously by convention; but there is no soul-building force in it, and the mothers who would transmit ideal traits to their children must live them. In the performance of this function they may fool their neighbors, their friends, and their God; but they cannot fool the laws of biology--the laws of their being.

The grasping merchant prince transmits kleptomania to his beautiful daughter; the sins committed in secret are declared from the housetops; the tippling mother transmits dipsomania to her son; and the lustful parents stamp nymphomania on the daughter and libertinism on the son.

The reckless disregard for law and order that is racing rampant throughout the world is the materialization of the unholy practices etched into the plastic nervous system of children by parents.

Mothers, would you have your children normal, self-controlled, and happy? Then you must be. Do you want to have a normal--which is an easy--labor, and be able to nurse your child? Then live normally; avoid gluttony; control your emotion; learn to be poised; study (not read) "Toxemia Explained", and the "The Practical Cook Book" Cultivate the study and thinking habits. Enlarge your vocabulary by daily reference to a good dictionary. We cannot without words learn to think--stamp ideal habits on our children. We shall not need prohibition and other stupid laws when the mothers of our country cease to be food-drunkards and sensualists.

Fathers who are unwilling to do their part in the betterment of the coming race should not assume the responsibility.

Men and women must know more concerning their influence in shaping the lives of their children. Excesses of parents dull, and even inhibit, the moral development of children. Moral idiots are begotten in lust and conventional drunkenness. If the race is deteriorating, the fault lies in the habits and daily doings of parents.

If a mother wishes to have an obedient child--one that is sensible and lovable--she should live a sensible and lovable and obedient life herself, practicing self-control continually. If a mother would have a normal child, she must live a normal life.