Thomas, John L.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 30 | Number 2 Article 85-1-1963Book Review of The Truth About Rhythm, by I. E.GeorgJohn L. ThomasFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqPart of the Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, and the Medicine and Health SciencesCommonsRecommended CitationThomas, John L. (1963) "Book Review of The Truth About Rhythm, by I. E. Georg," The Linacre Quarterly: Vol. 30 : No. 2 , Article 8.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol30/iss2/8Whitehouse, W. L.: Rubella before con­ception as a cause of foetal abnormal­ity, Lancet 1:139 Jan. 19, 1963, Laforet, E. G., Hofmann, J, J. (S. J.J, �,d Ford J. C. ( S. J,): Cigarette smok ,19 -medical and moral aspects. Cath lie Med. Quart. 16:7-16, Jan. 1963. Gilchrist, A. K.: Cardiologfcal problems in younger women: Including those of pregnancy and the puerperlum. Brit. Med, J, 1:209-216 Jan. 26, 1963. Kelly, M.: ( Book Reviews) Pierre Tell­hard de Chardln: His Life and Spirit. Dormant Human Potential. Dialogue with Tellhard de Chardln. Arch, Int, Med, 1 I 1 :273-274, Feb. 1963. Stolz, W. K. (S. J.J: The origin of the human race: polygenesfs vs. mono­genesis. Alma Stud/es 6:129-144, Au­tumn-Winter 1962. Egeberg, 0. and Owren, P. A.: Oral con­traception and blood coagulablllty. Lancet I :220-221, Jan. 26, I 963. Sister Elizabeth Clare: The sisters of Providence in the Northwest: an his­torical survey. Alaska Med. 4:60-61, Sept. 1962. ----: The medical and religious aspects of fasting. Harefuah 63:2 I 4-217, Sept, 16, 1962, (In Hebrew) Margalit, D.: The ethical basis of reli­gious laws from a medical standpoi.nt. Daplm. Refullm. 21:542-549, Aug. 1962. (in Hebrew) Lain Entralgo, P.: Toward a theology of disease. Rev. Assoc. Med. Argent. 76:454, Sept. I 962. ( In Spanish) Gabrielsson, J.: Christianity and medi­cine. Svenslc, Lalcartldn, 59:409-410, Aug. 23, 1962. Held, R.: Contribution to the psycho­analytic study of the religious phe­nomenon. Rey, Franc. Psychanal. 26: 211-266, March-June 1962. ( In French) (Editorial): Human guinea pigs. Ma, a­chusetts Physician 31: 184, March H ,3. Parkes, A. S.: Change and control In human populations. Lancet 1 :341-: 44, Feb. 16, 1963. Schllllng, Harold K.: Science and Re/lg on. Scribner. 248 pp. $4.50 ( revlewe In America p. 207, Feb. 9, 1963). Erikson, E. H.: The Golden Rule and the cycle of life. Harvard Med. Al, mnl Bull. 37:26, Winter 1963 ( The Ge rge W. Gay Lecture upon Medical E1•1ics, presented at Harvard Medical S 1001 on May 4, 1962.J John, DeW.: Christian Scientists and claim cases. (Correspondence) l,A,· M.A. I B3:62 I. Feb, 16, 1963. Bowden, L. and Grant, R.: The p tient with incurable cancer. CA 12:104 106, May-June 1962. CONTRIBUTORS J.E.H. is J. E. Holoubek, M.D., 'res­ident of the National Federati n ofCatholic Physicians' Guilds. Thefollowing contributors are thc,,Jogi­cal students at Alma Colleg( LosGatos, California: W.J.W. (WilliamJ. Wood, S.J.), J.R. (James Rude,S.J.), J.W.M. (James W. Murphy,S .J.), F.P.T. (Frederick P. 'follini,S.J.), C.E.G. (C. Edward Gilpatric,S.J.), B.J.T. (Bernard J. Tvrrell,S.J.) and J.N.G. (James N. Guil­hamet, S.J.). Readers Interested in submitting abstracts, please send to: Platt, R.: Reflections on aging and death. Lancet 1:1-6, Jan. 5, 1963. Eugene G. Laforet, M.D. I 70 Middlesex Rd. Chestnut HI/I 67, Mass. 88 LINACRE QUARTERLY ,. M . Book Review !. Review by John L .  Thomas, S.J. Institute of Social Order. National Jesuit Social Science Center St Louis U niversity, St. LOUIS, Mo. The translation of another work on periodic continence lends further support to the coi:i­tention that European Catholic medical researchers and practi­tioners have shown more con­cern with problems relating to family regulation than have their American colleagues. On reflection this greater interest should not surprise us, sin_ce. thefertility of the industrialized European nations has been sub­jected to marked control for at least a century and the corre­sponding need to find acceptable means has consequently been acute for some time. According to the information on the dust-jacket, the pr�sent study is the work of a promi!lent Austrian (Czech?) who is a world authority on the rhythm method of family planning. The author - I. E. Georg is a nom de plume - was an early adherent of the Ogino-Knaus rhythm theory as synthesized by Smuld-LINACRE QUARTERLY 71te 714«tl, A6cut f<l,�tl,,n I. E. GEORG, M.D.ers, though he has c�ntinuo�slyrevised his approach m the l!�htof later findings and now in­cludes the use of basal tempera­ture curves, glucose tests and other symptoms of what Holt has t e r m e d  the "ovulatio� syn­drome." With most of his c?n­temporaries he advoc�tes usmga version of the Ogmo-Knaus method to determine the pre­ovulation sterile period and one or several other methods to as­certain the precise date of ovula­tion and the ensuing sterile per­iod. The work is divided into three parts. The first cont�ins a fai�lyadequate, non-technical_ descrip­tion of the physiological pro­cesses of the female body relat­ing to reproductive func:i.on, ovulation, fertility and sterility. Part Two deals with the patterns of the cycle, their uniquern�ss, variations and means of bemg studied. Here the author ex­plains his own method o� calcu­lating the fertile and sterile days for various cycle-pat�erns. P _art Three contains an mtere�tmg brief treatise on sex, marriage, conception control, chastity and 89 90 population problems. Models ofthe author's own Chart Sheet Date Counting Slide Rule andBack Counting Slide Rule to­get�er with an explanatio� oftheir use, are presented in anAppendix. In general this work offers ab_alanced, adequately conserva­tive and practically insightfulsummary of the present state oftheory and method relating torhythm. We suggest that the cur­rent _reliability of glucose testsremams more questionable thanthe �uthor implies, and that thefmdmgs of Jayle and Geller onthe functioning of the yell, w body should be taken into c, n­sidera�ion in estimating the po ;t­ovulat10n sterile period. It is n­teresting to note that Part Th ee reflects the European's grea er awareness of the practical im· Ii­cations of current populat on trends - an American Cath< lie writer would probably have le­vote� relatively more space to spellmg out the conditions ju ,ti­fying the use of rhythm. The Truth About Rhythm New York: P, J. Kenedy & Sor1962 xii+212 pp., $4.95 FEDERATION EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING SCHEDULED The Executive Board of the National Federation of Catholic Physicians' Guild will hold its ai:inual meeting June 16, 1963. Time: 9: 30 a.m. Place: Dennis Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Officers of the national organization and one delegate fro� each active constituent Gmld comprising the Board will conduct business. LINACRE QUARTERLY CATHOLIC DOCTORS LOOK AT THE RHYTHM METHOD (The St. Louis Review, official Catholic news weekly of the Arch­diocese, carried the following article in the March 22 issue. Kind permission has been granted to reprint in our journal) Editor's introduction: Rhythm is never far from the pages of the Catholic press. During his pontificate Pope Pius XII ex­pressed the wish that science would succeed in providing rhythm ("this licit method" as he called it) with a sufficiently secure basis. The Family Life convention held here last year devoted several of its sessions to the subject. More recently the Ford Foundation awarded a grant of $150,000 to Georgetown University for a population problem study related to rhythm. The scientist, the physician, the married couple, the theolo­gian, and the confessor are all obligated to one another. and, collectively to God to see that this method, when 3ustifiably employed, does not pose an obstacle to spiritual, moral and physical health. What part and what interest does the Catholic phJJsician have? The St. Louis Review presented a series of questions on this subject to a group of Catholic doctors, members of. our local Catholic Physicians' Guild. Here follows a synthesis of their answers. Q. Why are Catholic physicians concerned with the problems of family planning? A. The Catholic physician recog­nizes his moral responsibility to instruct in the natural means avail­able to us for spacing children. Be­hind many of the complaints that bring patients to seek medical ad­vice are social, economic, and even moral problems centered around the family. Q, You seem to be saying that couples who are good Catholics have. difficulty with the laws of the Church regarding their marital ob­ligations. Is this true? A. Yes, it is. There are few Cath­olic physicians who have not met Patients with these problems. There is much misunderstanding among the laity regarding the Church's laws on marital relationships. The prob­lem is aggravated by what seems to be a variety of interpretations of these laws presented by various members of the clergy and Catholic educators. LINACRE QUARTERLY Q. Is this practice of periodic continence difficult? A. The practice of periodic conti­nence is not easy for most people. It must be acceptable to both parties concerned, otherwise very definite problems follow. Q. Would you be more explicit re­garding these problems? A. It isn't morally permissible forone party to force the other to refrain from relations without just cause. There are certain times when all agree that relations may be re­fused, such as in sickness, during certain times of pregnancy or re­cent childbirth, in the face of acute alcoholism, etc. Both parties must agree to th.ispractice and must be able to refram if it is not to lead to trouble. To force such continence on the other partner may lead to sin and psychic disorders which are worse than fur­ther pregnancy. 91 

Book Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Truth About Rhythm\u3c/em\u3e, by I. E. Georg

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Book Review of \u3cem\u3eThe Truth About Rhythm\u3c/em\u3e, by I. E. Georg

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