Sex in Female Childhood (From 12 to 14)

What has been said in general about practical observance of the laws

of sex hygiene in the preceding chapter for boys, applies to girls as

well. If anything the sex precautions taken in infancy should be even

more closely followed, as girls are by nature less robust than boys.

If children could be raised in entire accordance with natural laws,

the sexual instinct of girls as well as boys would probably remain

dormant during the period stretching from infancy to puberty. As in

the case of the boy, so in that of the girl, any manifestation of

sexual precocity should be investigated, to see whether it be due to

natural or artificial causes. In either case the proper remedies

should be applied.

                        SEX PRECOCITY IN GIRLS

There are cases of extraordinary sex precocity in girls. One case

reported in the United States was that of a female child who at birth

possessed all the characteristics usually developed at puberty. In

this case the natural periodical changes began at birth! Fortunately,

this is a case more or less unique. In little girls and boys undue

sexual handling or titillating of their genital organs tends to quiet

them, so nurses (let us hope in ignorance of the consequences!) often

resort to it. Sending children to bed very early, to "get rid of