And so, my friend, we are fast coming, not only in France, but in other
countries where the odious wet-nurse system is in vogue, to a race of
wretched, degenerate women, who will be absolutely powerless to nourish
their offspring."
Mathieu then remembered what he had witnessed at Madame Bourdieu's and
the Foundling Hospital. And he imparted his impressions to Boutan, who
again made a despairing gesture. There was a great work of social
salvation to be accomplished, said he. No doubt a number of
philanthropists were trying their best to improve things, but private
effort could not cope with such widespread need. There must be general
measures; laws must be passed to save the nation. The mother must be
protected and helped, even in secrecy, if she asked for it; she must be
cared for, succored, from the earliest period, and right through all the
long months during which she fed her babe. All sorts of establishments
would have to be founded--refuges, convalescent homes, and so forth; and
there must be protective enactments, and large sums of money voted to
enable help to be extended to all mothers, whatever they might be. It was
only by such preventive steps that one could put a stop to the frightful
hecatomb of newly-born infants, that incessant loss of life which
exhausted the nation and brought it nearer and nearer to death every day.
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