Women and Health

Imagine a white male, married with three children, going to a doctor who deals with >roblems of the reproductive system. The nan's right teste is enlarged. The doctor oticing this suggests complete removal of oth testes and the penis. Very funny you say. lever happen. Well you happen to be right. lowever, now imagine another person the ame age, married and with three children but emale, going to her friendly neighborhood ynecologist. The doctor tells the woman that ne has a prolapsed or lowered uterus. The octor suggests a complete hysterectomy. his incident has happened and continues to appen too often.

Imagine another woman who detects a imp in her breast, visits the same doctor and e diagnoses breast cancer. He recommends complete mastectomy, or removal of the reast, as opposed to a partial one even though ne radical mastectomy is not surgically arranted. What is warranted is a larger insurnce pay-off for the doctor.

The above situations are not rare. They appen to women too often for comfort. These ases and others like them are discussed in the ook Vaginal Politics by Ellen Frankfort.

Ms. Frankfort starts her book with a itical evaluation of the menstrual extraction rocedure that is being practiced by many 'omen's self-help clinics. Menstrual extraction the process of sucking out the material of the terus with the use of a Karman cannula which inserted into the undilated uterus. Attached > the cannula is a syringe and a small collection ottle. Pumping the syringe creates suction ufficient to draw material out of the uterus. .ccording to the women of the Los Angeles Self-Help Clinic, this device could be used by ny woman to end her period as soon as it egan, or to terminate pregnancy; it would thus ake all forms of birth control, including bortion unnecessary.

Ms. Frankfort, initially criticizes the Los ngeles Self-Help Clinic for neglecting to mphasize the dangerous aspects of menstrual <traction. She also criticizes the stress on elf-help as a method of eliminating profiteerig by doctors as opposed to stressing the need or a complete revamping and rehumanizing f the medical profession and related health ervices in the United States.

Ms. Frankfort at the end of her book reevaluates her initial position, modifying some of her stands on self-help and clarifying others. She gives credit to the self-help clinics for developing the revolutionary idea of period extraction. She also talks of the revolutionary potential behind the women's health movement.

In the body of the book between the introduction and the conclusion is enough material to make two books. Frankfort takes us through the training of a surgeon, whereby he is taught and learns from other noble doctors to treat his patients as parts of the body, not humans, and to use the poor as guinea pigs. The lies and cheating that doctors use to cover their mistakes, much to the detriment of the patients is also documented.

Frankfort then goes on to examine the mystification of medical treatment whereby the simplest procedure becomes cloaked with secrecy so that the God-like aura of the physician can be preserved and also so that the high in the sky prices can be maintained.

Male and female birth control are discussed and evaluated. She deals with the pro's and cons of the loop, the pill, vasectomy, sterilization and also discusses the Bionx Control,

a faucet-like contraceptive device for men that unlike the vasectomy can be totally reversed in all cases.

In several other chapters, Frankfort deals with the abortion system in terms of referral, profiteering by doctors, new abortion methods, mistreatment of the patient and general misuses of women who seek abortions.

Ms. Frankfort tells us about the drug industry and their oppression of women and treatment of the public in general as guinea pigs with their concern focused on profits not safety. One primary example of this abuse is the chemical danger of feminine hygiene deodorants which are abundantly available in any drug store in town.

Cancer, V.D., Dr. Reuben (or the psychiatrist-sex syndrome), and as many other aspects of the health industry that you could think of are discussed with concern and insight by Ellen Frankfort in Vaginal Politics.

If you as a woman have ever questioned your doctors' opinions, your treatment by the medical profession, or any aspects of the health industry as a whole, Ellen Frankfort will bring home to you the drastic need for change in the health profession as well as pointing out things you can do to protect yourself from some of the health industries unhealthy practices.

STRIP FROM THE WAIST DOWN

I paid $25 for a diaphragm that I could have tted myself with my current knowledge of my eproductive anatomy and a few additional facts such as fitting the rim behind the pubic bone) nd equipment. I learned about my anatomy with a group of women using speculums, a deise used to hold the vaginal walls apart, and by ioing pelvic examinations on one another.

I left work at 2:30 and caught a bus in order o get to Family Planning Clinic by 4. They ren't open Saturdays so I had taken time off rom work another time to have a history taken-'Do you want the pill?"

'No." I had taken it for five years and wanted o stop.

'What do you want?"

'A diaphragm."

>age 6/What She Wants/July 1974

"Have you considered an IUD?" "Yes; but NO."

"You have an appointment in two weeks."

I signed in and sat in the reception room piled with magazines-women-love filled with stories like "The Strange Reason the Lennon Sisters Stopped Having Babies."

me to strip from the waist down, get on the nar row examinating table, and put a paper sheet over myself." Do you know women are learning to examine themselves and use speculums?" } asked her. She expressed interest and approval. I told her about Mentrual Extraction, a method of extracting the contents of the uterus similar

I was called into the small office and asked if to vacuum aspiration, and offered to send her

I knew the fee.

"Yes, $25. Do you want it now?" "Yes."

information. She gave me her name and address

of clinic. I was hoping she would be the person to show me how to use a diaphragm since we had

I don't know what arrangements they would have established a rapport but she said "No, I'm just made if I didn't have the money.

Back in the waiting room again, I was called by someone named Mary (she told me later) who took me into a small examining room and asked

a registered nurse.'

She left and a man came in with another wo man. They didn't tell me their names, but I knew. He was DOCTOR, she was nurse.

Cont. on p. 10