137-139) described the terror of his young heroine at the appearance of the first menstrual period for which she had never been prepared.

He adds: "It is very seldom, indeed, that women speak of this eventuality.

Mothers fear to warn their daughters, elder sisters dislike confidences with their younger sisters, governesses are generally mute with girls who have no mothers or sisters." Sometimes this leads to suicide or to attempts at suicide.

Thus a few years ago the case was reported in the French newspapers of a young girl of fifteen, who threw herself into the Seine at Saint-Ouen.

She was rescued, and on being brought before the police commissioner said that she had been attacked by an "unknown disease" which had driven her to despair.