Small hard cover book with black vinyl covers and a sewn binding; tan pages with black print; title "The Rhythm" is printed in the top centre of the front cover in gold in capital letters with three straight horizontal lines under it and a pointed line going up, then down through the straight lines…
Small hard cover book with black vinyl covers and a sewn binding; tan pages with black print; title "The Rhythm" is printed in the top centre of the front cover in gold in capital letters with three straight horizontal lines under it and a pointed line going up, then down through the straight lines; on the first page there is a blue stamp for the library from which the book came; the book is divided into three parts (physiological, practical, and ethical aspects) and seventy five chapters, dealing with sex, sterility, fertility, marriage, pregnancy, female sexual organs, menstruation and the menstrual cycle, contraception, natural birth control, and contraception in relation to religion and God; the copyright page reads that the book was published with "Ecclesiastical Approbation"; on the last page, a portion of an envelope has been glued in and is open at the top; 128 pages.
Printed on front cover: "THE RHYTHM // LEO J. LATZ, M. D."; stamped on first page: "BIBLIOTHEQUE PROVINCIALE // 430 CHEMIN MONTREAL // OTTAWA 7, ONTARIO"; printed on title page: "THE RHYTHM // of // Sterility and Fertility // in Women // A Discussion of the Physiological, Practical, // and Ethical Aspects of the Discoveries // of Drs. K. Ogino (Japan) and H. // Knaus (Austria) Regarding // the Periods when Con- // ception Is Impos- // sible and when // Possible // by // Leo J. Latz, A.B., M.D., LL.D. // Member of the Staffs of Loyola // University Medical School, Alexian // Brothers' Hospital and St. Elizabeth Hospital. // Fourth Revised Edition // Sixtieth Thousand // Published by // LATZ FOUNDATION // (Corporation Not for Profit) // REPUBLIC BUILDING // CHICAGO, ILLINOIS".
Permanent Location
Storage Room 2005
2005-3
Length
10.7 cm
Width
1.5 cm
Height
15.6 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Sticker residue near bottom of spine and covers, vinyl coming off in top right corner of front cover and bottom of back cover.
Copy Type
original
Reference Types
Websites
Reference Comments
"Leo J. Latz and "The Rhythm"", DIttrick Museum, March 16, 2010: http://dittrick.blogspot.com/2010/03/leo-j-latz-and-rhythm.html
"Highlights of the Percy Skuy History of Contraception Gallery: Rhythm Method", Case Western Reserve University: https://case.edu/affil/skuyhistcontraception/online-2012/Rhythm-method.html
"Book, ‘The rhythm of sterility and fertility in women’ by Leo J. Latz.", Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences: https://collection.maas.museum/object/345735
"Dr. Leo Latz dies, was originator of 'rhythm method'", Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, May 4, 1994: https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-05-04-1994124154-story.html
Research Facts
Dr. Leo J. Latz was one of the pioneers of the "rhythm" method of birth control, now often called natural family planning. The Rhythm method asserts that women are only fertile for five or six days of their menstrual cycle, and so it is unlikely for a woman to get pregnant outside of those days, even without material methods of birth control. His book went through twenty-six editions.
The Rhythm Method is the only method of birth control which received the official approval of the Catholic Church, having been approved by Pope Pius XII in 1951. In 1955, a survey of Catholic women found that over 65% of the women surveyed said they used the Rhythm method.
In 1934, Latz, a devout Catholic, was fired from his position at Loyola University, most likely over his involvment with the cause of Rhythm.