Creative and Sexual Science was written by Prof. O.S. Fowler, a professor of Phrenology and Physiology who had traveled around and practiced for the “past 50 years.’ It is almost 1,000 pages long.
As most ideas are illustrated by multiple from-life examples that the professor has faced, this book seems to be a fantastic resource for things that typically aren’t discussed in the period. In fact, a note on the title page mentions that it was “Issued by subscription only, and not for sale in the book-stores.”
I also found 30 of this professor’s works on the Library of Congress site, many of which predate the American Civil War: http://tinyurl.com/86lzd. Better too much information than too little.
The full title page states as follows: "Creative and Sexual Science: or Manhood, Womanhood, and Their Mutual Interrelations; Love, Its Laws, Power, Etc.; Selection, or Mutual Adaptation; Courtship, Married Life, and Perfect Children; Their generation, endowment, paternity, maternity, bearing, nursing and rearing; together with puberty, boyhood, girlhood, etc.; sexual impairments restored, male vigor and female health and beauty perpetuated and augmented, etc., as taught by Phrenology and Physiology.
By Prof. O.S. Fowler. Practical phrenologist, and lecturer; founder of Fowler and Wells; Author of ‘Human Science,’ ‘Sexual Science,’ ‘Self-Culture,’ ‘Love and Parentage,’ ‘Matrimony,’ ‘Offspring, and Their Heriditary Endowment,’ ‘Maternity,’ ‘Amativeness,’ Etc., Etc.”
Of course, I’ve yet to find a specific section dealing with how women dealt with this part of their lives practically in terms of cloth, belts, &c., but in another section I did find a short comment, where girls with a certain illness were “…told to wear a wet diaper as in menstruation, day and night” (1030).
The following are all direct quotes from the book. I have tried to keep the formatting where possible.
The life-germ must be fed just as soon as deposited, or die of starvation. This required that its food precede it, so as to be already on hand, awaiting its advent; for Nature cannot forage around for it afterwards. Not must it get stage by long keeping; and hence must be supplied monthly. When not wanted, no matter, since it is not expensive; yet it must be on call whenever needed. It must also be embodied, not scattered.
An ovum or egg-like sack supplies this alimentary demand; and consists of a nutritious pabulum precisely adapted for commencing its paramount requirement for something to eat. It has a mouth. Here is something with which to feed it. Its having either involves both” (733).
Woman’s Courses: They are Her Test Barometer.
All women must be always reader to bear, even though not bearing; and therefore be continually manufacturing thus surplus albumen. Then what becomes of it when they are not pregnant? Its being thrown into the blood, in order to be thereby carried to the life-germ, where alone it is wanted, must soon render that blood too thick and rich to circulate freely, unless Nature provides for its ejection; which she effects by means of those
monthly excretions common to all females during their bearing-period, called “courses,” “menses,” “catamenia,” &c., which both “usher in” and “close out” womanhood. They are sometimes called lunar period, “monthlies,” &c., because they transpire at the same time of each moon, or every four weeks. In females who are perfectly healthy sexually, they commence on exactly the same day and hour of every fourth week, and continue three or four days, till they have cleared the blood of this surplus, which consists mainly of albumen. How vastly more convenient this monthly evacuation, than if its escape, like its manufacture, were perpetual! Nature does all things well.
This monthly overflow is the female test. As she is, so is it; and as it is, so is she. When this is “all right,” she is all right; but it is wrong only when and because she is “ailing” sexually. Its undue suppression surcharges her blood and system with surplus material which clogs all, and includes that plethora which overloads and embarrasses all her other functions. Keeping it “regular” and right is as important as is good health, its great means, to all females between fourteen and forty-two. Its sparseness or disappearance may well alarm, unless likely to become a mother, of which this is the first and surest sign. It may, however, disappear in a girl soon after its first advent, because she may be growing so fast as to require all she manufactures for her own “home consumption.” Hence its suppression or sparseness for months at a time during rapid growth need not give alarm, provided her general health is perfect; but beware when it is accompanied by headache, chilliness, numbness, cough, or other pains anywhere. For its restoration and regulation see Part IX. Pray, ladies, duly consider the principle here expounded, and then make such application of it to your own selves as the facts in your individual case may require (749-750).