Marijuana as a Social Problem Essay Example for Free

Marijuana as a Social Problem Essay Introduction Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. You may hear marijuana called by street names such as pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, or chronic. There are more than 200 slang terms for marijuana. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuanas effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. The potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. Marijuana inherits its name from Mexico, although it has a past steeped with global tradition. Long before its U.S. debut, marijuana was widely used, and popular among, some of the world’s earliest civilizations. History documents show that the fiber-rich cannabis plant was used to produce rope and woven fabrics around 7000 B.C. in Central and South Asia. Additionally, it was referenced in Chinese manuscripts dating back to 2700 B.C. and ancient Indian scriptures have attributed medicinal properties to it. After being used by half of the world for nearly 8,000 years, marijuana traditionally reached North America with Christopher Columbus in 1492 A.D. Initially, cannabis was only used to make industrial goods; its recreational use in America didn’t become popular until the early 20th century. It wasn’t until then that the misunderstandings about cannabis truly began to popup. The recreational use of marijuana soon became considered as harmful as cocaine or heroin. However, it has never led to a single case of human death from overdose in its entire history. This is a sharp contrast to the heavy mortality rate of its supposed counterparts. Nonetheless, the use and cultivation of the cannabis plant was made illegal at the hands of many capable antidrug advocates. Domestic production of the marijuana plant was encouraged in various parts of America during the 17th century. The cannabis sativa plant, whose dried flower extracts can form potent recreational marijuana, was in great demand because of its long fibers which could be used for the production of clothing, ropes, and sails. In fact, The Assembly of Jamestown Colony, Virginia, passed legislation in 1619 making it compulsory for every farmer to grow the Indian hempseed – ironically America’s first marijuana law. Other colonial states like Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania allowed hemp to be exchanged as legal tender and could even be used to pay taxes. The plant was an essential requirement during war times and farmers would be jailed if they were not able to produce enough hemp. Men who Americans hold in great reverence grew and encouraged the growth of hemp. George Washington grew hemp as his primary crop in the late 18th century for fiber production at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson grew the plant as a secondary crop at Monticello and urged farmers to grow hemp in place of tobacco due to its many useful qualities. Even Benjamin Franklin used cannabis as the raw material to start one of America’s pioneering paper mills. By the mid-19th century, marijuana’s medicinal properties were recognized in North America and it was used as a popular ingredient in many medicinal products. The United States Pharmacopeia had marijuana on its list of pharmaceuticals from 1850 until 1942, and many companies like Brothers Smith, Eli Lilly, Parke-Davis, and Tildens produced a cannabis extract, which Sir William Osler, â€Å"the father of modern medicine,† pronounced as the best treatment for migraines. Marijuana was prescribed for various pain-relieving and mood-altering conditions such as nausea, labor pains, and rheumatism. A score of medical papers were published in this era flaunting the curing abilities of cannabis, and even the personal physician of Queen Victoria, Sir John Russell Reynolds, announced cannabis as having amazing powers to treat painful maladies. It was sold openly and was easily available in public pharmacies. However, during this time, marijuana was also starting to be used more often as an intoxicant. The recreational use of marijuana started on a small scale in the late 19th century in the northeastern United States with the opening of many Turkish smoking parlors. It was also during this time that about two to five percent of America’s population had unknowingly become addicted to morphine as most over-the-counter medicines contained levels of the substance. Among the addicts were soldiers, businessmen, housewives, and children. In response, the American government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 and formed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in part to help counter and control the addiction situation. The law, though not targeting marijuana specifically, also required cannabis -based medications to have its contents mentioned on the label. TThe Spanish-American War, and the subsequent Mexican revolution of 1910, also influenced the marijuana scene in America. During the post-revolution years there was a great influx of Mexican-Americans who mostly found work on large farms in American fields. These immigrants cultivated marijuana, which they brought with them from Mexico, and indulged in its smoking for recreational purposes. Strong prejudice against the immigrants caused many to view the plant as an addictive and violence-inducing drug that created criminals, murderers, and delinquents. Not until the 1930’s, when the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and its director, Harry J. Anslinger, began drafting a bill to tax marijuana did an all out smear campaign begin, which eventually led to its national ban. State regulation of cannabis started in Massachusetts in 1911 and in New York and Maine by 1914. California passed the first state marijuana prohibition law in 1913, outlawing the preparations of hemp or â€Å"locoweed,† which was more a prejudiced controlling measure over the Mexican immigrant population than a controlling measure over the marijuana itself. More states came up with laws that banned marijuana, including Wyoming in 1915, Texas in 1919, and Nebraska in 1927. The states of Iowa, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Arkansas took this step in 1923. Marijuana was prohibited by 29 states by 1931 due largely to the poor socio-economic conditions during The Great Depression. With unemployment at its peak, many American’s found they competing against Mexican immigrants for jobs in the fields. Consequently, Mexican workers and their associated drug marijuana became easy targets for attack. By this time, marijuana’s misleading reputation began to overshadow its historic medicinal and industrial applications.

Ministers Black Veil Essays: Masks and Intimacy -- Ministers Black V

The Minister's Black Veil - Masks and Intimacy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      The Minister's Black Veil begins with a young pastor, Mr. Hooper, arriving at church with an ugly black veil covering his face. The people are all dismayed, and wonder why he is wearing a black veil. They are further dismayed and confused, when he refuses to take it off--ever. There is only one person who is not horrified by his black veil--his wife-to-be, Elizabeth. She comes to him and says, "there is nothing terrible in this piece of crape, except that it hides a face which I am always glad to look upon. Come, good sir, let the sun shine from behind the cloud. First lay aside your black veil: then tell me why you put it on." (Heath 2143) Mr. Hooper smiles and replies, "There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils. Take it not amiss, beloved friend, if I wear this piece of crape till then." (Heath 2143) Elizabeth, again, entreats him to remove the veil, but he replies, "this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it!" Elizabeth asks him what shall the people think of his veil? Won't it start a scandal? Mr. Hooper then replies, "If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough, and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?" (Heath 2143) Elizabeth begins to feel terror at the sight of the veil. She turns to leave the room, and Mr. Hooper cries, "Have patience with me, Elizabeth! Do not desert me, though this veil must be between us here on e... ... understanding, and healing. Mr. Hooper's veil ostracized him from the mercy, understanding and love, from his congregation. BIBLIOGRAPHY Kaul, A. N., (Ed.). (1966). "HAWTHORNE: A Collection of Critical Essays." Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Levin, Harry., (Ed.). (1961) "The Scarlet Letter and Other Tales of the Puritans." Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Morris, Lloyd., "THE REBELLIOUS PURITAN: Portrait of Mr. Hawthorne." Port Washington: Kennikat Press. "The Heath Anthology of American Literature" (2nd ed.). Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company. Van Doren, Mark., (Ed.). (1951). "The Best of Hawthorne." New York: The Ronald Press Company. Waggoner, Hyatt H., "HAWTHORNE: A Critical Study." Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. "World History and Cultures: In Christian Perspective." Pensacola: A Beka Book.   

Impact of technology on communication Essay

The ways new technologies of communication affect my interactions. Since the existence of electronic communication I have made friends who are far from where I live. Although not everyone I have met on the internet becomes my friends, some are business associates, others have become my employer and still many have become my friends. My very common means of electronic communication is through live chats such as yahoo messenger and skype. This is where I get immediate feedback as long as the person I am chatting with is online. It requires that both of us have the account which is free of charge. New technology will show me if the person is away, unavailable, online or offline. I also use the email technology and this has helped me cover many distances in terms of education and socializing. I have bought books that I feel I need to read through the internet and the payment I have done through wire transfer. Surprisingly I have not lost any money or got conned as I hear people complaining that the net is full of fraud. I have also got a free lance job with the essay writers and I wrote my application through an email. After a while I got a feedback from them through email and started working for them. I get all my orders through browsing through the list of orders supplied and I work on the orders and then send them to customers through the internet. My questions if any about the orders are direct to the customers as a message that gets addressed within 24 hours. My pay for the work done is through electronic wire transfer. However I lack the face to face opportunity of interacting with these people I work for and although this does not much affect my work I tend to think that maybe if the meeting in face to face was there maybe we would not bond well and maybe wouldn’t work together. Sometimes this happens as some people who I meet face to face can never become my friends, my partners in business or my employer. They are those people who are hard to deal with, people who are not straight, who will look for war always. This I can only judge once I get to interact with a person face to face. Although one can get a vivid idea of some one’s character through their way of writing – that is the language they use, I believe some characteristics can be hidden and not seen through writing but will expose out rightly on face to face basis. I look at the people on television and associate the characteristics of the individuals here with the background they come from. An example movie from Mexico portrays Mexicans as very beautiful people, very hardworking. This is my personal opinion of the Mexicans and although it might not be perfect, I have come to this conclusion through watching television. Television has always shown Africa to be the land of jungle, wild animals moving freely. When I went for a tour in these places I saw exactly this. The last interesting thing that I have got from the net is a fiance. I met this man through skype and after chatting for quite some time we exchanged snaps. In the snap I saw that his physical appearance is what I would want. We did a lot of communication and said what each of us value, our dislikes and likes. When he finally flew to come and see me, I was not surprised for I just saw the very person I have learnt to love and respect on skype. He spoke the same way, looked just as the snap had shown. After a few months we got engaged and we are now looking forward to our wedding!

The Appeal of Eavan Bolands Poetry - 2149 Words

â€Å"The appeal of Eavan Boland’s poetry† The appeal of Eavan Boland’s poetry is how real she is as her personal experiences are reflected in her poems. Her writing is humble and domestic making it accessible to the reader as she is interested in the voices of the powerless in society such as in ‘The Famine Road’. Being that she is from Dublin her references in her poems make the poems relevant and accessible to readers who are also from Dublin as in ‘The war Horse’. Her appeal to women is obvious as she talks of issues directly relating to mothers as in ‘Child of Our Time’ or ‘This moment’ but also not just mothers as in ‘The Famine Road’. However, her appeal is not just for women as she has feminist concerns but is not a ‘doctrinaire’†¦show more content†¦This shows how desperate these people became and although the tone remains impersonal it touches on the idea of the gradu al dehumanisation of a human race to the level of beasts as the poem does refer to the peoples parts of their bodies, ‘buttock’ and ‘knuckles’. In conclusion this poem’s complexity yet accessibility mentioned through the divide of them poem but also the line structure holds a wide appeal to all. The next poem I will mention is ‘The War Horse’. The War Horse is a memory of Eavan’s of a horse from the tinker camp in Enniskerry that got loose and is on her road and trampled flowers and eats the leaves. Instantly there is an appeal for people familiar with Dublin as they can picture the Enniskerry road. However Eavan takes this memory and symbolises it into war. To begin, the structure of the poem is divided into fifteen stanzas with two lines in each. There is ‘nothing unusual’ about this divide and is done on purpose to represent how war can come about in perfectly ordinary places but also to show how in some countries, for example African countries, war can be so common that there is nothing unusual about it’s occurrence. The normality of the poem is also shown with the concrete images portrayed in the poem, the speaker herself, the horse destroying gardens, the neighbours peering from behind curtains. With the first two sentences being long and flowing, the third instantly disrupts theShow MoreRelatedEavan Boland Essay1375 Words   |  6 PagesEavan Boland is my favourite modern poet. There are many reasons for my positive response to her poems. What I love about Boland’s work is how revolutionary it is. Jody Allen Randolph, the American critic, once said that Boland â€Å"single-handedly challenged what was a heavily male-dominated profession†. What really appeals to me about Boland’s work is how she offers me fresh insight on old topics. In particular I like her reflections on love and relationships, the polemical/political dimension to herRead MoreDo Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagesprovoking theme. The careful repetition of the two echoing refrains and the flow of the rime pattern can make the poem come off as musical and songlike. In my opinion, appearing like a song can better appeal to the emotional state of the reader and allow for a deeper connection. In Mark Strand and Eavan Boland’s book The Making of a Poem: A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms (2001) they emphasize the rules for the villanelle closed form, a total of nineteen lines which is made up of five stanzas of three

Spanish Verbs Comprender vs. Entender

Both comprender and entender are usually translated as to understand, and in many cases — in fact, most of the time — you can use them interchangeably. However, there are some subtle differences in how they may come across. Differences Between Entender and Comprender The main difference between the two verbs when they mean to understand can be seen in the saying Te entiendo, pero no te comprendo, which obviously makes little sense if you try translating it as I understand you, but I dont understand you. Perhaps a better way of understanding this sentence would be something like I understand the words youre saying but I dont understand what you mean. Comprender, then, can suggest a deeper type of understanding. If you speak with an accent and want to know if youre getting your words across, for example, you might ask:  ¿Me entiendes? But if what youre looking for is whether the listener understands the implications of what youre saying, the question  ¿Me comprendes? may be more appropriate. In real life, though, these differences may not be all that distinct, and you may hear one verb used when the above guidelines suggest using the other. For example, I know exactly what you mean could be translated as either Te comprendo perfectamente or Te entiendo perfectamente (the latter appears to be more common) and the same goes for Nadie me comprende and Nadie me entiende for Nobody understands me. In other words, as a Spanish student you neednt worry too much about which verb to use in most contexts. As you hear and use the two verbs, youll pick up on whatever subtle differences exist between them in your locality. Note that comprender can also have the meanings to cover, to enclose or to include (and thus have a meaning related to the English word comprehensive rather than to comprehend, both of which come from the same Latin source). Example: El territorio de la provincia comprende tres regiones bien diferenciadas. (The provincial territory includes three distinctive regions.)  Entiende cannot be substituted in this sentence. Sample Sentences Using Entender and Comprender Here are examples of these two verbs in use: Si yo quiero comprender a alguien, no puedo condenarlo; debo observarlo, estudiarlo. (If I want to understand someone, I cant judge him; I need to observe him, study him.)Todavà ­a no puedo entender de lo que se me acusa. (I still cant understand what Im being accused of.)Mis padres comprendà ­an que esta era mi personalidad y no trataron de cambiar mi modo de ser. (My parents understood that that was my personality and didnt try to change how I was.)Si hubiera entendido el frà ­o que iba a sentir, no me hubiera depilado. (If I had understood how cold it would feel, I wouldnt have shaved.)Comprendemos perfectamente las dificultades y errores que se cometen en una lucha tan larga. (We understand perfectly the difficulties and mistakes that are made in such a grand struggle.)La pelà ­cula la entendà ­ a medias; hay ciertas cosas que se escapaban a mi comprensià ³n. (I didnt completely understand the movie; there are certain things that eluded my understanding.)Solo los sabios lo comprenderà ¡n. (Only the wise will understand it.)Creo que son pocas las personas que lo entienden como realmente es. (I believe that few are the people who understand it as it really is.) Using Entender With Prefixes Entender, although not comprender, can be combined with prefixes to form several other verbs, although none are in widespread use. Malentender can be used for to misunderstand, although both entender mal and misinterpretar are more common. Malentendà ­ algo y me ayudaste a entenderlo. (I misunderstood something and you helped me to understand it.)Es una broma que muchos malentendieron. (It is a joke that many misunderstood.) Desentenderse can be used to refer to the avoiding of understanding, intentionally or otherwise. Poco a poco me desentendà ­ de las partituras y empecà © a improvisar. (Little by little I ignored the sheet music and began to improvise.)Nuestros là ­deres se desentienden del nuevo escà ¡ndalo econà ³mico. (Our leaders are looking the other way from the new economic scandal.) Sobrentender (sometimes spelled sobreentender) refers to complete understanding. Sobrentiendo que no soy adicto y que no he substituido una droga por otra. (I know full well I am not an addict and that I havent substituted one drug for another.)Espero que sobrentiendas el costo de tus acciones. (I hope you completely understand the cost of your actions.)

The Road Not Taken By William Shakespeare - 1356 Words

â€Å"When we travel, we often focus on our destination at a cost of other aspects of the journey† is a statement which can be related to almost any journey whether it be physical, imaginative or emotional. King Lear is a text (play), written by William Shakespeare, that relates to the statement, as most of the characters within the play go on their own separate journeys. These journeys result in the severance of many relationships between characters, such as Edgar and Edmund, and affect the aspects of their lives that they did not consider. This is similar to The Road Not Taken which is a poem, written by Robert Frost, that speaks in a metaphorical way to symbolise journey. Within the poem Frost speaks of the difficulties on choosing which ‘path‘ to take due to their deceiving appearance and nature. Both these texts portray the statement through a wide array of techniques, such as symbolism, hamartia, and personification. King Lear is a text which has parallel narratives, the first following King Lear’s family, and the second following Lord Gloucester’s family. The King himself goes on a significant emotional and imaginative journey, which shapes his identity at the end of the play. Lear’s emotional journey starts at the very start of the play when he asks his daughters to praise and tell him how much they love him. He soon faces the troubling task of dealing with his two eldest daughter’s, Goneril and Regan, betrayal, due to his own naive desire to receive baseless praise. ItShow MoreRelatedMaya Angelou s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings701 Words   |  3 Pagesand praise her. William Shakespeare: â€Å"Carpe Diem† In this poem Shakespeare refers to his lover. He express how his lover should love his presence and live in the moment. It can be read like an order to the young lover not to hesitate and give herself to him. â€Å"A Fairy Song† In this poem Shakespeare express how a fairy goes around and spread dew drops on flowers. He spreads dew drops for the fairy queen. A cow tail is the type of flower he is spreading the dew on. Shakespeare express about a fairyRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s Writing874 Words   |  4 Pagesand as the conversation continues the author is losing his stability little by little. But he was not the only poet I enjoyed reading I gain interest in people like William Shakespeare, and Robert Frost. Robert Frost caught my attention more than William Shakespeare did with one of his most famous poems road not taken. â€Å"Road Not Taken† is a poem about making the right choices in life, because in life you are going to be faced with many trials and tribulations but it is your decision to make the rightRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet s Revenge1725 Words   |  7 Pages Thesis: Shakespeare s portrayal of Hamlet s revenge is not a worthy journey because he never finds his self worth, distracted between what will exemplify his purpose, and what will make him a failure in the memory of Denmark. Three quotes with analysis explaining thesis: Act 1 Scene 5 Ghost: â€Å" But know, thou noble youth, Hamlet: â€Å"Oh My Prophetic Soul! My uncle?† The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown.† The beginning of the â€Å"call to adventure -JRead MorePoetry and Figurative Language Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesimagery, metaphors, rhyme, and structure, and discusses the importance of figurative language in poetry, and ways in which figurative language communicates to the reader. The poems are â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost, â€Å"Chosen† by Marilyn Nelson, and â€Å"When in disgrace with Fortune and Men’s Eyes† by William Shakespeare (Theil, 2005, p. 297, 307, 311). Imagery, Metaphors, Rhyme, and Structure Definition Imagery can appeal to the senses, or to the imagination. Like similes, metaphors identify one ideaRead More Tragedy in Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and the Book of Job Essay examples998 Words   |  4 PagesTragedy in Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and the Book of Job In works of literature involving a tragedy, the question of the cause of the tragedy is often raised. The play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, and the book of Job from the Bible all involve a tragedy resulting from different things. In Oedipus Rex the tragedy is a result of Oedipuss fate. In Hamlet the tragedy is caused by human folly. The divine intervention of God is what causes the tragedy in Job.Read MoreThe Tempest By William Shakespeare And Inferno1358 Words   |  6 Pagesplay, by William Shakespeare and Inferno, a poem, by Dante, both highlight the topic of justice. Being from different time periods and composing stories of different genres, having different definitions of justice. Justice in The Tempest is Prospero, the protagonist who is stranded on an island, returning to Milan and reclaiming his rightful dukedom. Justice in Inferno is divine, with God’s creation of nine levels of Hell with individualized punishments for sinne rs. In both texts, Shakespeare and DanteRead MoreMan of Greed and Power: The Tragedy of Macbeth1089 Words   |  5 Pagesdownfall of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Contributing to the downfall and demise of Macbeth, three sinister witches plan to foil Macbeth through telling him prophecies of his future. But, through the freewill of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth they paved their own road to destruction. Lady Macbeth is a woman who is not mentally strong enough to commit a murder but is mentally capable of persuading someone into committing the crime for her. Macbeth is gullible at first judgment, but soon became a man on a murderousRead MoreAlliteration In Leda And The Swan By Ray Bradbury1852 Words   |  8 PagesBurn it.† The reference to the books Little Black Sambo and Uncle Tom’s Cabin show allusion (Bradbury 57). Ambiguity: is a word, phrase, or statement which contains more than one meaning (Literary Devices). Example: The poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan† by William Yates states, â€Å"Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.† The words â€Å"caressed† suggest that Leda gives consent to the bird, but the words â€Å"helpless†Read MoreThe Language of Protest in Shakespeare, Blake, Whitman, Dickinson, Frost, and Rich: Exterior vs. Interior Life1073 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The language of protest in Shakespeare, Blake, Whitman, Dickinson, Frost, and Rich: Exterior versus interior life William Shakespeares Hamlet, on its surface, is a play about a man avenging the death of his father. However, Shakespeare invests the play with a meaning that transcends its plot, despite the fact that it is a performed poetic drama. Even before he learns that his father was murdered, Hamlet is presented to the audience as a man who is depressed and angry at the world. Tis notRead MoreSexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Essay example1104 Words   |  5 PagesSexism in The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare The Taming Of The Shrew by William Shakespeare is an introduction in the everpresent battle of women to be loving and caring wives, while at the same time holding on to our independence. Its plot is derived from the popular war of the sexes theme in which males and females are pitted against one another for dominance in marriage. The play begins with an induction in which a drunkard, Christopher Sly, is fooled into believing he is a king

Debate Homebirth vs Hospital free essay sample

Fundamentals of speech Debate/Homebirth Most American obstetric practice in hospitals is not based on science, but on myth. How obstetrics perform procedures may in fact be high- tech, but it is in truth not real science what you don’t know about modern medicine can have temporary or permanent effects on you, as well as on your unborn child. The choice you make in childbirth for your baby; home vs. hospital, midwife vs. doctor, and natural vs. edicated birth, will actually have an impact on your child for life. It can be good or ill. The choice is yours. Should you have your baby at home? Today in the United States, in the twenty first century, advances in science and technology made many positive changes in our quality of life, and specifically on medicine. Yet more and more women from all walks of life are choosing to give birth in their own homes – the old fashioned way. Why? The fact is, is spite of all the good that has come from scientific discoveries and experiments, medical science ahs not been able to improve upon the human body and the way it was designed to work, when our bodies are not functioning the way they were created to function, then yes, we are more fortunate than our ancestors in the modern medical intervention can help sometimes. So why are families deciding to go along with a home-birth? Though each couple may have individual reasons, the majority of them plan a home-birth because they believe that most of the time a pregnancy and childbirth are normal functions of a healthy body, not a potential life and death crisis that requires the supervision of a surgeon. â€Å"Doctors have a lot of education of pathology, drugs, surgery, and intervention of all sorts. Their education colors their prospective, and affects the way they see and treat pregnancy and birth. And while a sick woman or women with complications need that perspective and should use doctors, healthy women experiencing normal pregnancies need a whole different perspective, a different set of skills, and a lot of knowledge which is not taught in medical schools â€Å"(Dietsch, 2001) Midwives are trained professionals. A midwife, a good midwife is like her name: With Woman. Only midwifes will stay with the woman in labor, even for hours and hours, skillfully finding natural ways to ease her pain and help her through it all the way until after the birth. A doctor will never do this, he is not expected to, this is not his job. In the hospital, obstetricians do not routinely sit at the bedside of their laboring patients but they rely on machinery and others for information. Then they appear at the last minute into the delivery rooms. Most physicians do not build a relationship of supportive rapport with each patient or offer much encouragement to give birth naturally. Labor and delivery rooms nurses, by and large, enjoy giving support to woman during childbirth. Hospital life, however, involves a great deal of paperwork, personnel changes by the clock and wild fluctuations in how many women each nurse must be responsible for, nurses have no authority to stop an impatient doctor from trying to â€Å"speed up† a slow-but-steady, and normal labor. While statistics indicate that unplanned or unattended homebirths have worse outcomes than hospitals births, planned homebirths with a trained attendant have good outcomes. Midwifery is basically a system of wellness care given by professional midwives to women and infants during the childbearing year, and in many countries midwives are the primary caregivers in maternity systems with better neonatal mortality rates than ours, midwives are trained to watch for deviations from health throughout the pregnancy and labor and refer their clients to a physician if necessary. The number of direct- entry midwives has increased in the last twenty years due to more demand for their service. Most non-nurse midwives have completes a course of tudy and then furthered their education by apprenticing with a more experienced midwife. Normal household germs do not affect the mother of the baby. Childbed fever killed thousands of women in the 19th century; this was about the same time when physicians, who cared for the ill and dying, began to attend birth clinics. As hospitals became the place to go for births and deaths, infections plagued childbearing women and other h ospital patients. Maternal deaths and infection rates dropped dramatically when doctors began washing their hands between the performing of autopsies and attending a birth. Strict and expensive infection control procedures have still not eliminated hospital-caused infections from common and dangerous germs. Each family becomes accustomed to its own household germs and develops a resistance to them. Since fewer strangers are likely to be present at a homebirth than a hospital birth, the chances of acquiring foreign germs are less likely in a homebirth situation. Every effort is made to provide a clean environment at homebirths. Midwives and homebirth doctors wear sterile gloves and use sterilized instruments for cutting the umbilical cord. Hospitals nurseries are like a cradle of germs, and hospital births endanger mothers and babies primarily because of impersonal procedures and overuse of technology and drugs. Normal labor is a healthy stress for the baby, clearing the lungs of fluids and preparing it to take its first breaths. The emotional bonding that takes place in the moments after birth between mother and child and between the baby and the entire family promotes everyone’s well being, and encourages breastfeeding, and speeds the recovery of the new mother as well. This is all encouraged by a midwife. The midwives role is not to deliver the baby. Their role is to be a lifeguard, and to employ a watchful expectancy. In addition they need to make sure that every woman has a comfortable environment. Then, interfere is a problem, they need to intervene and do something. â€Å"Man was created in a certain way, and attempts to interfere must lead to complications. The human body is infinitely intricate; disrupting its natural functions inevitably causes problems. Technology can complicate a normal birth. † (Schneerson, p. 58) In a sincere effort to catch complications arly and produce healthier babies, medical science has changed the atmosphere surrounding birth, from one of a circle of a loving support around the laboring women, to one of a space age technology in a laboratory setting. Though technology can save lives in a crisis, the routine use of technology can interfere with the normal birth process. It is common in hospitals to use intravenous fluids and electronic fetal mo nitors to insure that the mother stays well hydrated and that each contraction and beat of the baby’s heart is recorded. However, many women who are allowed to move around during labor complained less of back pain, and many childbirth authorities feel the motion of walking and changing positions can enhance the effectiveness of the contractions. Some hospitals still require women to birth lying flat on their backs wit legs held up high in stirrups. Since the position defies gravity and makes pushing less effective, then metal forceps are then needed to pull the baby out of the vagina. Research shows that forceps are rarely used when women are allowed to assume a position of comfort during the bearing down stage. Obstetricians frequently rupture the bag of waters surrounding the baby in order to speed up the birthing process. This procedure automatically places a time limit on the labor, as the likelihood of a uterine infection increases with each passing hour in the hospital after the water is broken. Once the protective cushion of water surrounding the baby’s head is eliminated, the belt monitoring the baby’s heartbeat may be exchanged for a scalp electrode – a tiny probe to continue monitoring the heart rate and to collect information about the baby’s blood. Routine use of electronic fetal monitors, compared to the old-fashion method of listening to the baby’s heartbeat after contractions with a fetal scope, may actually cause more problems than it prevents. â€Å"Today at least 25% of all birthing mothers are delivered surgically. This compares to an average c-section rate of about 10% on other countries with better mortality rates. † (Carl Jones, 1987). These numbers indicate that we are not getting better outcomes with more c-sections. The U. S. has the highest obstetrician intervention rates as well as a serious problem with malpractice suits. Several decades ago, in an effort to lessen the pain of childbirth, physicians routinely gave the laboring mother painkillers and anesthetic drugs, over the years the use of most of these medications has subsided, after studies have revealed that the drugs given to the mother had adverse effects on the baby, including asphyxia, hypoxia, and even brain and central nervous system damage. Drugs are still available to laboring women in the hospital, though no drug given in childbirth has been proven to be safe for the baby. Women, who have taken drugs in labor, have decreased maternal feeling towards their babies and an increase n the duration and severity of postpartum depression. Interrupting the natural process of birth wit technological wizardry can cause more harm than good. An obstetrician is trained to use a knife, and the interventions and technology he uses the more money he gets form the patient (sounds a bit harsh, but true). With this philosophy in mind he sets the ball in motion for some random or even unnecessary interventions at births. Interventions give power, control and credit to the doctors for the birth itself and not to the mother who went through that long and hard labor. Many obstetricians have been known to say behind the scenes that they only feel they have â€Å"delivered† the baby when they perform a c-section. It is a powerful feeling to â€Å"deliver† babies rather than leaving the delivering to the mothers themselves. Closing Statement/Conclusion In conclusions, qualified homebirths attendants are available. While discussions over the pros and cons of homebirths and who should attend them continues in medical circles and around supper table. Thousands of healthy babies are being born in their own homes every year. Homebirths is not for every woman. It takes a high degree of commitment to health and learning a high level of responsibility to go against the majority who believe hospital births are better. As you consider where to give birth, read books, and talk to women who have given birth in the hospital delivery rooms, and in birthing centers, and in their homes, discuss your concerns with your physicians and your midwife. Interview several alternative birth ractitioners; assess the level of skill, integrity, knowledge and philosophy of each to discover if they are compatible with your expectations. Whereas obstetricians deliver the great majority of babies in hospitals, some are operating alternative birthing centers Family practitioners who attend births can still be found, but their ranks are decreasing because of the soaring expense of malpractice insurance. â€Å"We’ve come to the understanding that homebi rths risks are not as huge as one might first imagine, and hospital births as not as safe and sterile as one might first assume.