The history of the development of a new scientific or medical technology is a story of science in the making. In this paper we attempt to trace the development of the anti-hCG vaccine over the past 20 years, using controversy as a methodological entry point into the history.

Sexual abuse of children is an issue shrouded in ignorance and denial in our country. One of the chief reasons for this conspiracy of silence is the high value, almost idealization, of the family.

A society is judged by the way it treats its women and children. So is a judicial system. Nothing is more horrifying than the sexual abuse of a child: nothing more reprehensible than a judicial system that subsequently victimises the victim, police behaviour that adds terror to agony.

Viewed in retrospect, the development of hormonal methods of fertility control could be broadly divided into three main phases: (i) development of the oral contraceptive 'Pill based on synthetic ovarian steroid hormones; (ii) the demonstration that continuous oral administration of progestins in