ening, my professional services were required. My advice was, that
the child should be at once weaned, and a suitable wet-nurse, if
possible, procured--neither of which suggestions, as will shortly
appear, were followed. I urged the necessity of this measure more
particularly, because Mrs. A---- was daily getting thinner and weaker;
she also complained of great pain in the head and back, and of an
increasing dimness of sight, which made her fear she should become
blind; but the mother-in-law of my patient being, unfortunately, of
opinion that pregnancy in the latter would not again occur during the
continuance of lactation, recommended that the child, although chiefly
supported upon spoon-meat, should occasionally be allowed to take the
breast; and this plan, notwithstanding the wish of Mrs. A---- to the
contrary, and my own remonstrances on the subject, was adopted--the
effects of which were to increase the mother's ailments, as well as
those of her infant. Things went on thus for some time longer, when I
once more endeavoured to persuade Mrs. A---- to follow my advice,
observing, that by an opposite line of conduct she was not only injuring
her own health, but that of her child, neither of which, I assured her,
in my opinion, would be re-established till the latter had been weaned.
I expressed also my complete incredulity as to the non-recurrence of
pregnancy in consequence of her infant remaining at the breast; and I
added--'It is my firm conviction that if you be pregnant, or should
happen shortly to become so, you will miscarry.' About a week after
this conversation she was suddenly seized with flooding, and what I had
predicted took place. She now left off suckling, and in about a month,
under suitable treatment, completely got rid of all her former
complaints: the child also immediately began to improve.

The present case clearly proves that the process of lactation will not
_invariably_ prevent the occurrence of pregnancy, since Mrs. A---- became
in this state, notwithstanding she continued to suckle her child: and I
think few will be so hardy as to doubt that it was the cause of her
miscarrying: more particularly when I mention that, at a future period,
the same lady, during my absence abroad, being once more persuaded to
try whether she could not avoid becoming pregnant (which was very much
to be desired, on account of her delicate state of health) by continuing
to perform the duties of a nurse, again suffered