much exhaustion;
delivered with the short forceps, very great force requiring to be used
before the head could be extracted.

11. Her first labour; very nervous and timid; with difficulty could I
get her to use the Inhaler rightly, but she became much more composed
towards the end, and inhaled very well. I have rarely seen stronger
expulsive pains than she had towards the last; the arch of the pubes
being rather contracted, and the child full-sized.

12. Her fourth labour; breech presentation; used the Inhaler for three
hours.

13. Her first labour; in her thirty-ninth year; very severe expulsive
pains for nine hours; the last hour, owing to the size of the head and
the contracted outlet, no progress was made; and beginning to get
exhausted, it was decided to apply the forceps, which were accordingly
sent for, but a few minutes before they arrived, nature had overcome the
difficulty; the child was born alive, but with a large caput
succedaneum, showing how firmly it had been retained the last hour.

14. Had always had great suffering in her former labours; used the
Inhaler about three hours; breech presentation; placenta was adherent,
and required great force to peel it off.

I have thus given the results of my experience with an agent calculated,
under proper management, I venture to think, to be of great service in
the practice of midwifery. I believe my experience with it has proved
that--

1st. It is possible for a woman to be delivered with less pain from the
beginning to the end of her labour than a rhubarb draught would
occasion.

2nd. It is possible to afford that relief without interfering with the
regular and natural action of the heart or brain.

3rd. It is possible for the child to be born without the mother
experiencing any pain whatever, while at the same time she retains her
consciousness and power to bear down when told to do so; and her first
knowledge of the birth of her child shall be from hearing it cry.

4th. That when a woman is delivered without suffering pain, although she
shall have had inflammation after each of six previous labours, the
prevention of the suffering will have the effect of preventing the usual
inflammation.

5th. That by preventing the suffering of labour, the woman does not lose
her strength, and always has a speedy recovery.

CASES.

_Of the following Letters from Patients which I have
selected for publication, six relate to cases of first