ouch her. Above all
things do not employ a physician who has earned the reputation of
being a "dirty doctor." Puerperal infection is almost wholly a
preventable disease and every patient has a right to insist upon
protection against it.

In a former chapter will be found a detailed description of the
"delivery bed." Beside this bed, or near by, are to be found the rack
on which are airing the necessary garments for the baby's
reception--the receiving blanket and other requisites for the first
bath--together with numerous other articles essential to safety and
comfort.

There should be an easy chair in the room for the mother to rest in
between her walking excursions during the first stages of labor. The
sterilized pads and necessary articles mentioned in an earlier chapter
are, of course, close at hand.

FIRST SYMPTOMS OF LABOR

Regular, cramp-like pains in the lower portion of the abdomen which
are frequently mistaken for intestinal colic, often beginning in the
lower part of the back, and extending to the front and down the thigh,
are often the first symptoms of the approaching event. With each cramp
or pain the abdomen gets very hard and as the pain passes away the
abdomen again assumes its normal condition. These regular cramp-like
pains are the result of the early dilation of the cervix--the first
opening of the door to the uterine room which has housed our little
citizen through the developmental stages of embryonic life--and as a
result of this stretching and dilating there soon appears that special
blood-tinged mucus flow commonly known as "the show."

THE PRELIMINARY BATH

At this time a very thorough-going colonic flushing should be
administered. The patient takes the "knee-chest" position, or the
"lying-down" position, and there should flow into the lower bowel
three pints of soapy water; this should be retained for a few moments;
and after its expulsion, a short, plain water injection should be
given. Now follows the preliminary general bath.

Just prior to the bath, the pubic hair should be clipped closely, or
better shaved. Then should follow a thorough soap wash, with patient
standing up in the tub, using plenty of soap, applied with a shampoo
brush or rough turkish mit. The rinsing now takes place by either a
shower or pail pour. _Do not sit down in the tub._ This is a rule that
must not be broken, because of the danger of infection in those cases
where the bag of waters may have broken ear