heir own homes--shocking figures for
a physiological event! Miss Wilson, a member of the Central Midwives
Board, stated in 1907 that the average mortality of English women,
from puerperal fever, a preventable disease, is 47 in 10,000 or _1 in
213_, but that in three of the best lying-in hospitals this figure has
been reduced to less than _1 in 3,000_. To quote Miss Alice Gregory
in her article on this subject in _The Nineteenth Century_ for January
1908: "We feel there is something hopelessly wrong somewhere. It
becomes indeed a burning question: By what means have the Maternity
Hospitals so marvellously reduced their death rate?"

The answer is not now far to seek in the opinion of the writer,
who has worked continuously at Midwifery since 1st May 1884. It is
probably wholly contained in the three following points:--

(1) All that makes for scrupulous asepsis in
every detail for the surroundings of the
mother.

(2) The absence of "Meddlesome Midwifery."

(3) Pre-maternity treatment, a factor which
the writer considers to be of great importance,
and of which she would like
to have much more experience.

By this is meant the building up of the future mother's health by
improved hygiene and careful, wise dieting and exercising and bathing
during the last three months of pregnancy, which enables many a
stumbling-block to be removed out of the way. Hence, the utility of
pre-maternity wards wisely used. This is, one knows, a "counsel of
perfection"; but every expectant mother should and could be taught how
to treat herself wisely at this time.

These three points are all in favour of the well-trained midwife.

(1) _Scrupulous Asepsis_, if intelligently taught, can be learned in
six months' training, though one feels bound to add it requires moral
"grit" in the character to make one unswervingly faithful in observing
it. The midwife, too, should run no risk of carrying infection from
others, as a doctor might do.

(2) "Meddlesome Midwifery" is not so much a temptation for the midwife
as the doctor, though she also may want to do too much. Patience
combined with accurate knowledge when interference is urgently needed,
is part of her training.

(3) The midwife who becomes a wise friend to her patients will be just
the one to whom the mother will gladly apply early, and who will know
if it is advisable to send for skilled medical advice. Contracted
pelvis, threatened eclampsia, and antepartum haemorr