Part 2

3. Her sixth labour; all her previous labours had been very severe.

4. Her tenth labour; her previous labours very severe, and each time followed by a great deal of after-pain.

5. Her eighth labour; had suffered intensely in every previous labour, in some of which she had been delivered with instruments; had had a protracted recovery after each labour.

6. Her seventh labour; inflammation had followed each of her former labours.

7. Her fifth and sixth labours; her former labours had been very severe.

8. Her third and fourth labours; her former labours having been very severe.

9. Her first labour; very strong expulsive pains; soft parts at first being very rigid, then gradually giving way after six hours' use of the inhaler.

10. Her third labour; child's head very large and firm; 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 labour.

It is generally admitted that the suffering of first labours equals, if not surpasses, that of subsequent ones. In three of these six labours there was the additional drawback of age, the youngest being more than twenty-eight years old. In one of these cases also there was a contracted outlet, which retained the head for one hour. It follows, therefore, that if in the severer cases of labour, with obstacles to impede delivery, women can be so fully relieved as not to suffer pain, the more ordinary and milder cases will also have the same relief. I, therefore, think it unnecessary to give any larger number of cases.

I will only add, that in all these cases the patient deserved as much credit as the accoucheur, as it was by her quickly altering and exactly following his directions in the manner of inhaling that enabled her to go through the labour without pain. Some patients, with the best intentions of doing what you wish, find it difficult, and then they have a little pain at times, but so little that I am within bounds when I say it is not one-twentieth of what they would otherwise have suffered.

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Providence Place.

My dear Sir,

Having always had a great dread of the pains of labour, I was exceedingly pleased when you told me that you had it in your power almost entirely to prevent their being felt, though I must confess I was at the time rather sceptical as to the amount of alleviation you could effect without producing unconsciousness; but having been so happy as to be under your care during my confinement, I can truly say that the result fully realized all you had said. I suffered very much before you arrived, part of the time lying on the floor in great agony, perfectly unable to rise; but from the time I took the Inhaler in my hand, and used it under your directions, I had no more pain, lying quite still on the bed, and giving orders to the attendants to get all that was required (as you are aware, I was confined quite unexpectedly). I was perfectly conscious all the time, and remembered where everything was that was wanted. I was quite free from pain, excepting when you took the Inhaler from me to replenish it, when the pains came on rapidly, and I was delighted to get it back again. When the child was born, there was a feeling of great forcing, but scarcely any pain; indeed, I did not think it was born until you said "There, Mamma, you have a nice little girl."

Again thanking you, dear Sir, for your kindness, and the immense relief I experienced under your most beautiful method,

I remain, Yours very truly, * * *