annoyance. And I never knew or heard of an instance where the bandage, properly applied, had caused unpleas- ant or dangerous results. Of course, as in all things in this world, there is a way to do it right, another to do it wrong: even a feather, in the hands of an ignoramus, may prove a fatal weapon. If the bandage be put on snugly, with no undue pressure exerted, so as to obstruct the cir- culation, none of the far-fetched maladies will result from the application.
A great deal is said about the shape of a bandage. For my part, a towel long enough to go around the body I have always found to answer every purpose; some, however, pre- fer to have it so shaped as to fit the curves of the body. It should be wide enough, at all events, to cover the whole abdomen.
WHEN TO SEND FOR PHYSICIAN AND NURSE.
This requires some judgment; for it is very hard on a physician, fatigued by a severe day's labor, to be suddenly awakened from his sleep, and requested to relinquish his rest and go to a patient, only to find that it is all false alarm. I speak feelingly on this subject. Physicians ap- preciate the anxieties of a woman, who, being conscious that her term is near completion, feels pains flitting about her abdomen; and they are willing to go to her, were it only to calm her apprehension: still, some consideration is also expected on her part. He, like other mortals, has only one life to live, the preservation of which requires the same rest and the same peace that others enjoy.
On the completion of her eighth month, the woman is liable to be overtaken by pains simulating labor. These pains are probably caused by the womb's attempt to adapt itself to its enlarged condition and position. A few hours
