

CHAP, ii.] PREGNANCY AND BIRTH. 1143 



the entrance into the bedroom of a stranger often causes for a 

 time the sudden and absolute cessation of 'labour' pains, which 

 previously may have been even violent. Judging from the 

 analogy of micturition, we may suppose that this inhibition of 

 uterine contractions is brought about by an inhibition of the 

 centre in the lumbar cord leading to a sudden cessation of the 

 augmentor action of which we spoke above as far as the uterus 

 itself is concerned, and in a more direct way to a cessation of 

 the contractions of the abdominal muscles. Some observations 

 tend to shew that a region of the bulb exerts such an inhibitory 

 influence ; but the matter needs fuller investigation. 



