340 PROGNOSIS. 



sary. We can also, to a certain extent, judge of the duration of the 

 present labor by her former ones, and particularly by the effect 

 produced by each pain upon the dilatation of the os uteri, and upon 

 the progress of the fcBtus through the pelvis. In fine, when all the 

 phenomena occur in their most common order, we may, by calcu- 

 lating the time that has elapsed since the first pains, tell, within a 

 few hours, how long the woman has still to suffer. If, for example, 

 only two or three hours were required to bring the dilatation of the 

 OS uteri to the size of a five franc piece, it is extremely probable that 

 not more than that will be necessary to complete the expulsion of 

 the child; but this is the highest degree of precision to which we 

 can pretend, and those who pique themselves upon the possession 

 of more exact knowledge in this matter, either impose on the public 

 or deceive themselves. 



812. The accoucheur who, for the purpose of making a parade 

 of vain knowledge, thinks himself able to announce the precise term 

 of delivery, not only exhibits his own ignorance or bad faith, but he 

 also compromits the dignity of his profession and the safety of the 

 woman. If indeed it be true that chance is often on the side of 

 impudence and quackery, it often happens that the predictions of 

 ignorance or rash vanity are not realised; but, if promises, gene- 

 rally made with much emphasis and assurance, are not fulfilled at 

 the appointed time, that alone is enough to give rise to the liveliest 

 solicitude, in the minds of relations or assistants, and especially in 

 the patient herself, who never fails, afterwards, to think either that 

 her destruction is certain, or that she is to have a bad labor. 



§. IV. Of the Attentions ]¥ecessary for a Wo- 

 man in liabor. 



813. Inasmuch as spontaneous parturition is a natural function 

 and not a disease, are we thence to conclude that the art of the 

 accoucheur is unnecessary, and that women in labor have no need 

 of assistance? Some physicians, misled by mistaken philanthropy, 

 have thought so. In animals, say they, pregnancy brings no incon- 

 veniences, and delivery is almost unattended with pain. The wives 

 of the Osiiacks, who are still strangers to the refinements of Euro- 

 pean civilisation, are delivered of their children upon the spot where 

 they happen to be, and immediately resume their accustomed occu- 

 pations, or continue their march, if they happen to be on a journey. 

 Those of the island of Amboyna, who live under a directly opposite 

 temperature, behave in the same way. The aborigines of certain 

 countries in America bathe themselves in cold water and return to 

 their work as soon as the child is born, while the husband goes to 



