X, B, 6 Calderon: Tropical Obstetrical Problems 373 
The yolk of eggs is then administered in order to give strength. 
Sometimes uncooked cocoa, pure chocolate, or human milk is 
given, in order, it is said, to facilitate labor. The midwife never 
allows any one to stand in the doorway; otherwise the child 
will stop at the pelvic outlet. 
During labor the asuang may, also, do harm to the parturient 
woman, and in order to keep it away, a light is kept burning 
under the house all the time. Sometimes this precaution 
is considered insufficient, and in this case, the doors and win- 
dows are smeared with a mixture of garlic and salt, in order 
to prevent the entrance of the asuang. 
To facilitate the birth of the child, the midwives and medi- 
quillos resort to the following procedure: 
The salag.—This method consists in locating the foetus by 
palpation, and by pressing and pushing, causing it to slide down 
against the abdominal wall, thus making labor easier. These 
manipulations are usually performed by a strong man or woman, 
preferably a man, who makes compression and expression of the 
uterus with his hands or with a piece of wood in such a manner 
that the abdomen as well as foetus is often bruised or wounded, 
and there is a too rapid expulsion of the foetus and resulting 
lacerations. Rupture of the uterus itself has occurred under 
such treatment. 
The use of a decoction made from roots of cogon and other 
plants is believed to facilitate labor. 
To stop strong labor pains, the leaves of bagabaga are burned 
near the woman in labor, or twelve buyo leaves are bruised in 
milk, and the mixture is rubbed over the lower part of the ab- 
domen and the thighs. At the same time the woman is made 
to take one raw egg and to apply another egg over her abdomen 
as a poultice. 
WHEN THE CHILD IS BORN 
After the birth of the child the cord is not cut until the placenta 
is expelled. The child is, therefore, exposed for several hours 
sometimes, while waiting for the placenta to be delivered. 
When the expulsion of the placenta is delayed, the midwives 
pull on the cord, while at the same time they push the uterus 
downward. This method is dangerous, because the cord might 
be torn off the placenta, or else the placenta might be forcibly 
detached from the uterine wall, leaving behind some cotyledons, 
or inversion of the uterus may be produced. 
When the placenta is delivered, the cord is cut and it is buried 
in the ground. It is believed to be a bad practice to throw 
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