As this was the first time we had attended this patient, and from the history she gave of her former labours, in which she represented her abdomen being in all equally pendulous, with the exception of the first, we waited several hours (she being placed upon her side) for the accomplishment of the labour. During the whole of this period the head did not advance a single line; nor could it, as the direction of the parturient efforts carried it against the projection of the sacrum. We had several times taken occasion to recommend her being placed upon her back, but to which she constantly objected, until we urged its being absolutely necessary. She at length reluctantly consented to the change of position; when upon her back it was found that it did not advance the os uteri sufficiently towards the centre of the superior strait. The abdomen was therefore raised, and a long towel placed against it, and kept in the position we had carried it by the hands, by its extremities being firmly held by two assistants; at the same time we introduced a finger within the edge of the os uteri, and drew it towards the symphysis pubis, and then waited for the effects of a pain. One soon showed itself, and with such decided efficacy, as to push the head completely into the inferior strait, and three more delivered it." (_Compendious System of Midwifery_, § 224.) This peculiar displacement of the uterus, which has been called by some anteversion of the gravid womb, has occasionally given rise to the suspicion that there was no os uteri, from its being tilted upwards and backwards towards the promontory of the sacrum: it has been said, in some cases, to have even contracted adhesions with the posterior wall of the vagina, from the firmness with which it was pressed against it, and thus tended still farther to increase the deception. "Within our knowledge," says Dr. Dewees in the paragraph preceding the one just quoted, "this case has been mistaken for an occlusion of the os uteri, and where upon consultation it was determined that the uterus should be cut to make an artificial opening for the foetus to pass through. They thought themselves justified in this opinion, first, by no os uteri being discoverable by the most diligent search for it; and, secondly, by the head being about to engage under the arch of the pubes covered by the womb. Accordingly, the labia were separated, and the uterine tumour brought into view. An incision was now made by a scalpel through the whole length of the exposed tumour down to the head of the child, the liquor amnii was evacuated, and in due course of time the artificial opening was dilated sufficiently to give passage to the child. The woman recovered, and, to the disgrace of the accoucheurs who attended her, was delivered per vias naturales of several children afterwards, a damning proof that the operation was most wantonly performed." Where, in addition to the anteversion, strong