Perhaps it is not necessary to say why it is better to use old sheets for the bed of a parturient woman, but I will repeat that old ones are to be preferred, and really new ones, that is, only once washed, never used. New towels are of course objectionable, as being too harsh. If the patient likes a rough towel, use a regular bath towel, if you can get it. Be careful, never to let loose and wet ends of the wash cloth drag along exposed parts of the body. It is a good plan to sew your wash cloth into a bag, and to slip your hand inside, and work with it put on like a mitten. A rubber or fibre sponge is to be preferred. Keep one for the face, neck, arms, and hands, and another for the feet and legs. The vulva is bathed best by means of a fountain syringe used as an irrigator, and a little sterilized gauze twisted around your dressing forceps. The gauze can be changed as often as necessary, and is much more satisfactory than anything else, especially if there has been a laceration. The square of rubber sheeting, single width, is most useful. For the confinement the bed should be made by first spreading over the mattress the wide rubber sheet, over this put an old blanket, then the under sheet; upon the right side of the bed, where most likely the woman will lie, place the square of rubber, over that the old comfortable, four double, and hold all in place with a sheet folded like a hospital "draw-sheet." This must be firmly tucked in at the sides under the mattress. It will seldom be found necessary to change the under sheet, if the bed is made this way, and the rubber square is drawn carefully away, with the comfortable and draw sheet, when it is time to make the patient clean and dry after the birth. It is a good plan now to tear this square in two, and keep one piece directly under the clean draw sheet for the first few days. This saves much washing.