But it should always be considered especially important to PREVENT THE ABORTION. If a woman is prone to miscarry, she ought, as soon as she is pregnant, to lie down a great part of the day; she must keep her mind calm and unruffled, and must live on plain diet; she should retire early to rest, and _she must have a separate sleeping apartment_. She should avoid taking active physic, but keep her bowels open by diet or by the mildest aperients, or, possibly, daily enemata. Gentle exercise may be taken, alternated with frequent rest. Cold ablutions are proper every morning, but the body should be rubbed afterwards with a coarse towel. The most usual time for a woman to miscarry is from the eighth to the thirteenth week, but if a woman have a particular time, which to her is the usual period, whenever that time approaches she should be unusually careful. Let her lie down more than she usually does; let her avoid exciting amusements. She might try to keep her bowels open by the external application of castor oil, or by the mildest aperients, or by hot water enemata. If slight hemorrhage and trifling pains come on, we should seek to arrest the abortion by giving perhaps grain doses of opium every four or five hours. If the hemorrhage is severe, a drachm dose of fluid extract of ergot may be given, and a large draught of cinnamon tea; perhaps a quarter of a grated nutmeg, and, in extreme cases, a spoonful of brandy with it. But let it be understood that in all such cases a physician should be called as soon as possible; and while waiting for him the patient ought to lie on a hair mattress; a vaginal injection of hot water may be given; she should have but scant clothing upon the bed; her room should be well ventilated, and if she is faint from the loss of blood, a little aromatic ammonia may be given. CHAPTER III. PARTURITION.