=The second stage=, therefore, which lasts about five days, is the destructive stage, during which the newly developed tissues are broken down and the menstrual discharge occurs. During this period the greatly increased secretions of the uterine glands mix with the blood that oozes from the engorged endometrium and with the disintegrated uterine tissues, and pour from the vagina as the menstrual flow. =The third, or reparative stage=, which follows, occupies about three days. During this stage the destroyed uterine tissues are regenerated by new growth from the deeper, uninjured tissues, and the entire organ returns to its normal state. =The fourth, or quiescent stage=, now follows, the damage having been repaired, and lasts twelve or fourteen days. This is the time remaining before Nature with unwearying patience begins all over again to prepare for the reception and attachment of the next matured ovum, in case of its possible fertilization. It will be seen that the duration of the menstrual period, which is coincident with the destructive stage of the menstrual cycle, is about five days, but it is entirely within normal bounds if it varies in length from two to seven days. The discharge is usually scant at the beginning of the period, increasing in amount until about the third day, after which it diminishes steadily until its cessation. The normal odor of this discharge, consisting as it does of blood and uterine secretions, has been likened to that of marigolds. The average amount of blood lost is from six to ten ounces, but it varies greatly among women who are otherwise normal and in good health. Some women regularly lose what seems to be an alarming quantity of blood at each period without suffering any apparent ill effect. Others lose so little that they are scarcely aware of their menses. As a rule the menstrual flow is more profuse among women in warm climates than in cold regions. English women, for example, frequently menstruate profusely while in India, and upon their return to England note a marked decrease in the amount of the discharge. The same is often true of American women who move from Southern to Northern states, while removal from a low to a high altitude usually results in a more profuse flow. The quantity of the menstrual discharge is affected also by diet, living conditions and by any form of mental or physical excitement or stimulation. Accordingly, the highly strung, richly nourished women living in luxurious circumstances are likely to menstruate more freely than those less favored who are overworked and poorly nourished. A shock or great grief, or any great emotional experience; a sea voyage or a long railroad journey may bring on a period before it is due, while the regularity of the periods may be much disturbed, temporarily, by a marked change of climate or altitude, a serious illness or a decided change in one’s daily régime.