Thorough asepsis, both subjective and objective. Patient should be pulled down to the foot of the labor bed with feet in the stirrups, or put upon the kitchen table or across the bed with the legs held in the lithotomy position. (For breech cases, legs should not be fastened.) Bladder and rectum must be empty. Anæsthetic is necessary. The position of the head must be accurately known. Facilities for the treatment of asphyxia neonatorum must be at hand. CONDITIONS.— Cervix effaced and os dilated, except when maternal or fœtal life is threatened. Bag of waters must be ruptured. The head must be engaged. The child should be living. INDICATIONS.— Insufficiency of the powers of labor. Deep transverse arrest of the head. Complications in labor, such as: Eclampsia. Fever. Acute or chronic disease. Hernia—especially if incarcerated. Placenta previa. Prolapse of the cord. Face and brow presentations. Contracted pelvis. Occipito-posterior positions. DANGERS FROM FORCEPS.— _Injuries to Child._—Overcompression, especially with axis traction forceps or in contracted pelvis. Crushing of soft parts, or such lesions as abrasions, pressure marks, hæmatomata, swelling of face and eyelids. Bone injuries: Spoon-shaped depression where the head has been dragged through a narrow inlet; fissures in the parietal or frontal bones; fractures. When axis traction forceps are applied antero-posteriorly, the occipital bone may be sprung inwards until it cuts the medulla. Compression of the cord, especially if it is around the neck. Hæmorrhage from the middle meningeal artery. Injury to eye. Erb’s paralysis. Laceration of ears when the forceps are removed. Facial paralysis from pressure of the blade. _Injury to Mothers._— Infection. Improper application of the blades _outside_ the cervix uteri. Soft parts torn by too rapid extraction. When os is not dilated, it is first pulled down and then torn. The tear may extend into the vaginal vault. Fistulæ may be produced. Prolapse of the uterus from prolonged traction. Vaginal tears from the blades or from malplaced head. Slipping of blades. Traction must be _not against_ the symphysis, but down. The forceps commonly used in this country (Simpson or Elliott) are so made that the left blade must be introduced first on account of the lock. The mortality for the child in forceps cases is about six per cent.