With regard to the two first objections, it will be sufficient to say that, in all the cases of so-called intra-uterine respiration, the respiratory acts have occurred in difficult or instrumental labours, where it is justifiable to suppose that, in the endeavour to remove the child, a certain amount of air may have been unavoidably admitted into the maternal passages. But the cases with which the medical jurist has to deal cannot be classed with these, for in all those brought under his notice delivery has been more or less rapid and unassisted. To the last objection the same reply may be given, that rapid delivery in doubtful cases must be considered as the rule, and that the time which elapses between the birth of the head of the child and its complete delivery is so short as not to lead to any great error in diagnosis. It is true that the woman may faint with the child half born, and that respiration may thus take place; and it has not yet been decided how many inspirations a child must make to entirely inflate its lungs, or the length of time required to do so. _N.B._--Any pressure exerted on the umbilical cord during the process of delivery gives rise to respiratory acts on the part of the fœtus. The presence of what Casper calls _petechial ecchymoses_ beneath the pleuræ, upon the aorta, and even on the heart, are, as a rule, a proof that attempts at respiration have been made. These petechial ecchymoses are sometimes found on the same parts in the drowned. (See “Drowning.”) How is the Hydrostatic Lung Test performed? and What are the Objections to its Use? As this test was first used, it consisted in placing the lungs, with or without the heart, in water, and then noting whether they sank or floated. A glass vessel, eighteen inches high and twelve in diameter, half filled with distilled water at 60° F., should be used. In summer, water at the ordinary temperature of the room will answer the purpose. To this rough test pressure is now added; the lung, or portions of it, are greatly compressed in a linen cloth, and then thrown into water as before. If the lungs thus compressed float, respiration is held to have taken place; should they sink, the contrary is presumed. Pressure is used for the following reason: The air generated by putrefaction, and which may cause the lungs to float, is removed by pressure, but no amount of pressure, short of entirely destroying the lung tissue, will remove that which is the result of respiration or inflation; and between these the medical expert must decide from collateral evidence. In performing the test: (1) Try if the lungs will float with the heart and thymus gland attached to them. (2) If they will float without the heart, &c. (3) Try if portions will float with or without pressure. The following are the Objections to this Test: