A friend, recently encountered in Paris, had thrown a ray of hope upon the doubtful prospect. No doubt Dr. Saxham was in sympathy with the pioneers of the New Crusade against Unnecessary Pain.... Of course, Dr. Saxham knew all about the wonderful experiments of German gynæwhatdoyoucall’ems. The right term was frightfully crack-jaw. Perhaps Dr. Saxham knew what was meant? Saxham reassured the little lady. "You refer of course to the experiments of Professors von Wolfenbuchel of Vienna, and Krauss of the Berlin _Fraüenklinik_, resulting in the method of treatment now known throughout the Continent as ’Purple Dreams.’ Wolfenbuchel and Krauss have published a pamphlet on the subject. Perhaps you have read the pamphlet?" "Yes—I’ve read it. A wonderful book that has been translated into every language. A German officer, friend of a friend I met in Paris, told her about it. His sister had tried the treatment, and found it A1. So I bought a French translation of the book in Paris, and an English one at a shop in the Haymarket. It’s bound in rose-coloured vellum stamped with a rising sun in gold. ’Weep No More, Mothers!’ it’s called. Isn’t that a charming title? And the subject is: ’Pangless Childbirth, Produced through Purple Dreams.’" In a sweet, coaxing voice that trembled a little, she began to tell the Doctor about the wonderful results obtained by hypodermics of Krauss and Wolfenbüchel’s marvellous combination of drugs. And Saxham hearkened with stern patience, while the table-clock ticked and the luncheon hour drew near, and Franky chewed the cud of suspense in the Doctor’s waiting-room. Thousands of peasant women, and others of the lower middle-class in Germany had become mothers under the Purple Dreams treatment. Maternity Hospitals in Paris, Brussels, and New York had adopted the method after controversy and hesitation. It had triumphed over every doubt. An American woman whose brother’s wife had had a "Purple Dreams" baby at the Berlin Institute had told the little narrator only yesterday how quite too wonderful was the discovery of the enlightened Krauss and the gifted Wolfenbuchel. Everything was made easy. When your ordeal drew near you simply went to the place, and signed your name in a book, and put yourself in the hands of skilled persons. You felt no pain—not a twinge. Only the prick and throb of the hypodermic needle-syringe, and most people were used to the _pique_ nowadays—administering the first subcutaneous injections of the wonderful new drug.... Under its mild sedative influence you dozed off to sleep presently. And when you woke up—there was the baby—beautifully dressed, and lying on a lace pillow in the arms of a smartly dressed, fresh-cheeked nurse.