In threatened abortion examination is to be avoided unless it is absolutely necessary for diagnosis, and then great gentleness is required so as not to excite uterine contractions. The woman is to rest in bed, not so much as raising her head to take a drink of water (which is given to her through a tube), and she is morally obliged to submit to this inconvenience. If she refuses she is accountable for the death of the fetus. If there is bleeding the foot of the bed should be elevated as in hemorrhage in typhoid fever. The routine practice is to quiet the woman and the uterine irritability with morphine and other opium derivatives. Children are readily overwhelmed by opium because their circulation is not sufficient to neutralize the deoxidizing effects of the drug up to safety. While the embryo is connected with the maternal circulation through the placenta the mother's circulation often safeguards the fetus from the effects of the opium. The danger to the child in such cases begins from the opium remaining in its circulation after the child has been separated from the mother. Often, however, fetuses in cases where scopolamine and morphine have been used on the mother during labor are born badly, and even fatally narcotized, despite the connection with the maternal circulation. Nevertheless, even if there is some real danger to the fetus from the use of morphine in a threatened abortion, the cautious use of this drug would be morally justifiable. Should the threatened abortion go on to actual abortion, the fetus will certainly be killed, but the use of morphine on the woman is the best and virtually the only means we have to avert a threatened abortion and so save the fetal life. The immediate double effect from the morally indifferent act of giving a dose of morphine is, on the good side, the saving of the fetal life, and on the other, the evil side, the danger of fetal narcosis, which is not at all certain to follow. Evidently, the good intended effect far overbalances the evil and somewhat hypothetical effect. After about five days, if the bleeding ceases, the woman may be permitted to go back to her ordinary routine of life, but with extreme caution, and she must return to bed at the slightest show of blood. Morphine is used at the beginning to quiet the patient and the irritable uterus. If the cervix is eroded, applications of a 10 per cent. nitrate of silver solution are made. The bowels are kept locked for three days and a softening enema of olive-oil is used before emptying the bowel.