CONDUCT OF THE PATIENT DURING THE SECOND STAGE OF LABOR.--She should remain up, out of bed, as long as she possibly can. The object of this is because experience shows that the labor pains are stronger, and more frequent, when in the upright position. Even though this procedure would seem to invite more constant suffering, it must be remember that labor is a physiological, natural process, that there is nothing to fear or dread; and if the patient is in good health, it is to her advantage to have it over soon, rather than to encourage a long drawn out, exhausting labor. When the pains come [97] she should be told to hold on to something, to hold her breath as long as possible, and to bear down. A good plan is to roll up a sheet lengthwise, and throw it over the top of an open door and let her grasp both ends tightly and bear down; or she can put her arms over the shoulders of the nurse and bear down. Instruct her to hold her breath as long as she can, bearing down all the time, and when she can't hold it any longer, tell her to let up, and then take a quick deep breath and bear down again, repeating this programme until the pain ceases. Tell her specifically to be sure to keep bearing down till the end of the pain, because the most important time, and the few seconds during which each pain does most of its work during the second stage of labor, is at the very end of each pain. When a woman understands that these instructions are for her good, and that they are given with the one purpose of saving her pain, and shortening the length of labor, she will try to obey. Each pain is intended by nature to do a certain amount of work, and each pain will accomplish that work if the woman does not prevent it; and if she does prevent it, she is only fooling herself, because the next pain will have to do what she would not allow the former to do, and so on according to how she acts. THE CARRIERS OF HERITAGE [Illustration: Here is the actual bridge from this generation to the next. Into these two little bodies--the larger not over one-twenty-fifth of an inch in diameter--is condensed the multitude of characteristics transmitted from one generation to another. The vital part of the _Ovum_ is the _Nucleus_, which contains the actual bodies that carry heritage--the little grains that are the mother's characteristics--_Chromosomes_. This nucleus is nourished by oils, salts and other inclusions, known as _Cytoplasm_. Floating in the cytoplasm may be found a tiny body known as the _Centrosome_, which acts as a magnet in certain phases of cell development. Around this whole mass is a _Cell Wall_, more or less resisting and protective. The _Spermatozoan_ is structurally much different from the ovum, but it also has its nucleus and chromosomes, which carry to the child the transmittable characteristics of the father.