About the sixth or seventh week after conception has taken place, if the nipple be examined, it will be found becoming turgid and prominent, and a circle forming around its base, of a colour deeper in its shade than rose or flesh-colour, slightly tinged with a yellowish or brownish hue, and here and there upon its surface will be seen little prominent points, from about ten to twenty in number. In the progress of the next six or seven weeks, these changes are fully developed; the nipple becoming more prominent and turgid than ever: the circle around it of larger dimensions, of an extent of about an inch or an inch and a half; the skin being soft, bedewed with a slight degree of moisture, frequently staining the linen in contact with it; the little prominences of larger size, from the sixteenth to the twelfth of an inch perhaps; and the colour of the whole very much deepened, but always modified by the complexion of the individual, being darker in persons with dark hair, dark eyes, and sallow skins, than in those of fair hair, light-coloured eyes, and delicate complexions. Such are the essential characteristics of the true areola, the result of pregnancy, and, I believe, of that condition only. This, then, is a most valuable sign; but, unfortunately, it is frequently absent; and how often it is present, although I have examined many hundred cases for it, I cannot determine, as unfortunately no note was made upon this point. It should also be observed, that both in dark and fair women, the change of colour, without the other appearances, may be present, and yet pregnancy exist; and I have also seen frequently the dark circle alone, where pregnancy did not exist; but I never saw an instance where these prominences were truly developed, without the presence of pregnancy. This fact has been more particularly noticed of late years by an eminent physician-accoucheur, and the attention of the author has, in consequence, been much directed to it; and, as a striking illustration of its truth, he may mention, that, called upon very recently to visit one of the Institution patients, the third day after her delivery, and having occasion to examine the breast, I pointed out to the gentleman in attendance the presence of these little prominences around the base of the nipple; upon which the patient, to my great surprise, immediately observed, “Ah, sir, I always know when I am pregnant by them, for they appear about ten days or a fortnight after its occurrence, and subsequent to delivery diminish gradually, as my milk leaves me.”