_Second period._—Pains of a peculiar kind come on; they begin in the lumbar region, and seem to be propagated towards the womb or the _rectum_; and are renewed only after intervals of a quarter or half an hour each. Each of them is accompanied with an evident contraction of the body of the uterus, with tension of its neck and dilatation of the opening; the finger directed into the vagina discovers that the envelopes of the fœtus are pushed outward, and that there is a considerable tumor, which is called _the waters_; the pains very soon become stronger, and the contraction of the uterus more powerful; the membranes break, and a part of the liquid escapes; the uterus contracts on itself, and is applied to the surface of the fœtus. _Third period._—The pains and contractions of the uterus increase considerably; they are instinctively accompanied by the contraction of the abdominal muscles. The woman who is aware of their effect is inclined to favour them, by making all the muscular efforts of which she is capable: her pulse then becomes stronger and more frequent; her face is animated, her eyes shine, her whole body is in extreme agitation, and perspiration flows in abundance. The head descends into the lower strait of the pelvis. _Fourth period._—After some moments of repose the pains and expulsive contractions resume all their activity; the head presents itself at the vulva, makes an effort to pass, and succeeds when there happens to be a contraction sufficiently strong to produce this effect. The head being once disengaged, the remaining parts of the body easily follow, on account of their smaller volume. The section of the umbilical cord is then made, and a ligature is put around it at a short distance from the umbilicus or navel. _Fifth period._—If the midwife has not proceeded immediately to the extraction of the placenta after the birth of the child, slight pains are felt in a short time, the uterus contracts freely, but with force enough to throw off the placenta and the membranes of the ovum; this expulsion bears the name of _delivery_. During the twelve or fifteen days that follow child-birth the uterus contracts by degrees upon itself, the woman suffers abundant perspirations, her breasts are extended by the milk that they secrete; a flow of matter, which takes place from the vagina, called _lochia_, first sanguiferous, then whitish, indicates that the organs of the woman resume, by degrees, the disposition they had before conception. MANAGEMENT OF LABOR.