The object of this book is not to make _every_ woman a professional Midwife, nor to induce her to dispense with proper assistance in her hour of difficulty, but simply to explain to her the nature and manner of child-birth, and the means by which she is to be assisted. This will disabuse her mind of many pernicious errors--make her more patient under her unavoidable difficulties and pains--more docile to what is required of her, since she will see the _reason_ for it--and it will also enable her to avoid much positive suffering, and to render great help, in many cases, to her attendant.--In a case of emergency also, when other assistance cannot be procured time enough, or not at all, it will teach one female how to assist another in delivery, which every one of them ought to be able to do. Very often it happens that a case of this kind occurs, and the Females around, instead of knowing how to help the sufferer, are utterly useless, and even make her worse by their evident terror and ignorance. I have known women _die_ in child-bed, for want of the most trivial assistance, which even a child could understand how to give, though there were elderly females, mothers themselves, around her; but they knew not what to do. Such a state of things is disgraceful to the boasted intelligence of the age, and should be remedied as speedily as possible. Every Adult female, or at least every married one, should be instructed in these things, so that she may know how to regulate her own conduct and how to render useful assistance to others in case of need. Ill informed women are generally as apprehensive of danger as they are incapable of avoiding it; and as regardless of proper advice as they are ignorant of the reason for it. The time, I trust, is fast coming, when every female will be taught, as of paramount importance, everything which concerns her own welfare; and when ignorance will no longer be considered necessary to propriety and virtue, nor useful knowledge incompatible with the most refined delicacy and the strictest morality. I consider it my duty to assist in hastening that time, and I feel much pleased that my previous efforts have been so much commended. This book I hope will be equally acceptable, and, if possible, more useful, than those which have preceded it. F. HOLLICK, M. D., New York INTRODUCTION.