These methods of anesthesia are very important and have merit. They should be used when properly indicated. No one should limit himself to a routine method. Each case should be individualized and the form of anesthesia best suited to the case in hand should be employed. For instance, in dealing with a primipara--one who is full of fear, who cannot stand pain, who is of an hysterical nature--morphin-scopolamin anesthesia is best suited in that particular case, because these drugs have a selective action when it comes to allay fear and produce amnesia. On the other hand, in a multipara who has had three or four children, whose soft parts are relaxed and who has short labors, the anesthetic of choice would be a few whiffs of chloroform as the head passes over the perineum. It is ridiculous to try to give such women the "twilight sleep." Furthermore, take the cases you see for the first time at the end of the first stage of labor, or during the second stage; these cases are best treated with the nitrous oxid and oxygen method. You have to individualize your cases. The prospective mother now consults the obstetrician early to find out if her particular case is suitable for the "twilight sleep." She has been informed that certain examinations--urine, blood pressure, etc.--are necessary. She knows that these examinations have to be made at regular intervals. In other words, we get the patients early and we can give them good prenatal care. This chapter has been devoted to "twilight sleep;" the following chapter will consider "nitrous oxid" and other methods of anesthesia in connection with labor, and should be read along with the foregoing discussion in order to obtain an intelligent view of the whole subject of "painless labor." CHAPTER X SUNRISE SLUMBER AND NITROUS OXID Since the public has already been told so much about obstetric anesthesia, we deem it best to go into the whole subject thoroughly, so that the expectant mothers who read this book will be able to form an intelligent opinion regarding the question, and thus be in a position to give hearty cooperation to the decision of their physician to employ, or not to employ, any special form of anesthesia or analgesia in their particular case. In order to give the reader a complete understanding of "painless labor," it will be necessary to give attention to that newer and more safe method of obstetric anesthesia called "sunrise slumber." This method of anesthesia consists in the employment of nitrous oxid or "laughing gas," and will be fully considered in this chapter. OBSTETRIC FEAR In this connection we desire to reiterate and further emphasize some statements made in the preceding chapter concerning the unnatural fear and abnormal dread of childbirth.