“When she came to term I placed a rough-edged box in the bed, for her to press the soles of her feet on. I also provided her with a sheet, tied to the bed post, which she gripped and pulled upon during pains. This, I feel certain, helps pain relief by zone analgesia--as well as by assisting in the mechanics of labor. She made traction upon the sheets and pressed her feet on the box as the condition seemed to require, and, as she expressed it, ‘got great comfort from it.’ “When the second stage of labor came on--that stage where I generally resort to chloroform--I made strong pressure over the feet, sinking my thumbs well in over the articulation of the toe and foot joint. She was delivered in less than five hours. The afterbirth came away without the slightest pain. I was peculiarly struck by the almost complete absence of labor exhaustion.” “Case 2. Mother aged forty, ninth child. She had had ‘the devil’s own time’ with the last three or four, the attendant having been compelled to use forceps in these births. With her last child she had had a bad laceration of the cervix, which, however, had been skillfully repaired. “I gave her two aluminum combs, the edges of which I had nicked with a file, so as to roughen them for the thumb to press over. There being no box handy I covered a coal shovel with a towel, and, when the pains became severe, let her press the soles of her feet against the sharp edge of this. “Within 3 hours she was delivered--without forceps this time--of a 10-1/2 pound boy--as clean a delivery as I ever saw. “I know it seems crazy, but any method that will, practically without pain, stimulate women who were formerly in labor for from twelve to fifteen hours to complete delivery--in many instances within three hours--is a good method. I shall continue its use, no matter how foolish it may appear.” Another physician, who has had a large and successful experience with zone therapy, writes: “In obstetrics I have almost completely discarded chloroform at the close of the second stage, where I used to almost always use it. In the first stage, zone therapy relieves the nagging pains without retarding, but rather promoting dilatation. In the second stage delivery is hastened. Women seem so quiet and easy one would think ‘there was nothing doing,’ until on examination, you are surprised to see what has been accomplished. For this work I use a serrated strip of aluminum 1/16 in. thick, imbedded in a piece of wood of convenient size, or else I use a seven inch aluminum comb, pressing the teeth against the inner part of the sole of the foot, or near the ball, alternating from one foot to the other. When I have an assistant both feet are manipulated at a time, and that aids very materially. I exert as much pressure as the patient can bear without pain. When I have an assistant well trained I am going to try zone therapy for instrumental delivery.”