Many of the things it does are positively startling. And yet they become commonplace, after one has been in the work for a time. One of the most striking cases that has yet come to my attention came in the form of a letter of thanks from a mother of a young girl. I never saw either. The mother, however, wrote me that her daughter, who had not menstruated in ten months, was, some time ago, instructed by a patient of mine to take the broad handle of a tablespoon and make strong pressure upon the tongue (a tongue depressor shown in Fig. 17 would be more appropriate), as far back as she could stand it without gagging. She did so, and within five minutes was menstruating profusely, yet without the slightest pain or discomfort. In the several months which had since intervened, she “came around” regularly every twenty-eight days. The mother who feared that her daughter was going into a decline, could not refrain from writing me a most heartfull letter of appreciation for what my patient, through my instruction, had been able to do for her daughter. I call this good preventive medicine. [Illustration: FIG. 17. Tongue-pressor Electrode. May be used with or without electricity.] Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhoea), also yields like magic to the potent pressure of a probe applied to the posterior (back) wall of the pharynx. But the tongue pressures are, in the majority of cases, quite as effective. For pain in the back or thighs, preceding or during menstruation, pressure with the tip of the index finger on the posterior wall of the pharynx on the median line and to the right and left of same, will almost uniformly give relief. A broad, rough-surfaced tongue depressor (see Fig. 17) is best for the purpose. But if this is not available, the handle of a large spoon or the handle of a tooth brush may be used. This should be applied to the tongue three-quarters of the way back and on the median line. The patient’s head should be held rigid, and the lower jaw supported, to the end that stronger pressure can be made. It is well to have the physician or some male member of the family officiate in this, as the patient may not be inclined to use the requisite amount of force. The pressure should be held firmly for two minutes. Then it should be relaxed and the point of focus changed slightly. Or the instrument may be turned or rotated from side to side, at one minute intervals. Many patients who are obliged to go to bed for two or three days each month, after a course of this treatment, are completely relieved of all distress. Indeed, some of these hardly knew they were “coming sick.” It might be added that pressure exerted on the thumb, first and second fingers of both hands helps materially in this work. And one of the most comforting factors in the practice is that patients are usually quite as well the next morning as they are even directly after the most successful treatment.