Equestrian tights are made on the same principle and for a similar purpose as union suits, namely, to properly and surely cover the limbs and in a measure displace the great load of petticoats that women usually wear. They come in drawers and also in combination suits with the undershirts; a choice may be left to individual taste. There are different _brands_ of these goods on sale in all the dry goods stores of our large cities, the prices being regulated by material and quality of the goods from which they are made. The woolen goods are preferable for practical purposes. Women who do not like the woven closely-fitting drawers can take their choice between the latter and home-made flannel drawers, the French flannel for the lighter and the English bully for heavier and warmer clothing will be found to be the most serviceable materials; patterns for making up closed or button drawers may be had at the leading pattern stores of any city. Women who cannot grow up to an appreciation of the divided skirt should by all means wear equestrian tights or buttoned flannel drawers, under cotton or linen ones; this will enable them to throw off one or two petticoats or skirts because the drawers will safely substitute the skirts and be much lighter. Some women dread the absence of skirts on account of appearing too scant; a little extra fullness and drapery to the dress make the absence of skirts not noticeable. If this were not quite so, there appears no satisfactory reason why a woman should feel embarrassed to modestly display the contour of her form any less than a man. CHAPTER XV. METRITIS OR INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB. THIS is an inflammation of the entire substance of the womb, which, like all inflammatory processes, is _acute_ or _chronic_. Inflammation does not always affect the whole body of the womb, but it is quite oftener limited to one or the other layer or membrane that enters into its architectural whole. Then, again, there is the anatomical division of the organ into a body or _corpus_, and a neck or cervix; of these either one may be affected, without the other, so that inflammation of the cervix should be the subject of a separate inquiry. Most of the diseases of the womb are due to inflammation. This was the opinion of J. H. Bennett, of London, as long ago as 1845, in which year the first edition of his work on “Inflammation of the Uterus” was published. Up to that time, the subject had never been practically pursued to the same logical conclusions, so that the opinions of the leading professional minds were far from unanimous on this question. But the vigor and energy with which the young author defended his views, forced attention and conviction upon the greater part of the profession, in this country and Europe.