This disease may continue for years uninterruptedly, and, if there is not a cure accomplished, or successful measures for its relief are not employed, it will continue until the menopause, or change of life, which may effect a spontaneous cure. The enlargement is most noticeable in the cervix or neck. This is sometimes so great as to extend one or two inches into the vagina, and this condition is often mistaken for falling of the womb or prolapse, which is far from a correct diagnosis. A growing of the womb from chronic inflammation is the proper explanation. The hygienic suggestions given in a former chapter, form an important auxiliary in the treatment of this complaint, and for that reason it should be carefully studied. The treatment of chronic metritis has been, up to within a very recent period, anything but satisfactory in its results. This was owing to an inadequate knowledge of the real nature of the disease, which was marked by so many symptoms that were in themselves obscure and hard to separate as such, from the main affection. This confusion of the true nature of the pathological process, resulted in a great many vague therapeutical resources, so that the treatment is even yet far from uniform and thorough. Many of the recognized resources laid down in the text-books, on diseases of women, are not only useless, but absolutely injurious, and, in order to save the reader time and money, I will make a brief mention of the most prominent of them. Depletion, or the abstraction of blood in chronic metritis, effects no permanent benefit in the inflammatory process. I am convinced that, in the long run, the patients grow worse, because this treatment lowers the vitality and reduces the recuperative forces, which are so important, in the treatment of all chronic complaints. Scarifications or puncturing the cervix with a sharp lance or pointed knife, will not sufficiently impress the morbid process, so as to stimulate it into a healthy action. Some authors speak very highly of cauterizations and blisters upon the neck or lips of the womb; this I have repeatedly tried, and in not a single instance was it of the slightest use, but it aggravated the symptoms, and in one case it excited a severe, acute metritis that proved almost fatal. Specialists, as a rule, fall into routine practice, and exercise neither originality or intelligence in practice, outside of the text-book on their shelf. They inject strong fluids or caustics into the cavity of the womb with a view of checking the inflammation in that manner. This treatment is dangerous and delusive. If the patient endures the treatment, she may be stimulated for a time with the idea that something very curative is being done, but my experience has been that the disease only becomes worse, because the womb is too delicate and sensitive an organ to improve under these repeated irritating assaults.