£*•

GESTATION AND PATURITION. 447
comes to it, while I hold the umbilical cord between the
thumb and finger of the left hand, so as to feel its pul
sations. When it has done or as soon as pulsating, the
child is crying lustily, I take a ligature, and tie it tightly
and firmly an inch and a half from the abdomen. Then -
the other, and tie that an inch further. This last is not
absolutely necessary. Then, taking the scissors, and
seeing that there are no little toes or fingers in the way,
I cut between the ligatures, lay the child on a soft cloth
prepared to receive it, and hand it to the nurse.
If there is any delay in the child's breathing after
birth, let the cool air come upon its skin, which is the
natural excitant of respiration ; or blow a sudden puff
of air on its face and chest; or sprinkle them with cold
water ; or wet them. If these do not answer, hold the
nose, and inflate the lungs by blowing
into the mouth,
and then pressing the air out. This may be kept up
for an hour ; for children have so been recovered. In
these cases, it is thought best to lay the babe on its right
side, to favor the closure of the foramen ovale.
Now, or while this was doing, I pass my
hand under
the cloths upon the abdomen of the mother ; to see,
first, if there is another child ; secondly, if the after
birth has been expelled from the uterus ; and, thirdly,
Often the
if that organ is contracting as it ought.
placenta is thrown into the vagina. If so, it may be
easily drawn out by a slight traction on the cord, aided
by the partial or entire introduction of the hand, be
neath it. In any case, as soon as I have ascertained
that there is not another child to be delivered, I lay a
towel, wrung out of cold water, on the abdomen. This
assists in the contraction of the uterus, helps to throw