learned that the developing child nearly
doubled its weight in the last two months of pregnancy. As the child
grows, its metabolic waste matter is greatly increased, while all
these poisonous substances must finally be eliminated by the mother.
Now, the mother's waste matter is of itself considerably increased;
and so, if the kidneys, the liver, and the skin are already over-taxed
in their work of normal elimination--if they are already doing their
full quota of work--we can readily see that the additional waste
matter of the unborn child will throw much extra work on the already
overworked eliminative organs, and this results in a condition of
toxemia. Certain symptoms accompany this state of constitutional
poisoning or auto-intoxication--the chief of which are:

1. Headache.
2. Dizziness.
3. Blurring of the vision.
4. Swelling of the feet and hands, or puffiness of the face.
5. Diminished urine.
6. Vomiting.
7. High blood-pressure.
8. Albumin and casts in the urine.

Any one of these symptoms may or may not indicate toxemia; but it
should be reported at once to the attending physician. In the presence
of one or more of these symptoms an expectant mother is always safe,
while awaiting the physician's advice, in carrying out the following
program:

1. Drink more water or lemonade.
2. Take a mild cathartic.
3. Avoid eating much meat and other highly protein foods.

CONVULSIONS OF PREGNANCY

This serious complication of the last weeks of pregnancy demands
immediate attention. They may almost invariably be avoided if the
blood-pressure and the urine are studiously watched during the latter
part of the expectant period.

If you are unable to get your physician at once, the following
treatment should be administered immediately.

1. A hot colonic flushing (See Appendix).

2. A hot bath followed by the hot blanket pack (See Appendix).

3. One drop of croton oil on a bit of sugar may be placed
on the back of the tongue.

4. Chloroform may be administered, provided a competent
nurse or other medical person is present.

The appearance of convulsions which have been preceded by one or more
of the symptoms noted under the head of "toxemia," indicates that the
patient has become so profoundly intoxicated and poisoned by the
accumulating toxins, that the lives of both mother and child are
jeopardized by threatened eclampsia. At such a time, the attending
physician will imme