She must,
however, as stated above, heed the warning and go to bed, keep perfectly
quiet and send for a physician. If she fails to follow this advice it is
quite possible that she may have a hemorrhage during the course of the
miscarriage of a sufficiently serious character to endanger her life or
from the effects of which she may suffer for the remainder of her life.

There is practically no danger during the course of or after a
"complete" miscarriage. The danger which may ensue from an "incomplete"
miscarriage is hemorrhage and a form of poisoning caused by the
absorption into the system of putrifying products of the part of the
dead embryo left in the womb.

There are a large number of cases of criminal abortion in which septic
poisoning occurs caused by the utensils or instruments used in inducing
the abortion. All of these cases are operative cases which must be
attended to promptly to save life.

TREATMENT OF THREATENED MISCARRIAGE.--Not all of the cases of beginning
miscarriage end in miscarriage. If the physician is sent for in time he
can very frequently give directions that will, if carried out
faithfully, avert the disaster. Success is more likely to attend those
cases in which the trouble has been caused by some accidental injury, as
a fall, or blow, or extra exertion. This is more especially the case if
the woman has previously borne children, is healthy and in good
condition and whose womb is known not to be diseased. In these cases
there is a partial separation of the fetus from the wall of the womb,
which causes the bleeding. The physician will direct that the woman be
put to bed, in a quiet, darkened room. He will instruct the nurse to
sterilize the external genital region: a sterile gauze dressing is then
left in place. Some form of prescription will be given to diminish the
patient's nervous fear and to allay any tendency on the part of the womb
to contract. It is always essential and very important to save
everything that passes from the womb during the course of a threatened
miscarriage in order that the physician may know exactly just what the
condition is. Each cloth, each clot of blood will have to be examined
before the proper treatment can be pursued in safety.

When the miscarriage cannot be prevented it is called an "Inevitable
miscarriage."

TREATMENT OF AN INEVITABLE MISCARRIAGE.--In these cases every precaution
is taken, just as in a normal confinement, to avert blood poisoning. The