me cases, however, douches work better and the two best things for
douching are: tincture of iodine and lactic acid. Buy, say, four
ounces of tincture of iodine, and use two teaspoonfuls in two quarts
of hot water in a douche bag. This injection should be used twice a
day, morning and night. Of the lactic acid you buy, say, a pint, and
use two tablespoonfuls to two quarts of water. The lactic acid has the
advantage over the tincture of iodine that it is colorless, while the
iodine is dark and stains whatever it comes in contact with. Sometimes
I order the use of the tincture of iodine and the lactic acid
alternately: for one douche the tincture of iodine, for the next the
lactic acid, and so on. When the condition improves, it is sufficient
to use one teaspoonful of the tincture of iodine and one tablespoonful
of the lactic acid to two quarts of water. These injections are quite
efficient and have the advantage of being perfectly harmless. One
point about the injections: they should be taken not in the standing
or squatting position (in which position the fluid comes right out),
but while lying down, over a douche pan. The douche bag should be only
about a foot above the bed, so that the irrigating fluid may come out
slowly; the patient, after each injection taken in the daytime, should
remain at least half an hour in bed (in the night time she stays all
night in bed). This gives the injection a better chance to come in
contact with all the parts of the vagina, and a portion of it comes in
contact with the cervix, where it exerts a healing effect. Avoid the
use of patent medicines.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

THE VENEREAL DISEASES

Derivation of Word "Venereal"--Three Venereal Diseases--Innocent
Contraction of Syphilis Through Various Objects--The Hygienic
Elimination of Common Sources of Venereal Infection--Measures for
Prevention After Sexual Relations.

The word "venereal" means pertaining to sexual intercourse: venereal
excess--excess in sexual intercourse; venereal disease--a disease
acquired from sexual intercourse with an infected person. The word is
derived from Venus (genitive--veneris), the Roman goddess of spring,
flowers and Love.

There are three venereal diseases: gonorrhea, syphilis and chancroid.
Of these, gonorrhea is the most widespread, syphilis the most serious.
Chancroid is of comparatively little importance.

While by far the greatest amount of venereal diseases--probably ninety
per