or, for fear of
stopping labor for perhaps many hours. Remember the head can and does
turn in pelvis to suit the easiest passage through the bones, while in
the fluids of the amniotic sack. Now, as you know why not to rupture
sack and spill fluids, you are prepared to proceed to other duties,
which are to prevent rupture of perineum. Place the left hand on the
belly, about two inches above symphesis and push the soft parts down
with the left hand; support the perineum with the right hand until head
passes over. This is necessary to prevent rupture of perineum.

LASCERATION NEED NOT OCCUR.

If you follow this law of nature, lasceration may occur in one out of a
thousand cases, and you will be to blame for that one, and may be
censured for criminal ignorance. Now you have conducted head safely
through pelvis and vagina to the world. You will find pains stop right
short off for about a minute, which is the time to learn whether the
navel cord is wrapped around the child's neck.

CARE OF CORD.

If it is found all around the neck once or more, you must slip finger
down neck and loosen cord to let blood pass through the cord till next
pain comes, in order to ward off asphyxia of child.

When pain comes, gently pull child's head down toward the bed. There is
no danger of hurting the perineum now since the head has passed the soft
parts. At this time the danger is suffocation of child. Never draw child
too far away from mother's birth place by force, as you may tear navel
string from the child and cause it to bleed to death. If you value the
life of the child, then you must be careful not to place the navel end
of the string in any danger of being torn off. Now you have made a good
job for both mother and child so far. The child is in the world; and you
want to show the mother a living baby for her labor and suffering of the
past nine months. The baby is born and the mother is not torn, but the
baby has not yet cried. Turn it on its side, face down, run your finger
in its mouth and draw out all fluids, thick or thin, to let the breath
pass to the lungs. Then blow cold breath on its face and breast to cause
its lungs to act.

SEVERING CORD.

Baby cries, all is safe now. Baby is born safely and cries nicely, but
still has cord fastened to afterbirth. It has no further use for cord,
as life does not depend upon blood from the afterbirth any longer. Take
the cord about three inches from the child's belly, between thum