bathing, on the contrary, may be directly responsible for such a
mishap. It is true that pregnant women sometimes indulge in surf-
bathing without harmful results; nevertheless the danger of
miscarriage they assume is not slight. The shock of the low
temperature, the exertion required to keep a firm footing, and the
pounding of the surf against the abdomen are all unfavorable
influences which more than counterbalance any advantage of such a
bath. On the other hand, there is slight risk if any in bathing in a
quiet stream or lake.

DOUCHES.--A great many women have the conviction that the vagina is
not clean and should, therefore, be regularly cleansed by means of
irrigations. This assumption is false and the treatment based upon it
is unnecessary. In structure the walls of the vagina closely resemble
the skin, but unlike the skin they do not contain glands; the vagina,
therefore, has nothing to do with the elimination of waste products
from the body. The secretion which issues from the vagina really
originates in the glands around the mouth of the womb, and serves to
protect the birth-canal against infection from harmful bacteria.

Careful examinations have shown that under normal conditions, which
of course include pregnancy, disease-producing bacteria are absent
from the vagina; in this respect the vagina is even cleaner than the
skin, for disease-producing bacteria are present on the surface of
the body. The vaginal secretion becomes more abundant during
pregnancy, and the increase is interpreted as an additional guarantee
against infection at the time of labor. So far as possible,
therefore, this natural antiseptic should not be disturbed.

The advice to abstain from douches will not be adopted by every