the first place, that the bowels should be regularly evacuated; very
often nothing further is required than to overcome the habit of
constipation. Occasionally, however, the diet must be arranged so as
to exclude food which is likely to form gas. For example, parsnips,
beans, corn, fried food, candy, cake, and sweet desserts, all of
which are known to cause flatulence, should be avoided; in aggravated
cases the allowance of starchy food of every kind should be cut down
to small portions.

Since the production of gas in the intestine is due to the action of
bacteria sometimes relief from flatulence is secured only after the
administration of intestinal antiseptics. Drugs, however, will be
prescribed by the physician, and will not be employed until the
simpler hygienic measures have failed. Similarly, the physician
should decide whether it is advisable for the patient to drink milk
inoculated with harmless bacteria (The Bulgarian Bacillus) which has
lately been placed on the market. The bacteria thus administered in
the milk are antagonistic to the intestinal bacteria that produce
gas, and consequently have been recommended for the treatment of
flatulence. If this commercial product cannot be conveniently
obtained, one may use instead tablets containing the bacteria, which
can be supplied by druggists.

DEFECTIVE TEETH.--Unless suitable precautions are observed, the
digestive disturbances of pregnancy have a tendency to injure the
teeth. The regurgitation of the acid contents of the stomach, for
example, may cause cavities to develop or may enlarge those that
already exist. In all probability the damage done in this way--and
not the removal of lime from the teeth for the formation of the
child's skeleton, as some have thought--is responsible for the origin