question to M. Blot as he touches knife after knife on the arm of the infant before him; which question seems rather to embarrass the handsome interne, for he colours, or passes his hand through his hair and looks intently at the baby, in a very un-Frenchmanlike manner. I think he must be very young, or very much in awe of me, for he never ventures to give me a direct look, and seems so troubled when I address him that I very rarely disturb his life in that way. I think I have given you enough of my external hospital life to enable you to picture me somewhat in my surroundings; do you want to know how the spirit feels in its curious home? Then know, dear friends, that it is strong and hopeful, that it has moments of weariness, of intense yearning for its true related life, but that it lives ever in the great presence of the Eternal, and feels the angels always near. The difficult breaking-in to the practical work of the obstetrician is noted in the journal of those days; and also the pleasant comradeship which gradually sprang up with the very intelligent young physician who served as interne at that time; this companionship was a great relief to my imprisonment in La Maternité. Notes from the Journal.
July 4.—Attended lessons by the aides-sages-femmes;
very clever instruction. Spent the day in the salle
d'accouchements, but was disgusted by the treatment
of a primipara. With all the instruction they have
received, the very first principles of humane treatment
seem too often neglected. They are still ignorant mid-*wives
with their mischievous interference. . . . The version
seemed to me horrible. I almost fainted. . . . Spent
the night in the infirmary—weary work. I cannot bear
