infection in the female urethra—­that is, the passage from the bladder—­by urinating immediately after each connection, as advised.  A good deal of nonsense is still talked by some medical practitioners about the alleged harmfulness of douching.  The same kind of distracting and misleading statements were made a few years ago regarding antiseptic mouth-washes, which were similarly condemned.  Fortunately, we are passing out of these dark ages!  Soon it will be regarded as quite as natural and necessary and desirable to cleanse the genital passages as to rinse out the mouth or wipe the nostrils.

It is important to remember that the “personal equation” counts for something in choosing a disinfectant, some substances suiting one person and some suiting others.  “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.”  It is also very desirable to “ring the changes” by using, say, lysol one day, something else the next, and so on.  Using three or four simple disinfectants alternately on different days of the week tends to make the disinfectants less irritating and more efficacious, as well as adding a fresh interest to the toilet performance.  On this and other points personal instruction is far the best—­provided you can find a good instructor.  Every man and every woman should seek an opportunity of learning, from competent authority, precisely what to do in the matter of prevention, and what it all means.  Reading books is all very well, but personal tuition as well is a great advantage.

SUMMARY.

Finally, the following briefly summarises the recommendations for women:—­

1. Before Intercourse, Wash and be Clean.—­Insert soluble suppository, and then place rubber pessary in position, concave side downwards.  This will slip up more easily if slightly soaped.  No harm can possibly come either to husband or wife from these appliances, and neither party will be conscious of the presence of the occlusive rubber pessary (some other kinds of rubber pessary have not these advantages).  The pessary can be inserted some hours before intercourse, and need not be removed till some hours afterwards. The rubber pessary should not be worn continuously. If you have mislaid the rubber pessary, a small sponge, a piece of clean cotton-wool, or even a piece of soft tissue paper can be used.  Native women in different countries use seaweed, moss, sponge, etc., and Japanese women use rice-paper.  But these articles are not so clean or effective as the occlusive rubber pessary.  If sponge or cotton-wool is used, it should be saturated in contraceptive lotion or smeared with contraceptive ointment before insertion.  But always remember—­the rubber pessary is cleanest and safest.

2. After Intercourse.—­Douche next morning (or earlier), remove rubber pessary, wash and dry it and put it away slightly powdered.  Where there is any chance of venereal infection, the woman should urinate immediately after each connection, wash with soap and water, and then at once douche with weak and warm disinfecting lotion.  If medically directed, she should also use a little calomel ointment for anointing parts that have been touched in any way.