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Scarlett looked at Prissy. For a moment her mind refused to accept the truth, but when realization came finally to her that Prissy knew no more about midwifery than she did, anger went over her like a flame.

At that moment the moaning from the second floor ceased and Melanie's voice, weak and trembling, called, "Scarlett, is it you? Please, come! Please!"

For a moment Scariett stood still, listening to the low moaning which had begun again. She tried to think of all the things Mammy' and Ellen had done for her when her son was born, but the merciful blurring of the childbirth pains obscured almost everything in mist². She did recall a few things and she spoke to Prissy rapidly, authority in her voice.

"Make a fire in the stove and keep hot water boiling in the kettle. Bring all the towels you can find. And give me the scissors. Don't come telling me you can't find them. Bring them and bring them quick. Now hurry."

She jerked Prissy to her feet and sent her to the kitchen. Then she started up the stairs. It was going to be difficult telling Melanie that she and Prissy were to deliver her baby.

She wished she had paid more attention to the whispered conversations of matrons on the subjects of childbirth. If only she had! if only she had been more interested in such matters she would know whether Melanie was taking a long time or not⁴. She had a vague memory of one of Aunt Pitty's stories of her friend who was in labor for two days and died without having the baby. Suppose, Melanie should go on like this for two days! But Melanie was so delicate. She wouldn 't stand two days of this pain. She will die soon if the baby doesn't hurry.

... It was all over. Melanie was not dead, and the new born boy, who made noises like a little kitten, was receiving his first bath at Prissy's hands. Melanie was asleep. How could she sleep after the nightmare of screaming pain and ignorant midwifery that hurt more than it helped? Why wasn't she dead? Scarlett knew that she herself would have died under such handling. But when it was over, Melanie had even whispered so weakly that she had to bend over her to hear, "Thank you".

a) During my midwifery practice in the 4^th year I was called to a woman in labor. It was going to be my first case of delivery and I was very nervous. The door was opened by a thin girl of about five who took me upstairs to the room where the expectant mother was lying.. I hoped t: ind a midwife there, the cool, experienced midwife that usually controlled all the students, but there was nobody. I was alone with my patient. I felt like an actor who forgot the words and rend that the prompter (суфлер) had gone out for a drink.

"Now, Mother," I said cheerfully. "How many children do you have?" - "Five, Doctor," sbe answered.

Well, that-was something. At least one of us knew a bit about childbirth. I wondered what

b) "I think it's coming, Doctor!" she cried out between birth pains. I grasped her hand. "You'll be all right in a minute," I said as confidently (впевнено) as possible. "Leave it to me."

I turned into the corner and looked as if I was waiting for the time to interfere. Out of my pocket I drew a small but valuable book in a red cover "The Student's Friend in Obstetrical Difficulties" by Sir Percy Cudlip. He was an old obstetrician and had no illusions about what students would find difficult. It started with "The Normal Delivery". The text was written in short numbered paragraphs, like a cookery book. I looked at the first page. "Sterility," it said. "The student must try to achieve sterile surroundings for the delivery and scrub up himself as for a surgical operation. If there are no sterile towels, newspapers may be used as they are ofter: bacteria free."

c) Newspapers, that was it! There was a pile of them in the comer, and I scattered their, over the floor and the bed. This was a common practice in the district and if Mr. Percy Cudlip knew how many babies were born yearly on the "Daily Herald", he would be most surprised I put a bowl with hot water on the table, took some soap and brush from the bag and started scrubbing.

"Oh, Doctor, Doctor!" cried the mother. "Calm down!" I said quietly. I went on scrubbing The mother moaned. A cat which had not been removed, jumped in the middle of the newspapers and started tearing them with its claws (кігті).

d) Suddenly I became aware of a new note in the mother's cries - a higher weak noise. " dropped the soap and pulled down the blanket.

The baby was washed and put into a drawer (ящик) of a wardrobe that for a year was to be his cot. The mother was delighted and said she had never had such a comfortable delivery.

"Do you do a lot of babies, Doctor?" she asked. "Hundreds," I said. "Every day." "I'll саll him after you, Doctor. I always call them after the doctor or the nurse."

I was very proud of the child. It was my first baby, born through my own skill and care I had already forgotten that my single manoever in helping the delivery was pulling back the blanket.

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