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wires in it described above, we see now how "the cap method" may be condemned in general by either careless observers or definite opponents who attribute to one type of cap the faults inherent in another.

There is still a further objection to the "Dutch" cap, which soon revealed itself in those few used now and then at our Clinic; the circular outline of the cap, on which its safety is dependent, is often very transient. Caps only used two or three times as sample ones. for fitting purposes remained permanently out of shape in a few days—one of them, even after a single usage. Of course, if so large a cap is worn that the vagina is well stretched anyway, a slight distortion of the circumference of the cap would be of no moment; but I think a large cap which stretches the vagina has the serious disadvantages noted above; on the other hand, if a rather small cap of this type be worn so that the vagina is barely stretched enough to hold it in place, then the distortion of the circumference might well leave a gap between the cap and the vaginal wall at one region leading to failure, and such failures help to account for the idea that "caps are not safe."

Comment.—I condemn it for general use, and consider it unwholesome owing to the