Choice of Physician and Nurse of Real Consequence.—Choose a Physician Whom You can Trust Implicitly.—A Cleanly Man.—The Wife Should Make the Selection.—A Christian Physician.—Choice of Nurse.—Wife most Capable of Making Choice.—Advice of the Physician Desirable.—She Should be Pleasing to the Wife.—Cleanliness.—Gentleness.—A Person of Individuality.—Neatness in Manner and Clothing.—Should be Intelligent.—Physician and Nurse Should Work in Sympathy.—A Good Cook.—Able to Converse, but not a Gossip.—Many Such Physicians and Nurses.

The choice of a physician and nurse for the ordeal of maternity, is a matter of real consequence. It is not enough that you have a physician whom you have trusted in the common ailments of life, and perforce must have him now, lest he think it strange; the question is, do you desire him to minister to you at this time?

Choose a clean man or woman as you value your life and comfort. Choose one to whom you can pin your trust, and in whom you can[174] confide implicitly. Choose one who is above reproach, and can inspire you with courage and hopefulness. Choose a clean doctor physically. They who do not delight in clean linen, and clean hands, will hardly delight in cleanliness in their attentions to you.

Finally the wife should have the unbiased choice of the physician, unless there is some very good reason why she is not capable of a reasonable choice. Of course it is far better that the choice of one should be the choice of the other, and that there be perfect harmony between husband and wife in the choice made, both for their own peace of mind, and for the comfort of the physician. There are many cases on record of labor being delayed, and much discomfort being caused by disappointment in the physician desired.

Above all choose a Christian physician. The counsel of the Great Physician is never more needed than in birth travail, and it is comforting to feel that the human friend upon whom you depend, knows this power and helpfulness and can direct you to Him.

In the choice of a nurse as great care and consideration are needed. Do not depend upon the selection made by a friend; no one can choose for you. You alone are the one[175] concerned, and you alone are capable of making the choice. It is well to ask your physician to recommend a nurse, or more than one, and then ask for an interview, and mark well every point, before you make your choice. Remember you are to have her about you almost constantly for two or more weeks, and unless she is pleasing to you in the outset, depend upon it, she will almost inevitably become displeasing to you before her term of service is over.

She must be very cleanly in her person, and guilty of no idiosyncrasies in dress or manner; of gentle ............