In a series of observations published on the third stage of labor where the placenta was delivered spontaneously, the time required for the completion of the delivery was carefully noted, and the results varied from a few minutes to thirty-six hours.
With these statistics before us, it is manifestly impossible to place a definite limitation on the third stage and to assert that all cases which pass the prescribed bounds shall be regarded as pathologic, and interference undertaken. In spite of the tendency of the last few years to interfere less and less in obstetric cases without positive indications, it may be safely said that if the placenta is not spontaneously delivered within two hours after the birth of the child, some pathologic condition is present which necessitates interference.
Usually the presence of hemorrhage or other symptoms will further an earlier diagnosis, and the question generally lies between two closely