The next instrument which is brought into play is called the sound. This instrument is then introduced into the uterus, and it is then removed, the abortionist having ascertained exactly how deep, and in fact, how large, the uterus is. And then this set of dilators, these metallic, curved instruments, are used to effect the opening of the cervix in order to introduce, finally, the abortion instruments themselves. The abortionist first introduces the most slender of these instruments into the cervix, to dilate the cervix, turns the instrument around to a slightly larger end, introduces that end, and then works his way through the various, graduated, increasingly larger ends of this dilating instrument.