The principles of midwifery; including the diseases of women and children / [John Burns].

  • Burns, John, 1774-1850
Date:
1820
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The principles of midwifery; including the diseases of women and children / [John Burns]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    112/788 (page 86)
    ovaria. These have sometimes been found attached to a mass of cellular substance, or even to the bladder. The uterus may be double * : in this case there is some- times a double vagina, but generally only one ovarium and tube to each uterus. This conformation does not prevent impregnation. The uterus is sometimes divided into two, by a septum stretching across at the upper part of the cervix f ; or the os uteri, is almost, or altogether shut up by a continuation of the lining of the womb or vagina, or by adhesion, conse- quent to ulceration, or by original conformation; and in this last case, the substance of the os uteri is sometimes almost car- tilaginous. The menses either come away more or less slow- ly, according to the size of the aperture, or are entirely retained when there is no perforation. As long as the menses are discharged, nothing ought to be done ; but if they are completely retained, and violent and unavailing efforts made for their expulsion, an opening must, as a matter of necessity, be made from the vagina. In such cases, the uterus has been tapped with success §; but it has also happened, that fatal inflammation has succeeded the operation. The vessels are sometimes enlarged; and I have seen the spermatic veins extremely varicose, in an old woman who had been subject to piles; but I do not know that any particular inconvenience results from the veinous enlargement. * Vide Hist, de I’Acad. de Sciences, 1705, p. 47.—Haller Opusc, path. 60. Acrell’s cases.—Purcell in Phil. Trans. LXIV, p, 474.—Canestrini in Med. Facts, Vol. III. p. 171.—^Valisneri met with a double uterus and double vulva. Opera, Tom. III. p. 538.—Dr. Pole describes a double uterus, in the 4th Vol. of Mem. of Medical Society, p. 92. \ Baillie’s Morbid Anatomy, chap. xix. I Littre found it almost closed, by a continuation of the inner surface of the vagina, Mem. de I’Acad. de Sciences, 1704, p. 27; and in the seventh month of pregnancy, closed by a glandular substance. 1705. p. 2.—Morgagni found it shut with a membrane. Epist. XLVI. art. 17.—Boehnier quite shut up.—Obs. Anat. fasc. 2. p, 62.—Ruysch saw it so small as scarcely to admit a pin ; and Sandifort so well closed, that nothing but air could be forced through it. Obs. Anat. Path. lib. II. c. ii. p. 67. § The menses being retained, and great pain excited, they were let out with a trocar by Schutzer. Vide Sandifort, p. 69.