A probationary essay on uterine haemorrhage : submitted ... to ... the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh ... / by John Mackintosh.

Date:
1823
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A probationary essay on uterine haemorrhage : submitted ... to ... the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh ... / by John Mackintosh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    have treated all the three cases here described in this manner, and have been enabled to dislodge coagula from the cavity of the uterus, and at the same time to excite the action of its muscular fibres. I do not deny that the introduction of the hand, particularly if it is moved about, will produce the same efiect; but I have experienced the failure of this plan when external mechani- cal pressure afterwards succeeded. Any one of common feeling, who has witnessed the suffering- caused by the introduction of the hand and arm up to the elbow into passages already made ten- der by the expulsion of the foetus, will not hesi- tate between these two modes of practice. It is of the utmost consequence, not only to general practitioners themselves, but to society at large, that they should be made aware of this ; for it is impossible to say when they may be called upon to assist in such distressing cases. The reluctance which is felt by those unaccus- tomed to this branch of the profession at intro- ducing the hand into the cavity of the uterus, is so natural, that it is unnecessary to dwell upon