Observations on some of the more important diseases of women / by James Blundell ; edited by Thomas Castle.

  • Blundell, Dr., 1790-1878.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on some of the more important diseases of women / by James Blundell ; edited by Thomas Castle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    the distance of about four inches from the os externum, the bladder being placed anteriorly, and the rectum behind. But when the uterus becomes retroverted, a total change of position ensues ; the fundus falls down backward and below the promontory of the sacrum, and the mouth lies forward, and rises above the symphysis pubis ; so that more or less compression, both of the rectum and bladder, is produced, the vagina being drawn upwards, and carried forward above the front of the pelvis. SYMtTOMS OP RETROVERSION. When the uterus is retroverted, if the pelvis be small, or if the womb, not morbidly developed, chance, however, to be originally very bulky, or independently of any increase of its size beyond the virgin dimensions, it may give rise to a good deal of pressure upon the rectum, the bladder, and the parts adjacent, and, in this manner, it may distress much; more generally, however, where retroversion produces distressing symptoms, these will be found to be accompanied with an enlargement of the uterus, becoming, perhaps, as big as the head of a full-grown fcetus ; this enlarge- ment of the uterus, resulting most frequently from pregnancy; occasionally, however, from scirrhosity, from polypus, or from a collection of hydatids. When, from any of these causes, the uterus is enlarged in its size, it may distress the patient greatly; the rectum may be so obstructed, that the faeces will scarcely pass along, and it may be necessary to have recourse to injections, in order to remove its contents; the bladder, too, and the urethra, may be so embarrassed, that there may be a difl&culty in intro- ducing the catheter ; and accumulations of water may take place in the bladder in such quantity as to give rise to disruption, or at least to injure the structures of this organ ; so much so, that acute inflammation, or fatal chronic diseases, may ensue. Nor must I forget to mention that the womb continuing to grow in the retro- verted position, it must make pressure on all the parts which are