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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    disease lias been of some continuance, tliat it forms tumours of large she, bulky, for example, as a pullet's egg. In the earlier stage, the tumour is very small, perhaps not larger than the ball of the apex of the forefinger, forming, at the back or front of the vagina, or laterally, or in all the three positions at once, protrusions by no means uncommon. These protrusions, if small in size, may be looked upon as natural to the part; but they often show a disposition to increase, and then they begin to attract attention, and, as the patient conceives that some intumescence is forming, she is very often fearful it may be the commencement of some other more formidable disease, of cancer particularly, hence it is highly important you should be able to know it. NECESSITY OF A CAREFUL EXAMINATION. A patient consulting, suspecting, from the description given, that there is some more important disease forming, you ought to make an examination; and where this is carefully done, the nature of the affection may be sufficiently ascertained. But let me here remark, that when the vagina comes down a little way only, forming a tumour not larger than the first joint of one or two fingers, you are liable to overlook it in making your investigation.* A woman says there is a swelling, which she conceives to be polypus, or prolapsus, or scirrhus; at all events she is satisfied that there is a tumour, and you examine, and say she has none ; still your patient is dis- satisfied, and you examine again, but find none ; the reason of which is, that if the examination be made somewhat suddenly and carelessly, and particularly where the woman has had a large family, the protruding part may be pressed back unperceived, as it yields readily under the entrance of the index, and in that way the deception may arise. If you are, therefore, incompetent to the nice investigation of these points, and are not on your guard * Very few symptoms attend the complaint; there is some pain in the back, but not con- siderable, and some transparent mucus comes away from the vagina. Ed.