Practical manual of diseases of women and uterine therapeutics : for students and practitioners / by H. Macnaughton Jones.

  • Macnaughton-Jones, H. (Henry), 1844-1918.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical manual of diseases of women and uterine therapeutics : for students and practitioners / by H. Macnaughton Jones. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    193/712 (page 147)
    I could instance many cases of obstinate costiveness in which forcible dilatation of the sphincters under ether has been followed by permanent cure. I select the following: A lady from Australia consulted me in 1886. During her pregnancy, four years previously, she was attacked with severe vomiting when the constipation first became trouble- some, had ever since been relieved by enemata, and that with difficulty; catamenia regular; constant oppressed and uncomfortable feeling. On examination, I found the uterus healthy and in its normal position, the rectum loaded and haemorrhoidal; there was a vaginal leucorrhoea. The follow- ing day, under ether, I forcibly, with my hand, dilated the sphincters. A few fibres of the external were ruptured • the rectum was emptied of its contents. An olive-oil enema was given the next morning. She was placed on cascara sagiada and a mild pill of belladonna and nux vomica, and from this to the day she left England, a period of four months, the bowel was regular, and she never used an enema. This case is only quoted as an example of numbers I have most successfully treated on the same plan.* This course may be assisted by the use of a galvanic current passed over the bowel and in the course of the colon daily. This is well supplemented by a course of abdominal massage. If the pain be referred particularly to the region of the ovaries, and assumes a neuralgic type, the bromides of sodium, potassium, and ammonium are in- dicated. An excellent combination is that of bromide of potassium (gr. xv.), and hydrate of chloral (gr. xii.), given at intervals of four hours when the pain is felt. An enema of chloral and bromide of potassium will be found of service. Tincture or extract of cannabis indica, tannate of cannabin, humulus lupulus (tincture or extract), lupu- line, monobromate of camphor, apio] (in capsules), nepenthe * See Chapter on Mnsmge.