An experimental inquiry into the effect upon the mother of poisoning the foetus / by W.S. Savory.

  • Savory, William Scovell, 1826-1895.
Date:
[1858]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An experimental inquiry into the effect upon the mother of poisoning the foetus / by W.S. Savory. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    the syringe, and ten minims of the solution (half a grain of strychnia) were injected into the cavity. When the syringe was withdrawn no fluid -escaped. The puncture was so minute that nothing exuded even upon pressure. The fojtus, which struggled slightly after the operation and then became tetanic, was suffered to remain where it lay, not in contact with the mother. An incision was then made in another part of the uterus, over a second foetus, which was only partially exposed, and not drawn out. The side of the chest was wiped dry, the point of the syringe was inserted between the lower ribs, and about the same quantity of the solution was injected into the thorax. The piston was slightly retracted before the pipe was withdrawn, and not the least trace of moisture appeared. The part where the puncture was made was carefully watched for some seconds by Mr. Crowfoot and myself, and we both were fully satisfied on that point. That portion of the uterus which had only partially extruded was now carefully replaced, without any protusion of the foetus, then the rest of the uterus, and lastly the foetus first operated on was returned into the abdomen, and the wound was closed by sutures. The bitch lay on her side motionless, and breathing tran- quilly, for eight minutes from the time of the first operation. In about nine minutes slight spasms appeared. These gradu^ ally increased in intensity, and continued with scarcely any intermission for eighteen minutes. In twenty-eight minutes from the time of the injection the dog was dead. Five minutes after her death the abdomen was re-opened. Thei-e were two other foetuses, besides those two which had been injected: four in all. While the two which had received the strychnia revealed no signs of life, the other twa were still alive and vigorous. They lived for some time after separation from tlie mother, and one, which was suffered to escape from its membranes, respired and otherwise dis- played such evident signs of full development, such as cryingv that any doubts of the near approach of natural labour, which could have been entertained after a mere inspection of the