Caesarean section and its modifications : with an additional list of five cases / by Murdoch Cameron, M.D., F.F.P.S.G., Regius Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Glasgow University.

  • Cameron, Murdoch.
Date:
[1901]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Caesarean section and its modifications : with an additional list of five cases / by Murdoch Cameron, M.D., F.F.P.S.G., Regius Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Glasgow University. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    For tliese reasons the operation slionld be one of election when the child is alive, and it shonld be performed before the patient is exhausted : in fact, early after labour has commenced, or even at full term before labour sets in, especially in mnltiparae. In all cases it should be done before rupture of the membranes, and if possible the patient should be placed under the care of an experienced operator. Little difficulty is experienced in obtaining the consent of the patient and her I'riends, and it is better to have her under observation previous to the operation, so a,s to regulate her diet, and have her pre]>ared I'or operation beforehand. A very important point in favour of Cae.sarean section is that the Lallopian tubes can be tied and divided, so as to prevent subsec|uent conception, whereas Embryotomy may require to be performed ten or a dozen times. Besides deformity of the pelvis, other conditions, such as tumours or cancer of the cervix uteri, may exist which would demand either Caesarean section or some modification of it. If the child be dead and the conjugate diameter not over an inch and a half. Caesarean section should be done. Iiousset, tlie earliest writer upon this subject recognised the indications, the one furnished by the foetus, and the other by the mother. Under the hrst category he placed excessive size of the foetus, monstrosities, and faulty positions. Under the second he placed marked contractions from whatever cause. Some operators would include placenta-])raevia and puerperal convulsions. Caesarean section might be advisable in some cases of eclampsia, but a skilful obstetrician would never think of such procedure in the case of placenta-praevia. In fact, the operators who advocate this step are surgeons who have little or no experience in obstetric practice. Our decision for operation should be based upon the degree of contraction of the pelvis, the size of the child’s head,^md its reducibility, unless the obstruction is due to some other cause, such as cancer or the presence of a tumour in the pelvic cavity. Every practitioner should be able to form a fair estimate of the amount of contraction, as it is easier to measure a contracted ]>elvis than a normal one, and it does not require