Cases of laceration of the uterus : with remarks read May 2nd, 1866 / by Thomas Radford.

  • Radford, Thomas, 1793-1881.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cases of laceration of the uterus : with remarks read May 2nd, 1866 / by Thomas Radford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cadaverous aspect of the patient, and at once endeavoured to ascertain the cause. I was informed that this was her fourth pregnancy, and that all her former labours were tedious, but terminated safely by the natural powers. She had been in labour about ten hours; the membranes ruptured in six hours after its commencement; the pams were stated to have come on at regular intervals, and were of a grinding character. The midwife became alarmed, as the patient was seized suddenly with a pain very different from those she had endured up to this time. She uttered a violent exclamation, What a pain, the cramp in my belly ! I shall die. She instantly became ghastly, and vomited, and the surface of her skin was bedewed with a cold sweat; the pains ceased, and her pulse was extremely weak and fluttering. I found the os uteri dilated to rather more than the size of a crown-piece; on the left side its structure was decidedly diseased, and of a schirrous hardness. I carefully examined the pelvis, but detected no deviation from the standard measurement. The head of the infant presented, and was in intimate contact with the os uteri, which position it maintained when the finger was pressed forcibly against it. I then placed my hand upon the abdomen, but I detected nothing different in the uterine tumour from what is usually observed at this period of labour. Although I could not discover any rupture of the uterus, yet I felt assured in my own mind that this was the case, and decided upon immediate delivery. The only mode of accomplishing this object was to open the infant's head; and as I had not the instruments necessary for this operation, I went to Mr. Wood, Downing Street, and requested the loan of them, which he kindly lent me, and he accompanied me to the case. The head was perforated, and then, by means of the crotchet, was extracted. During the time the poor woman was extremely faint, and required to have brandy frequently administered to her. I found the placenta lying loose over the OS uteri, and removed' it. - There was not more blood lost than in ordinary cases of labour. I now introduced the hand into the vagina, passed the index finger through the