The pathology of intra-uterine death being the Lumleian lectures delivered at the Royal College of Physicians of London, March 1887 / by William O. Priestley.

  • Priestley, W. O. (William Overend), 1831-1900.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The pathology of intra-uterine death being the Lumleian lectures delivered at the Royal College of Physicians of London, March 1887 / by William O. Priestley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    break down the resistance both of the chorion and amnion, and if the cavity of the amnion is invaded, the invariable result is the destruction of the embryo, with abortion sooner or later. The earlier in preg- nancy this extravasation takes place, the greater the likelihood of the inner envelope giving way, for it is then most fragile and most easily ruptured. There is great variation in the amount of resistance offered by the amnion in different cases. This is notable even to the end of pregnancy, for we sometimes find the bag of membranes of which the amnion forms an integral part so thin that the first uterine contractions produce escape of the waters, while in other cases the membranes are so tough as to impede the progress of labour and require puncture for its acceleration. Dubois* says the feeble resistance of membranes may be due to natural structure, I suppose, as some women may have thinner skins than others, or it may be due to alterations consequent on inflammation. However produced, it may, by facilitating rupture and escape of the liquor amnii in early pregnancy, and before the child is viable, lead to intra-uterine death, for it is well known that pregnancy cannot continue long- after the entire evacuation of the amniotic fluid. The question as to whether there is a true inflam- mation of the amnion has been discussed, and various supposed pathological results have been pointed out. Jacquemier details three cases which he regards as clearly indicating the occurrence of inflammation on its free surface. One of the patients had peritonitis, and aborted five days later; another had been kicked in the abdomen at the third month, and although she * *' Diet. in 30 vols., Art. Hydrometrite.' I