Thomsonian practice of midwifery : and treatment of complaints peculiar to women and children / By J.W. Comfort, M.D.

  • Comfort, J. W. (John W.)
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thomsonian practice of midwifery : and treatment of complaints peculiar to women and children / By J.W. Comfort, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    for they leave the bowels in a still worse condition after their operation. If the woman has piles, then injections of a strong tea of witch hazle or sumac leaves, adding a portion of slippery elm should be used at bed time and retained, and this repeated every night, From three to five of the compound lobelia pills taken at bed time will be beneficial. Lobelia by relaxing the muscular system^ lessons the force of the pressure upon the ves- sels, and at the same time assists in maintaining a proper ba- lance in the circulation between the arterial and venous blood. Bandaging the limbs is of especial utility in bad cases of va- ricose veins. The bandaging must be commenced at the feet, and so applied as to make firm and equal pressure on every part of the limb. Dropsical swellings of the feet and legs, during pregnancy, is brought on by obstructed circulation, occasioned by the pres- sure of the uterus upon certain vessels and nerves. In some instances the swelling extends to the abdomen, and the labium occasionally becomes greatly distended by the effusion. Treatment.—The frequent use of the vapour bath, espe- cially the hip warm bath, friction with the warm hand, and the application of stimulating liniment to the surface of the limbs., may lessen the dropsical swelling, but seldom prevent its re- turn, as the treatment will not remove the pressure of the ute- rus upon the vessels. The condition of the bowels influence also the action of the absorbent vessels of the lower extremities. Injections will be required in most cases together with such other treatment as has previously been pointed out for prevent- ing obstinate costivencss. When the limbs become enormously swollen, the skin may be punctured and the effusion drawn off in this way without any risk of doing injury. Bandaging the legs gives support to the vessels and lessens the swelling.— Dropsical swellings arising from pressure of the uterus upon the vessels, usually disappear in a few days after the child is born.