Dysmenorrhoea / by Robert Bell.

  • Bell, Robert, 1845-1926.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dysmenorrhoea / by Robert Bell. 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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    any unhealthy condition of this nature, suspended as it is in the pelvis. If the tone of the muscular fibres is diminished, we can fully understand how the helpless- ness of the veins is increased, for while the arteries continue to pour blood into the organ, the veins which are destitute of valves become engorged and keep up the oedema in consequence of effusion of serum through their walls constantly going on. When this obtains it is of course impossible for the lining membrane of the canal to retain its health, as the cell-growth is over- stimulated to such a degree that maturation of the cells never takes place, and they are cast off in large quan- tities, passing away along with a serous exudation, either as pus or a muco-purulent discharge, which is very copious and not unfrequently has imparted to it a foetid odour. We thus have a degenerative lining membrane taking the place of the healthy, the conse- quence being that it readily breaks down at the monthly period and bleeds profusely, not only while the activity of the ovary continues (for the overloaded condition of the arteries persists beyond this), but for a time after- wards, varying from a few days to the whole period which ought to be that of cessation. When the dis- charge is so persistent as to give rise to menorrhagia or metrorrhagia, as a rule there is not much pain nor coagula either, for the reason that the bleeding relieves the congestion and the flow is so free that the blood does not remain long enough in the canal to permit of coagulation taking place there. If, however, the in- flammation is more intense than this, the hccmorrhage is less, and clots within the uterus are more numerous. I