Puerperal temperatures : reprinted from ninth volume of the 'Transactions of the Obstetrical Society of London', with additional diagrams and observations on diet and the use of chloroform and chloral / by William Squire.

  • Squire, William, 1825-1899.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Puerperal temperatures : reprinted from ninth volume of the 'Transactions of the Obstetrical Society of London', with additional diagrams and observations on diet and the use of chloroform and chloral / by William Squire. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sensitive self-registering thermometer three and a half inches in length, graduated from 95° to 110° in the manner de¬ scribed above; this is safely worn in the waistcoat pocket, and seems to be as nearly perfect as possible; most of the additional observations appended to this paper have been made with this instrument. Very excellent thermometers are also made by Mr. Roberts, of Rydon Crescent. A good instrument, to be useful, must be sensitive as well as accurate ; it should also be self-registering. Some comparative observations on variations of temperature are first to be given, together with those normal to the state of pregnancy, as far as they have been noted. The different phases of pregnancy could not fail to be illustrated by a further investigation, but opportunities of conveniently making observations of this kind, that shall be in every way unexceptionable, are not frequent. The temperature of the body is somewhat increased during pregnancy, at least in the latter months. The normal temperature may be taken at 98*75°, the temperature after the sixth month of pregnancy will frequently be found some¬ what over 99°. A variation is to be observed in different persons, and in the same person in different states of health; the limits of this variation, as consistent with health, having been restricted in the cases I have noted, to one degree, viz., from 98*8° to 99*8°, its range being less than in women of similar age when not pregnant. Some remarkable oscilla¬ tions of temperature, such as we need not expect to find in pregnancy, have occurred in a few cases that have presented themselves to me for notice, which tend to show that there is a considerable fall in temperature on the occurrence of the catamenia, and a variable rise shortly before : in one instance the vaginal temperature was found to be 99*8° on the day before the catamenial flow, and only 97*3° on the day after. No observation was obtained on the intermediate day ; the flow was not very free, and was unaided by alcoholic stimu¬ lants, indeed, these had been abstained from for nearly a month, until this day, when they were resumed; three days afterwards the temperature was 98*7°, the period being then