Report on the progress of practical medicine, in the departments of midwifery and the diseases of women and children in the years 1845-6 / by Charles West.

  • West, Charles, 1816-1898.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the progress of practical medicine, in the departments of midwifery and the diseases of women and children in the years 1845-6 / by Charles West. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Two cases of tlie successful performance of the operation for congenital imperforation of the vagina are recorded by MM. de Bal and Kluyskens.* In each instance, relief was afforded by the first operation, and one of the patients had subsequently menstruated 7 times, while the other, since whose cure many years have elapsed, had married, but never had any family. The writers state that this operation has been performed with success by M. Amussat, as well as by M. Villiaume and M. Manoury, though Boyer and Dehaen both failed, having wounded the bladder instead of opening a passage to the uterus. Dysmenorrhea. The valerianate of zinc, a remedy recently introduced, and reputed to be of great service in some hysterical and neuralgic affections, has been much extolled by Dr. Aldridgef as a cure for certain cases of dys- menorrhea. The dose of the preparation is gr. f to gr. j two or three times a day, in the form either of pill or of solution. Menorrhagia. Mr. LaneJ, who introduced the oxide of silver into medical use, records some cases illustrative of its power in checking hemorrhage from the uterus, whether menorrhagic, or resulting from malignant disease of the organ. The remedy is employed in doses of gr.ss. or gr.j. every 4 or 6 hours, and hemorrhages of a passive nature appear to be those most likely to benefit by it. A similar class of cases appear, from the experience both of Dr. S6e,§ and Dr. Ebers||, to benefit by the use of the ergotine, in gr.ij .'doses every 4 hours. The existence of febrile disturbance contraindicates its employment, the stomach under such circumstances often rejecting it. The ergotine is said to be preferable to the ergot of rye, of which it is the essential principle, not merely from its being a much less bulky medicine, but because its long-con- tinued use is found not to be followed by those unpleasant nervous symptoms which have sometimes resulted from perseverance in the administration of the ergot. DISEASES OF THE UTERUS. Means of investigating them. Mr. Fergusson, of King’s College,H has con- structed a speculum which has all the advantages of the ordinary glass speculum, together with others peculiar to itself, while it is quite free from the danger of breaking, which has been urged as an objection to that instrument. It consists of a glass speculum, coated on the outside with silver leaf and varnish, then with cotton cloth, to prevent its breaking, and then with caoutchouc, which gives a smooth external surface. This instrument, which is by no means expensive, presents a very brilliant reflecting surface, not liable to tarnish. Displacements of the TJterus. Dr. Edwards** relates an instance of that rare form of displacement of the uterus, anteversion. The patient in whom it existed was not pregnant, and the symptoms, which had come on without any evident cause, had gradually increased in severity. There was no considerable difficulty in defecation, but both pain and difficulty in passing water, attended with very frequent desire to void it. The os uteri could not be brought into view by the speculum, but a large tumour was felt towards the pubis, and it was only by pushing up this body that the os uteri could be brought within reach of the finger; the neck of the womb was large, and directed backwards. After some preliminary local depletion, and emptying the rectum by means of an enema, the position of the uterus was easily rectified by pushing up the fundus uteri with the index-finger of one hand, and at the same time drawing down the cervix with the fore and middle fingers of the other. Mr. Gregsonff has added another to the list of successful removals of the t Dublin Hosp. Gaz., Aug. 15, Sept. 1, 1845. $ Gaz. M6d., Aug. 8, 184C. «[ Ibid., Dee. 1!), 1845. It Med. Gazette, Feb. 20, 1846. * Gaz. Mdd., March 28, 1846. } Med. Gazette, May 1, 1846. 11 Med. Gazette, Jan, 9, 1846. ** Lancet, Feb. 7, 1846.