Aids to obstetrics : double part / by Samuel Nall.

  • Nall, Samuel.
Date:
[1885?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Aids to obstetrics : double part / by Samuel Nall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    111/150 (page 107)
    increases the difficulty. In these cases there is danger of rupture of the uterus occurring. Method.—Chloroform should be given to its full extent, and the hand gradually insinuated by the presenting part and passed along the child’s abdomen in the intervals of the pains. The foot or knee opposite the presenting part should be seized, and version of the child may be assisted by pushing up the head by means of the external hand ; or a tape may be passed round the limb that has been brought down, so as to retain it, whilst the hand is used to push up the present- ing part from the os. If version fail, decapitation or eviscera- tion will be necessary. XLII.—THE FORCEPS. Description of the Instruments.—There are two varieties of forceps, the short and the long, but there are endless modifica- tions of each variety. Essential Features of the Short Forceps. —The blades are attached to the handles without the inter- vention of any shank, and only present one curve (cranial) by means of which they can be adapted to the surface of the head. The short forceps is only of use when the head is low down in the pelvis, and occasionally in the rotation of occipito-posterior positions, when the use of the long forceps might be injurious. The short forceps is very rarely used now, as its place, in nearly all cases, can be taken by the long forceps. Essential Features of the Long Forceps.—The blades are attached to the handles by means of a shank ; in addition to the cranial curve they present a pelvic curve by means of which the blades, when inserted high up in the pelvis, can lie in the axis of the cavity without injuriously pressing on the perineum. Owing to the pelvic curvature, each blade will only pass with the concavity of the curve directed anteriorly, hence the division into upper and lower blades, one blade being passed so as to occupy the left extremity of the transverse diameter of the pelvis, the other to occupy the right extremity. 7-2