Electricity in the diseases of women : with special reference to the application of strong currents / by G. Betton Massey.

  • Massey, G. Betton (George Betton), 1856-1927.
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Electricity in the diseases of women : with special reference to the application of strong currents / by G. Betton Massey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    seem to be particularly promising in cysts situated in close proximity to the vagina, whether located in solid tumors or the tubes. It is possible, also, that it may bring ovarian cysts within the province of electro- puncture, as the results with the solid needle have not been encouraging. Fibroid Polypus.—When in the shape of polypi, an electrical treatment should be declined, unless the poly- pus is small and hard ; for the surgical treatment of intra- uterine polypi is clearly feasible and reasonably free from danger, under which circumstances it should always have the preference. After the heavy mortality suffered by the last generation from the practice then in vogue among surgeons of slow strangulation of these growths (vide Barnes' Diseases of Women), we should be chary of repeating a similar invitation to septicaemia. This is especially true of all soft, fibro-cystic, or vascu- lar polypi of large size. The disintegrating power of heavy currents is so great in these soft tumors, so largely cut off from trophic influences, that an exceedingly ready necrosis occurs, -with the consequent danger of septic infection. If the polypus be of the harder variety, cauterizations, negative in non-hemorrhagic and positive in the hemorrhagic variety, are far less likely to be attended by this risk, and mny speedily end in spon- taneous contractions and expulsion. Under these cir- cumstances the currents should be of short duration (one to two minutes), but carried to the full strength tolerated by the patient. Submucous Fibroids.—Where the tumor merely pro- jects into the uterine cavity, its treatmeut by properly regulated galvano-chemical cauterizations offers the best