Of the use of chloroform in midwifery.

  • Burwell, George N., 1819-1891.
Date:
[1853?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Of the use of chloroform in midwifery. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    19/48 (page 13)
    SECTION II. OF THE EFFECTS OF CHLOROFORM UPON THE SYMPTOMS AND PROGRESS OF LABOR. First, of its effects upon the mental faculties.—In a large pro- portion of the cases, chloroform was not given so freely as more than momentarily to obliterate them. The patients may be said to have remained sensible during the whole time of its administra- tion. In some this sensibility was acute and lively, while in others, although they afterwards asserted that they knew every- thing which occurred even to the birth of the child, they lay in such a quiet, drowsy condition, that frequently at the time I thought them insensible. I use the term insensibility here in re- ference to the condition of the mind and senses, and not in refer- ence to the existence of pain. When in the first condition, they always declared their relief; called for more chloroform as the pain was coming on; frequently said when they had enough to benumb the pain; and even occasionally held the sponge them- selves to breath of; and thus continued until the birth of the children. In the second condition, they laid in the intervals of pain more as if asleep, always waked out of it, of course, by the recur- rence of pain. When the pain had passed off, I have often heard such declarations as how delightful, how easy I am, what a relief, &c. If I was careful to repeat the inhalation before every pain, it was not often asked for; but if I neglected it, it would very soon be inquired for. A condition of mind often connected and alternating with the state just described is delirium. This has indicated a degree of anaesthesia, sufficient, while it continued, to cause insensibility to pain, and to take away all recollection of the labor. It varied much in different cases, amounting in some cases only to a little muttering, where I could onlv occasionally catch a well articu- lated word ; in others there would be a distinct pronunciation of words and sentences. The subject was almost always foreign to anything which would naturally have suggested itself, and it was almost always one of an unpleasant nature — something which excited grief, and occasionally tears. One fancied that her hus-