The therapeutics of gynecology and obstetrics : comprising the medical, dietetic, and hygienic treatment of diseases of women.

  • Atkinson, William B. (William Biddle), 1832-1909.
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The therapeutics of gynecology and obstetrics : comprising the medical, dietetic, and hygienic treatment of diseases of women. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    tendency to that organ. Under such circumstances, the very same means fail and prove injurious, which, applied so as to coincide with the time of the natural effort, would have been successful. To illustrate these principles by an example. We are consulted in the case of a young woman affected with various hysterical symptoms for several months, and during that period more than usually subject to headache, languor, loss of spirits, diminution of appetite, and irregularity, and usually constipation of bowels; she is pale, and complains of various pains and uneasy sensations, and has not menstruated since the appearance of these symptoms. Here it is evident that the constitutional treatment must be strengthening and tonic. The practitioner will, therefore, recom- mend regular hours, much exercise in the open air, a nutritive diet, and afterward cold shower-baths; he will regulate the bowels, and afterward prescribe a course of tonic medicines, chalybeates, pre- parations of bark, strychnia, etc.; he will likewise inquire carefully when the last period happened, and where, and how often since that occurrence menstrual molimina were observed. He thus ascer- tains when they should again recur, and contents himself with en- forcing the constitutional treatment until about six days before the calculated time. Then he lays aside the other medicines, and has recourse to those means which determine to the uterus. Two leeches are applied to the inside of the thigh, near the labium, every second night, until they have been three times applied. The bleeding is encouraged by stuping. On the intermediate days the bowels must be actively moved by aloetic pills; and for three nights before and after the molimina, hot pediluvia, rendered stimu- lating by mustard seed, may be used. During the same time, also, frictions, with stimulating liniments, should be applied to the feet and legs every morning, and oil of turpentine or tincture of can- tharides may be exhibited internally, while the necessity of more active exercise is inculcated. If these means fail, they must for the moment be laid aside, and the constitutional treatment must be again resumed, until the same number of days before the next period, when the list of remedies above spoken of must be again tried, and in few cases indeed shall we find them to fail. PROF. T. GAILLARD THOMAS, M. D., OF NEW YORK, In cases of rudimentary or atrophied uterus suggests local stimu- lation and distention. Every week or two it should be distended