Dr. Conquest's outlines of midwifery : intended as a text-book for students, and a book of reference for junior practitioners.

  • Conquest, Dr.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Conquest's outlines of midwifery : intended as a text-book for students, and a book of reference for junior practitioners. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Secondly, on irregular contraction. Or, Thirdly, on adhesion between the uterus and pla- centa. [A fourth cause may be added, — deficient power in the abdominal muscles, induced either by the dis- tention to which they have been subjected during the period of gestation, or to the long-continued use of that most prejudicial invention, a female corset. There can be no doubt that partial atrophy of the abdominal muscles is not the least amongst a long catalogue of evils produced by the pernicious custom of tight-lacing. — J. M. W.] First. Should the placenta be retained in utero in consequence of insufficient power in that organ to separate and expel it, as when the uterus has become exhausted by protracted exertions, on an external examination of the abdomen, instead of communi- cating to the hand the sensation of a hard ball just ^ above the symphysis pubis, it will be found large and loose, occupying no inconsiderable part of the cavity of the abdomen. Under these circumstances no rea- sonable man would think of forcibly extracting the placenta by pulling at the funis, as he would most likely invert the uterus; or, should he succeed in detaching the mass from its connection with the uterus, the large uncontracted orifices of the uterine vessels must inevitably pour out streams of blood, and the woman would most likely fall a victim to bis te- merity and ignorance. The manngElUent of this case resolves itself exclu- sively into tho production of uterine contraction.