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.

    140/370 (page 126)
    Distention of the bladder has, in many instances, prevented the uterus, diaphragm, and abdominal muscles from exerting their full power on the uterine contents; and several cases are on record of such criminal negligence as has permitted this viscus to burst. When this cause operates to protract labour, the catheter must be introduced, and in all cases of protracted labour the state of the bladder should be inquired into every few hours. Preternatural shortness of the funis, either actual or from entanglement about the extremities or neck of the fojtus, is a cause of protracted labour for which very little can be done, and one Avhich, fortunately, but rarely happens. When there is reason to suspect its existence from unusual retraction of the head just as it is about to be born, great care must be taken, on the expulsion of the body, to keep the umbilicus of the child close to the OS externum of the mother, to prevent the forcible detachment of the placenta, or inversion of the uterus, or separation of the navel-string. [If the cord be twisted more than once round the neck of the child, an attempt should be made to libe- rate one of the coils; and failing to do so, the only alternative is to cut the funis, and tie it. The child must then be delivered without delay, or it will die of asphyxia. — J. M. W.] A •pendulous abdomen, by allowing the uterus to hang over the pubes, will protract labour. This oc- currence happens to women who are very fat, and who have borne many children. Such a patient