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.

    144/370 (page 130)
    exhausted condition of the uterus from the injudicious permission of long-continued and fruitless exertions, and must be disting-uished from that occasional a?id temj)orary suspension of uterine efforts which is not associated with any other unfavourable symptom, and Avhich may often be removed by repose, nourishment, and friction of the abdominal and lumbar regions. Where there is steady progress, although but small, the presenting part being loose in the pelvis, the va- gina cool and clothed with secretion, the mind tran- quil, the powers of the system not exhausted, and the rectum and bladder capable of emptying them- selves, time may be allowed. But, on the other hand, should the pains have been for many hours strong and expulsive, should the pre- senting part be firmly wedged in the pelvis, inter- rupting the functions of the bladder and rectum, surely common sense dictates that timely assistance should be given to prevent exhaustion or sloughing. [A certain sign of approaching exhaustion, and one which indicates the propriety of having recourse to instrumental aid, is the discharge from the vagina of a peculiar oily and olive-coloured discharge, having a disagreeably faint, but not putrid odour. The source and nature of this fluid are not yet determined. — J. M. W.] Whenever, then, this state of things exists, with fever, restlessness, headache, vomiting (the os uteri being fully dilated), mental inquietude, abdominal tenderness, with heat, dryness, and pain about the vawina and os uteri, unless delivery be effected, low