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.

    204/370 (page 190)
    The knees now and then constitute the presenting part; but, independently of this presentation being extremely rare, it demands no management different from a footling case. Secondly, Of presentations of the breech. Labours in which the nates occupy the brim of the pelvis are generally extremely tedious, because these parts do not diminish in their size, or so readily accommodate themselves to the superior aperture as the bones of the head, and the uterus appears to act inefficiently. The breech and head are not unfrequently con- founded one with the other; for although the breech is usually softer than the head, yet, both being round, considerable care is requisite to distinguish them. This presentation may generally be distinguished,— First, by the escape of the meconium. Secondly, by the anus and organs of generation. Thirdly, by the os sacrum. ■ It may be said, that the cleft of the breech will assist in the diagnosis, but the separation cannot always be traced. [It occasionally happens in breech cases that the scrotum is swollen to a great extent in consequence of pressure. This condition is apt to embarrass a young practi- tioner. Care should be taken not to make frequent manipulations, lest the scrotum be still further injured. The irritation consequent on frequent ex- plorations has, in some instances, led to sloughing of the scrotum.—J. M. W.] - . ,.