Clinical lectures on the diseases of women and children / by Gunning S. Bedford.

  • Bedford Gunning S., 1806-1870.
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Clinical lectures on the diseases of women and children / by Gunning S. Bedford. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    294/696 page 272
    your observation since the commencement of the Winter Session of Leo turcs. Besides the displacement of the organ, there is connected with this case another feature of more than usual interest, and well worthy of attention—I allude to extensive ulcerations on each side of the protruded organ. These ulcerations are of a peculiar character, and are not alto- gether free from danger. They are venereal, and, as you will see im- mediately, they have, from their phagedenic nature, made rapid and fi-ightful progress. “ How long, madam, have you had those sores about you ?” “ Six weeks, sir.” “ Have you had any thing done for them.” “ No, sir.” “ Why, my good woman, did you not apply to some doctor for advice 1” “Oil did not think they would signify,sir; and besides, I am a poor miserable woman ; I have no money to give to the doctors.” “ Well, I am glad you have come here. We shall do what we can for you. The poor are always welcome at this Clinique. There is no money required here, my good woman; and you and your fellow-suf ferers in poverty will always find us ready to befriend you.” “ Thank you, sir—a thousand blessings on your head !” [The patient w'as placed on the bed, and the Professor pointed out the peculiarities of the prod dentia together with the ulcerations, which were nearly as large as a four-shilling piece.] Here, gentlemen, is a melancholy state of things. This poor woman is in deep aflliction. Together with poverty, which brings its own sorrows, she is laboring under a formidable displacement of the womb, and, at the same time, is afTected with a loathsome malady ! Be- cause this unhappy patient presents in her own ]>erson the effects of venereal disease, she is not to be disfranchised from your sympathies, nor is she to be regarded ns a worthless and abandoned woman. In reply to my inquiries as to the manner in which she contracted this aflection, she told a simple, and, I think, consistent story. She has a dissolute husband, from whom she received the disease. Under any cir- cumstances, however, it is our duty to do all in our power to restore her to health. Allow me, for a moment, to direct attention to one or two points of interest connected with this case. You perceive here, as 1 hohl the uterus, there is a peculiar condition of the os lincoB. Its long diam- eter, instead of being transverse, is from above downward, and this arises from the flict that the chancre has destroyed the lower and central por- tion of the inferior lip of the os uteri. Again, you observe that 1 now grasp with my finger and thumb the bladder, which is connected by cellular tissue to the inferior third of the anterior surface of the womb, and if you will remark, for the instant, the direction of the chancres, you will see that they have nearly in their progress reached the bladder itself! Should this organ become involved, you can readily imagine the melan- choly consequences which would most likely ensue. The internal sur- face of the thighs, too, are much inflamed from the constant friction against the ulcerated surfaces of the womb.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3