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.

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    culties with which the physician has often to contend in arriving at a just opinion as to the existence of pregnancy, Van Swieten exclaims with great truth:—Undique Jraudes, undique stepe insidice struuntur in- cautis. Occasionally, also, it will devolve on you as practitioners of medi cine to shield innocence against the assaults of the base, and proclaim a triumphant acquittal of charges which have been preferred by a reck- less and cruel world. In the language of the Christian code,—“It is better that ninety-nine guilty escape, than that one innocent be con- demned.” As exemplifying this Christian principle, and at the same time with the hope of deeply impressing your minds with the responsibility so soon to devolve on you, I beg leave to mention the following interest- ing, but melancholy case to which I was called some time since: I was requested to visit a lady who was residing in the State of New Jersey, about thirty miles distant from New York. I immediately re- ]>aired to her residence, and on my arrival was received by her father, a venerable and accomplished gentleman. He seemed broken in spirit, and it was evident that grief had taken a deep hold of his frame. On being introduced to his daughter’s room, my sympathies were at once awakened on beholding the wreck of beauty which was presented to my view. She was evidently laboring under pthisis, and it was manifest from her wasted frame that deatli had claimed his victim. My presence did not seem to occasion the slightest disturbance, and, with the smile of an angel playing on her countenance, she greeted me with these words: “ Well, doctor, I am glad to see you on my beloved father’s account, for he will not believe that I cannot yet be restored to health. Life, how ever, has lost all its charms for me, and I long for the repose of the grave.” These words were spoken with extraordinary gentleness, but yet with an emphasis that at once gave me an insight into the character of this lovely woman. Her father was a clergyman of high standing in the English Church, and had a pastoral charge in England, in which he continued until cir- cumstances rendered it necessary for him to leave that country, and seek a residence in America. At a very early age, this young lady had lost her mother, and had been almost entirely educated by her father, M-hose talents and attainments admirably fitted him for this duty. When she had athiined her eighteenth year, an attachment was formed between her and a young barrister of great promise and respectability. This attach- ment resulted in a matrimonial engagement. Soon after the engagement, she begun unaccountably to decline in health. There was considerable irregularity in her menstrual periods, with more or less constant nausea, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, feverishness, and an uncontrollable dislike to society. In addition to these symptoms, there was a marked change in her personal appearance ; her abdomen became enlarged, with increased size of the breasts, etc. These changes attracted the attention
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