The principles and practice of midwifery : with some of the diseases of women.
- Milne, Alexander
- Date:
- 1871
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The principles and practice of midwifery : with some of the diseases of women. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
559/680 page 527
![peculiar restlessness of tlie eye is also a marked feature. It is common to hate her child, and attempt to de.stroy it. The physical signs and symptoms are tlie very antipodes of the mental characteristics. From all this outi-ageous violence one would naturally infer Herculean qualities. On the contrary, however, there is a pinched and feeble appearance about her; the pulse is small, ii-ritable, and rapid; and she is ]iale, chilled- looking, and bathed in a clammy sweat. While these are the usual physical symptoms, it has been shown by Drs Tuke and Bucknill, in their “ Psychological Medi- cine,” p. 259, that there is a class of cases where there is an inflammatory pulse. These cases occur, often synchronous with the production of the milk, on the thii'd or fourth day. This state of the pulse is ominous, as indicating inflammation of some internal organ. 521. Symptoms of Melancholia.—This form, as be- fore observed, is the common insanity of lactation, as well as of the pregnant period. It creeps on, some- times, gi’adually. The Avomen sufiering from it are anamiic; sometimes they ha\'e bronchoccle, or it may be exophthalmia, and palpitation. Hysterical pheno- mena also mark them. They become su.spicious of their nearest friends ; they hate their husband, and e\'en their offspi'ing. They Avill often not look at the infent; they ai’e utterly indiffei’ent to it, and it is not safe to leaA'e it l>e.side them. Great de^n'cssion, teiTor, apprehension, are experienced; and often the woman is A’astly concerned about her present spiritual state and future prospects in that Avay. She is sleepless by night and by day. She sits quietly often in one posi- tion; perfectly mdiffci-cnt to external concerns, and more like an automaton than a human being. She does not ask for food, although she may not reject it; at times, hoAvever, she Avill resi.st food obstinately. She may not respond to other calls of nature. While not msually violent to others, she is often disposed to inflict self-injury; she is, in .short, suicidal. She may](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24991235_0559.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
