Man-midwifery exposed, or the danger and immorality of employing men in midwifery proved and the remedy for the evil found : addressed to the Society for the Suppression of Vice. / By John Stevens.

  • John Stevens
Date:
[1866]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Man-midwifery exposed, or the danger and immorality of employing men in midwifery proved and the remedy for the evil found : addressed to the Society for the Suppression of Vice. / By John Stevens. 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.

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    and almost free from discharge. About 5 p.m., the whole scene, as described before was renewed ; she was again bled ; ice was applied, and laudanum re- peated. On the 18th, at eight a.m., she had a return of fever, with hiemon-hago; she was again bled, &c. In this manner did matters proceed for several days, when it was observed that the arterial exacerbations observed no regular periods, but that the fioodings were uniformly continued during the excite- ment. To interrupt the recurrence, I placed-a yoitng genlleman at the patient's bedside, with orders to bleed her the moment he perceived an increase of her pulse. This was done, and from each bleeding decided advantage was dis- covered. The loss of five or six ounces of blood was sure to stop the uterine discharge in a few minutes, and sometimes even to prevent its appearance. Proceeding in this manner till the iSrd, entirely relieved the patient li'om this distressing complaint. She was bled seventeen times, and lost, by computation, one hundred and ten ounces of blood in the course of seven days.—p. 348. Had I not known some cases that were treated in the same' manner, I could scarcely helieve that any man could be so cruel; and did I not know the strong tendency of the living power to maintain possession of its citadel, I could not readily believe the doctor's additional remark, that the patient gradually gathered strength, and was safely delivered at the proper time. Many aredehvered, by this kind of treatment, of their own lives, instead of living children. I must regard this, as Dr. Mackintosh says, as rather a miraculous escape from a destructive medical practice than a cure of heemorrhage. But the doctor has not yet done with the course; hear him through. • A course of Botanic medicine would have ofPectually stopped the haemorrhage at once :*— The acetate of lead should now be given [that is, after the reduction of the pulse by bleeding,] in doses and frequency proportionate to the extent of the discharge. From two to thi-ee grains, qualified with opium, must bo given every half hour, or less frequently, as circumstances may direct; per anum, in case the stomach be irritable, twenty or thirty grains may be dissolved in a gill of water ; to this may be added a drachm of laudanum, and this may be repeated pro ne rata [in case of emergency], &o. If pain attend, opium should be given until a decided impression be made upon the uterine contractions, or tin it appears to be totally unavailing. Should the discharge be profuse, a large bladder, two-thirds filled with ice and water, should bo applied to the pubes, and atampoon [sponge] should be introduced without delay.—p. 348. But, fair reader, severe as this practice appears, we are told, the discharge from the uterus, when very profuse, will not al- ways yield to these remedies. What a story ! Has the doctor so little sense as to suppose that blood can still flow from the uterus after it has been all drawn out of the body through the veins ? This is scientific practice with a vengeance! A person takes cold—the vitality of certain organs is diminished-the cir- culation IS deranged—congestion takes place—a fever rises- delicate and distended vessels are ruptured, and htemorrhafO occurs. ° On the effects of the treatment of officious regulars :— InSt^tT''*incautious touching, the glands furnishing the fluid to Sarn^^-n Th?«?,rV' ^^-^'^ stimulated, nay, sometimes become mflamed ; in this case, the secretion ceases, and the parts become tender and ♦ See Medical Reform, and the author's Midwifery.