Outlines of the diseases of women / by John Phillips.

  • Phillips, John
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the diseases of women / by John Phillips. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    75/332 page 55
    Much difference exists in the duration of the flow, and although from four to six days may be considered as the average, yet a loss lasting in one person only twenty-four hours, and m another seven or eight days, is quite consistent with perfect health. In the same way the amount of the flow may vary from four to six ounces, although a few drachms or several ounces may be lost without any detriment to the patient. Character of the Discharge.—The colour varies m each individual. As a rule, it is light brown for the first twenty-four hours (invasion stage), becoming either deep red or varying shades of that colour as the discharge increases in quantity, during the second twenty-four hours. Towards the end of the period (declining stage) it again loses its dark colour and becomes a dirty pink, and on its cessation is replaced by creamy leucorrhoea. If the flow is excessive its colour may assume the scarlet of ordinary arterial blood. On microscopical examination it is found to consist of red and white blood-corpuscles, compound granular corpuscles, with epithelium from the vagina, cervix and endo- metrium. No shreds or clots should be present in a natural menstrual discharge. Menstrual fluid does not coagulate under normal conditions. It is acid in reaction, and its want of coagulability is due to admixture with the acid secretions from G©agwlabgTty is-due to admixture with-the acid secretions from the vaginal glands. If the blood is collected through a cylin- drical speculum as it flows from the external os uteri, coagulation takes place. By some it is supposed that the mixing of the blood with acid vaginal mucus is sufficient to cause non-coagula- tion, and that the clotting which occurs in very excessive losses is clue to the amount of acidity in the vagina being insufficient to neutralise the alkalinity of the blood. General Phenomena of Menstruation.—In perfect health, men- struation goes on without pain or even discomfort; but such a state of things is not general, and a large proportion of women suffer from pelvic uneasiness and a certain feeling of malaise, not amounting, however, to disease. Jacobi has computed that of the cases collected by her, 35 per cent, never suffered at any time from either pain, discomfort or weakness, during the flow; and in 54 per cent, (including the former) the presence of menstruation was not found to interfere in any way with their avocation. The first appearance of menstruation accompanies certain con- stitutional bodily and mental changes. Hair appears on the mons veneris, which itself becomes more developed. The breasts enlarge, the thyroid gland increases in size, and the pelvis assumes its ultimate form. These changes alter _ a woman's general shape and give the female her distinguishing contour.
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