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.

    94/332 page 74
    ■uterus, or to some defect in the vascular or nervous supplies to the pelvic organs. Like after-pains, spasmodic dysmenorrhea is doubtless due to a disturbance in the relations of uterine polarity : in defin- ing this term, we must consider that the fundus and the cervix of the uterus are two poles, and that they act in opposition—i.e., when there is activity or contraction of the fundus present there will be inhibition or relaxation of the cervix and vice versd. When these two forces are in equilibrium, there is no pain; if, however, either predominates, uterine colic is produced ; illustrations of this condition are to be found in the uterine contractions caused by the presence of an intra-uterine polypus in process of expulsion, retained placenta, &c. Treatment.—Pregnancy and labour usually cure this condition, but should the patient remain sterile, the pain becomes worse. Constitutional Treatment.—This should be devoted to increas- ing the circulation through the pelvic organs, and so promoting their growth and development. Early hours, a cold bath hi the morning, walking and riding, should therefore be indulged in during the intervals between the flow. While improving the flow of blood to the pelvis, its exit should also be encouraged. This is fulfilled by the regular administration of saline purgatives. Any extreme corpulence or plethora should be treated on general principles. During the menstrual period the patient is better in bed; a hot bath and gin-and-water may be administered. Should these fail, anti-spasmodics must be prescribed with volatile stimulants. A very useful combination is as under: R Ammonii Bromidi . . • - • gr. xv. Liquor. Ammonise Acetat 3SS Spiritus iEtheris Sulph 5SS, Tincturse Belladonna mvj-x Misturse Camphorse Co 5] Two tablespoonfuls to be taken every two hours while the pain lasts. A mixture of tincture of castoreum xx) with 10 minims of tincture of nux vomica occasionally produces good results; but the author has found it often gives rise to immediate sickness. Ergot has been recommended with the idea of converting painful and irregular uterine contractions into painless and regular ones. The above methods of treatment must always be adopted in the single woman, before resort to operative interference. The local and generally most successful mode of procedure, however, is by dilatation of the cervical canal. The more favourable cases are those in which agonising pain is produced by the passage of the
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