Outlines of the principal diseases of females : Chiefly for the use of students / By Fleetwood Churchill.

  • Churchill, Fleetwood, 1808-1878.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the principal diseases of females : Chiefly for the use of students / By Fleetwood Churchill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    with cancerous or malignant disease. This may commence in the tubes themselves, or it may extend to them from the ovaria, or other parts of the uterine system.' If the disease have extended to, or originated in the womb, of course the symptoms arising from the affection of the fallopian tubes will be merged in those of the uterine disorder. If not. some light may be thrown upon the diagnosis by a careful vaginal examination. 6. Displacements. As we have seen already,1 the fallopian tubes are displaced whenever the position of the uterus is disturbed. In prolapsus uteri, they lie in the cul de sac formed by the inverted vagina, along with the ovaries. In inversion of the womb, they are drawn into the newly formed cavity lined by the peritoneum of the fundus. When the ovary is much enlarged,if the fimbriated extremity of the tube be adherent to it, the situation of the tube itself will be altered. In those very rare affections, Herniae of the uterus and ovaries,2 the fallopian tubes, of course, participate in the displacement. 7. Raptures. This accident may occur from over distension by the catamenia,3 by serum, or by pus. It may occur independently both of these diseased states and of pregnancy. There is a case on record, of rupture of this organ independently of pregnancy,4 attributed to a violent effort, quickly followed by an effusion into the abdomen, and death. Or the rupture may be the immediate consequence of ulceration. Rupture of the tube, in consequence of the development of the foetus in its canal, has already been noticed. It generally takes place about the third or fourth month of pregnancy (Lee). When it occurs, a violent pain is suddenly experienced by the woman in the region of the uterus; this is followed by faintness, coldness of the extremities, and other symptoms of internal hemorrhage, and death usually takes place in a few hours. On opening the body, a quantity of blood is found in the sac of the peritoneum, and the tube which contained the ovum is found lacerated or laid open, by inflammation and sloughing. When ruptured, it does not possess a power like the uterus to close the exposed vessels, after the sepa- ration of the placenta, and the blood is poured out from the laceration, until the woman perishes.5 The accident is almost always fatal. If there be time for reme- dies, of course the most active antiphlogistic treatment is the most appropriate; such, in fact, as would be prescribed for peritonitis, under ordinary circumstances. 1 See pages 212. 239, &c. 2 See Nauche, Mai. prop, aux Femmes, vol. i. p. 123, 127; Boivin and Dugds, Discuses of the I > trr us, Ac chapter 5; ltuysch, Obs. 1G. 3 De linen. Rat. Med. toin. iii. p. 32. 4 Nouvelle Biblioth. Med. 1823, torn. i. p. 263. 6 Lee, Cyclop, of Pracl. Med. vol. iv. p. 379.