Volume 1

On the induction of premature labour in cases of pregnancy, complicated with albuminous urine, dropsy, and amaurosis / by Robert Lee.

  • Robert Lee
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the induction of premature labour in cases of pregnancy, complicated with albuminous urine, dropsy, and amaurosis / by Robert Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    it would be unsafe to pass tlie whole hand into the vagina, and that it would be better to take away all that could be removed with the fingers alone. This I did, and the small indurated portion that had been left escaped, when an injec¬ tion of warm water was thrown up into the vagina. During the 12th, 13th, and 14th, the patient appeared to be recovering in the most favorable manner, the albumen in the urine gradually diminishing. On the evening of the 15th there were rigors rather severe, followed by cramps in the muscles of the left arm and leg and about the jaws. Stimulants and anodynes were employed with hot fomenta¬ tions and frictions, and the cramps gradually disappeared. On the 16th and 17th, there was less albumen in the urine, and the vision was obviously improving, and sound sleep was enjoyed. The patient continued progressively to recover, until the 21st, when the headache had wholly disappeared, and she could distinctly see the figures on the dial plat^ of my watch. She could take nourishment, and was stronger. The albumen in the urine had not wholly disappeared, but was very small indeed compared with what it had been before the induction of premature labour. It would be unphilosophical to draw a general conclusion from a single case, but from the striking happy results of the example of albuminuria and amaurosis with pregnancy, now related to the Society, in which premature labour was induced, it seems reasonable to suppose that in similar cases the same method of treatment might be employed with success. Mr. Bowman has had the kindness to communicate to me the history of the following interesting case : Case.—On the 7th of last December I was consulted about Mrs. J. Brookes, jun., who has rather suddenly lost her sight in great measure. There was no headache, nor fulness, nor intolerance of light, nor were there any evidences of congestion on examining with the ophthalmo¬ scope. Perceiving a slight puffiness under one of the eyes, I tested the urine carefully, and then found it to be exces-
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