On some of the most important diseases of women : with other papers / prefatory essay by R. Ferguson.

  • Robert Gooch
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some of the most important diseases of women : with other papers / prefatory essay by R. Ferguson. 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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    abdomen, and she was to take the snlphate of magnesia if necessary; the pui-gatives acted plentifully seven times, the pain and tenderness of the belly rapidly diminished, and she was next day mnch better, but the pulse was still quick, being 120. She now took sudorific doses of antimony, and pm'gative doses of salts; the next day the pain and tenderness were almost gone; she continued the antimony and salts for two days longer, and recovered, but remained feeble for some time. II. A single woman, on the third day after the birth of her first child, was attacked about two in the morning with a severe shiver- ing, which lasted a quarter of an hour-, and was followed by heat, perspiration, and pain of the abdomen, with great tenderness. I saw hex- early the next morning; the pain and tenderness continued, the lochia had ceased, the pulse was at 120, not vibrating, but firm. I had her bled tiH she fainted; the faintness was encouraged, and lasted whilst I remained with her, during wliich the pulse was slow, feeble, and occasionally ceased; she took castor oil every four hours tin it operated plentifully; I was prevented seeing her again aU that day. The next morning the pain and tenderness, though much less, were not gone; tlie pulse was 124, and not weak. She was now placed i]i the upright posture, and bled again to faintuag. As soon as she recovered, she took fifteen grains of calomel, and was directed to take half an ounce of sulphate of magnesia every other hour till it operated copiously. The following day the abdomen was quite free from pain and tenderness, she could tm-n in bed, and bear pressure without uneasiness; her pulse was 104, and soft, and her bowels had been plentifully moved. The sahne pui-gatives were continued two days longer, when, having no complaint, she was considered convalescent, but continued on low diet several days. III. A general practitioner took me one evening to see his daughter, who had been delivered tlu-ee days of her fii'st child, and was just seized with symptoms of puerperal fever. He had had several cases of the disease among his own patients, and had lost two, so that when the malady attacked his own daughter he was greatly terrified; the emotions of liis heart had deprived liim of the use of his head, and he was as helpless as a cliild, although he was a sensible and