The Dublin practice of midwifery / by Henry Maunsell.

  • Henry Maunsell
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Dublin practice of midwifery / by Henry Maunsell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    99/328 page 83
    at the same time, its fibres constringe the large vessels whicli pass between tbem, so effectually, as often to prevent the escape of even a drop of blood. Finally, by a quiet continuance of the contracting process, the organ is in no very long time reduced to its natural size and condition. The contractions of the uterine fibres are invariably attended with suffering to the woman, and have thence been called pains; the whole process, from its difiiculty, and the muscular exertions required in it, has been appropriately termed lahour. The determining cause of natural labour cannot be explained: it appears as if the ovum possessed a power of existence within the uterus for a definite period, at the expiration of which it becomes to the latter as a foreign body. This, however, is merely a form of speech, as we are ignorant of the changes which cause it constantly to become a stimulant to the uterine walls at the termination of nine months : all we know is, that at this pre- cise period gestation is completed and labour begins. Every author upon midwifery adopts a division of the subject of labour, and definitions suitable to his o^vn views; but as I am not aware that one of these is much more practical than another, I shall content myself with those of Dr. Denman, which possess the merit of simplicity, and of being at the same time sufficiently comprehensive : we shall, then, consider all the phenomena of par- G 2
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