The Dublin practice of midwifery / By Henry Maunsell, M. D., with notes and additions by Chandler R. Gilman.

  • Henry Maunsell
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Dublin practice of midwifery / By Henry Maunsell, M. D., with notes and additions by Chandler R. Gilman. 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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    conversation will prove a stimulant, which will com- pletely overset her mind. To avoid both extremes is not always easy ; that end is vbest gained by af- fording to the patient, at as early a period as possi- ble, such company as will pleasantly occupy, but never excite her mind. Quiet conversation, made up of small and pleasant details, is the charm by which such imaginative beings are often won from the dominion of fancy, and restored to that of rea- son. A great deal may be done by giving constant employment, even carried to fatigue, in the ordinary, every-day duties of house-keeping, before delivery. In one case, where I had every reason, except here- ditary pre-disposition, to apprehend puerperal mania, I think the patient's escaping an attack was mainly owring to her having taken an active part in the du- ties of her establishment.] Actual Phrenitis occasionally occurs during the puerperal state, and requires a treatment of course essentially different from that just laid dowTn. In- stead of the supporting and tranquillizing system generally adapted to puerperal mania, the most active depletion will be required in phrenitis, and will too often fail of success. The treatment of this formidable disease does not come within my purpose, and it is only mentioned, to remind the reader of the necessity of discriminating justly be- tween it and puerperal mania.