A memoir on stricture of the urethra / by John P. Mettauer.

  • John Peter Mettauer
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A memoir on stricture of the urethra / by John P. Mettauer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    25 ynctica of the threads of which they are formed around the tube. A stopper should now be adapted to the tube, to prevent the acci- dental llow of urine. The patient may now be placed in bed, tiie hips resting on a folded sheet; and he may lie either on hid back or side. In this condition things are to remain for several days—not less than two, unless the tube prove painfully irritating to the urethra and bladder. For S or 10 hours patients complain much of the irritation of the tube ; but it is more from its produ- cing a strong desire to urinate, than actual pain, that (he tube be- comes troublesome, which feeling, however, ultimately subsides in a great degree. It will generally be best to place a frame work or kind of canopy over the pelvis, to prevent the pressure of the bed clothes from incommoding the extended penis. Once in two or three hours, for (he first day, the mine must be id raw n off, by re- moving the stopper from the tube, placing (he patient at the same lime on his sitle, and making gentle pressure with the hand over the region of the bladder, if the urine does not (low freely. Should the presence of mine in the bladder, even in small quantity, pro- duce pain, it must be evacuated more frequent]}-, and after shorter intervals than just slated; and as the tolerance of the organ is re- covered the intervals may be lengthened. In some cases the pre- sence of the tube renders the bladder so morbidly sensitive, as to be incapable of bearing die smallest quantity of urine within iis cavity; and if not speedily relieved, would render the premature removal of the tube necessary. To correct this state, I have used injections into the bladder, of Rice or Elm water subtepid, which can be readily introduced through the tube already in the urethra. These injections should be employed once an hour until the irri- tability is in a degree corrected, but they must be continued for some days, even after the tube is taken out for renewal ; and it would be proper, too, for the patient to drink freely of demulcent fluids, even if no morbid irritability existed, with the design of in- creasing the secretion and flow of urine, to wash out, coagula of blood, or pus from the vesical cavity. Should the tube, however, prove insupportably irritating, notwithstanding the use of bland injections into the bladder, it must be removed. It is important to keep the eyes of the tube open and free ; and if they become ob- structed, the expedient of injecting the tube with tepid water, al- ready advised should be adopted. In 8 or 10 hours after the completion of the operation the bow- els should invariably be freely opened, either by purgative ene- mata, or some brisk mild internal cathartic; and the purgation must be repeated daily, for the first four days; but after that lime, pnly to be induced on alternate day?, or once in three davs. Bleed
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