Woman : her diseases and their treatment / by John King.

  • John King
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Woman : her diseases and their treatment / by John King. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    5. The Compound Syrup of Partridge-berry. Whichever of these agents is used, it must be persevered in, and if the patient is of a strumous habit, an alterative with Iodide of Potassium must be administered; or, if she be anemic, some preparation of Iron. When any tenderness is discovered *^]ong the spinal column, counter-irritation should be applied «!very day or two, as the Compound Liniment of Oil of Amber, Dry Cupping or Firing. Among the agents recommended in this disease are powdered Valerian, fifteen grains for a dose: Castor; Musk; Assafetida, &c.; but these seldom effect cures. The diet should be nutritions and of easy digestion, avoiding acids, grease, flatulent food, and pastry. The mind of the pa- tient should be kept constantly easy and cheerful, and occu- pied if possible in some pleasant pursuit; exercise must be taken daily, all high living avoided; and, where it produces no bad influence, an occasional douche to the head and spine, or, a cold shower-bath, will be found decidedly beneficial. Idleness is.a great cause of renewed paroysms. When hysterical convulsions occur during pregnancy, the Compound Tincture of Lobelia and Capsicum should be ad- ministered in doses of from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, repeating them every ten or twenty minutes, until the parox- ysm subsides. If the first dose be large enough, it will com- monly afford relief without any more being required; some- times, however, a second, or third dose may be necessary. During the intervals between the hysterical attacks, the diet of the patient must be regulated, giving her a hearty, nour- ishing, but easily digested food, with some pleasant stimulant, if she be weak, as Ale, Porter, or Wine, &c., in moderate quantity; the bowels must be kept regular, obtaining a daily evacuation from them; and this course should be pursued until delivery takes place. All influences tending to depress or ex- cite the mind must be avoided, the patient should be kept in a calm and tranquil state; powerful medicines as cathartics, su- doritics, &c., are inadmissible; and cohabitation during the re- mainder of the pregnancy must be positively abstained from. At the time of labor a vial of the above tincture should be at hand, to promptly subdue any paroxysms which may take place at that time, by its immediate administration.