Concealed accidental haemorrhage / by J. Ashburton Thompson.

  • Thompson, John Ashburton, 1848-1915.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Concealed accidental haemorrhage / by J. Ashburton Thompson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    bating tlie collapse. Next, the abdomen should be en- circled by a bandage, which should not be fixed, but left so that one end may be pulled tight as occasion demands—the attendant’s knee at once fixing the nethermost end of it and the patient’s loins. Thirdly, the patient should be so arranged that the head and heart are decidedly below the level of the rest of the body. It will now be time to consider whether or no the membranes should be ruptured. Here it should be remembered that in many cases in which the os was upon examination only partially dilated labour was very rapidly completed upon rupture of the membranes ; the collapse had favoured its passive dilatation. Therefore, if there be the least sign of recurrent throes, the liquor amnii may be discharged, and the bandage tightened. But, should the throes not supervene, and the patient’s condition become worse, as it certainly will until she is delivered, the forceps (already at hand) must be applied; and, in using them, the ease with which the os may be dilated in these cases may be borne in mind. Extrac- tion being nearly completed, it will be remembered that the uterus in contracting has by this entirely separated the placenta, and the hand should therefore supplant the bandage, which, while the uterus was well distended, gave support enough. Upon the exit of the child firm pressure to the uterus should be continued, and the placenta, with a greater or less amount of discharge, will follow at once. The attendants should at once remove the child, so that the accoucheur is left entirely free to control the uterus and to minister to the patient, who will now demand his entire and unremitting attention. But it is noted in many cases that the os remained closed after the accession of alarming symptoms ; and
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