The uterine sound / by Murdoch Cameron.

  • Cameron, Murdoch.
Date:
[between 1875 and 1895?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The uterine sound / by Murdoch Cameron. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    at the same time, propelling and spasmodically contracting upon and retracting itself over the body of the child. The sum of these efforts is communicated to the circumference of the.foetal head which, in these cases, acts as a large fluid hag or hydraulic machine distending the cervical tube enormously and equally in all its diameters. Now, since the cervical tube is fixed, and the expulsive efforts are acting at right angles to it, the tear will occur transversely in the sulcus between the cervix and uterine body, but in a case of hydrocephalus a longitudinal rent will also be found, produced by the simple distension of the cervix. In unrecognised cases of hydro¬ cephalus, as a matter of course, forceps will be resorted to in order to overcome the obstacle; but, if a diagnosis is made, we should avoid the perforator and use the aspirator or very fine trocar, remembering that our lawgivers are not Spartans, and do not permit the destruction of children although diseased. We will be encouraged to practise the latter method by remem¬ bering Dr. Conquest’s cases of chronic hydrocephalus, treated by tapping, which was found not by any means a necessarily fatal procedure ; but, on the contrary, the deaths ensued only after reaccumulation of fluid and its evil sequels. THE UTERINE SOUND. By MURDOCH CAMERON, M.D., Physician Accoucheur to the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. The sound has been long used as a means of diagnosis in uterine affections, but its use has been much extended by the widespread influence of Simpson. With many practitioners it seems to be in daily use as a ready means of exploration in these special affections. No one can deny its utility, yet physicians who have many uterine cases under observation will acknowledge, that although it is when properly used and upon suitable cases an agent for good, its indiscriminate use is productive of a great deal of injury. With some its use is considered indispensable, and as a result, there is found an increasing: number of cases where verv serious irritations and lesions ensue, comprising uterine colic, ovaritis, metritis, &c. Instead of using it as a secondary agent, they err in too often making it a primary one. A description of the instrument would be out of place here,
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