A compend of domestic midwifery : for the use of female practitioners, being an appendix to Buchan's Domestic medicine.

  • Shecut, John L. E. W. (John Linnaeus Edward Whitridge), 1770-1836.
Date:
1815
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A compend of domestic midwifery : for the use of female practitioners, being an appendix to Buchan's Domestic medicine. 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.)

    46/64
    drops of Laudanum with a like quantity of Salvolatilc, which may be rtpeated if necessarv. If the woman be costive, clysters of milk and sugar with a little Fennel water, mav bt occasionally adminis- tered, afterwards Lenitives, such as stewed Prunes, Manna, pulp of Cassia or the like may be given. The passions of the mind are to be cautioush regulated during a complete month after delivery. And too much c*re cannot be taken during the first eight or ten da^s to prevent tak'n g cold, either from damp linnen, or cold air ad- mitted under the clothes, or to the abdomen of the patient.— Jfier fiains.—Sometime after the birth is broaght away, the wo- rn, n feels great pains in her loins, groins, &c which are seldom dan- gerous, unless heigh'enjd by a detention of the Lochia which in this case ought to be promoted, a strengthening plaister may be applied to the small of the b ck, the abdomen kept moderately warm, and the pains eased by suitable doses of Laudanum. These pains gen- eral cease on the free dischaige of the Lochia, Lochia or the discharges Cum the womb after delivery usually coivinue to flow for the space ol thirty days, during which time 'tis customary, nuked decent for the * oman to keep within doors; but some particular robust constitutions can easily dispense with the rigor of thi- custom, and venture abroad in seven or eight days after delivery, when the Lochia must be fresh upon them, and which ex- poses them to very great danger. The rt^ular flux of the Lochia sho' Id through the whole month be promoted by a suitable posture of the body, as hing with the head and abdomen raised, &c. She most a oid co;d air especially for the first week or two, as exposure to ttie open air, uamp clothes, &c. may cause a sudden steppage of this discharge and thereby thiow the patent into imminent danger of her hie—If no particular symptoms indicate the contrary the woman may rise in about a week after her delivery and sit up for an hour 01 two at a time, if her strength will allow it.—If however a suppression of the Lochia takes place, the woman must encourage their return by drinking freely of pennyroyal tea, unless she is fe- verish, and dry fictions upon the K gs may be used to advantage, if the case proves obstinate, and if at.ended with a filethora, bleeding is advisable, as also are the following powders, take of Myrrh *nd Borax each half a drachm, Spermaceti one scruple, volatile salt of Amber ten grains, reduce th< m to a fine powder, and divide them fnto ten doses, one of which may be token every hour or two in a Brna|l cup of Pennyroyal tea blood warm, and generally this case is to be treated in the same manner as an inflammation of the womb.— On the other hand if the discharge of the Lochia be profuse or im- moderate, small doses of ihe Elixir of Vitriol, in simple Cinnamon water, which may be sweetened with Syrup of Poppies. Should be taken eve.fy two hours or oftener if necessary. The patient should lay on her back, with her head low, and body raised—and cloths dip- ped in vinegar in which a lump of crude Sal Ammoniac has been dis- solved, should be applied cold to the lower belly and loins, injections of a strung decoction of Red-Oak Bark, in which Salt Petre, Alum,' and White Vitriol have been dissolved, may be frequently thrown into the womb, in cases of the most dangerous kinds—and the treat-