Page:Clinical Lectures on the Diseases of Women.djvu/37



case which forms the subject of this lecture, is one of chronic catarrh of the neck of the womb, a disease which has for many years been popularly known in the profession and to the public as "ulceration." This term conveys a very erroneous idea of the formidable character of this disease, so that it has given to patients an immense amount of unnecessary and unjustifiable alarm. When a woman has a genuine ulcer of the womb, such as would be so designated by a surgeon, destroying tissue deeply, you have ground for alarm, for most of these cases are malignant in character.

The disease is now generally called by the name I have given it.

First, it is chronic. You are all familiar with acute forms of catarrh, such as the common cold in the head, which for a few days causes so much fever, pain, and annoyance, and then disappears. A woman is liable to similar acute catarrh of the cervix uteri ; but that is not the disease of which we are speaking. Our disease is chronic, for it is of long duration, sometimes being so even when diligently treated. It may last for years or a great part of a lifetime, during which a woman may have borne several children. In the case now in Martha ward we judge from the history that it has lasted at least thirty-two weeks.