Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Supplement, Volume 2.djvu/294

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firft: it flows as in the common way of the menftrual dif- tharges, during the firft months of pregnancy-, and by that means greatly difturbs the regular calculation of the time. In the other cafe it flops during the firft months, but comes on again about the middle of the time, or later than that, and in this cafe it ufually continues regularly to the time of delivery ; both thefe cafes bring on great danger of mifcar- riages. In thefc cafes nitrous cinnabarine and abforbent me- dicines are to be given ; to thefe are to be added corroborating ones, and bleeding in the arm mult never be omitted. Head-acbs often alio attend women during their pregnancy : thefe are principally owing to occafional caufes ; fuch as vio- lent emotions either of the body or mind, an improper cool- ing of the lower parts of the body, or the drinking fpirit- ous liquors. The method of talcing off this troublefome fymp- tom is, by giving the attemperating and nitrous medicines, with laxatives of the mo ft gentle kind, and externally the head mould be rubbed with fpirit of wine and camphor, if the perfon can bear the fmell of it, which often in this cafe they cannot.

A wearimfs and lajfttude of the limbs is another very common and very troublefome accident attending pregnancy, and is to be remedied by proper bleedings and gentle exercife; and if thefe fail, the nitrous powders before given may be added to quiet the emotions of the blood, and this ufually takes effect,

A dry cough and difficulty of breathing are alfo not unfrequently attendant on this ftate : thefe require the fame methods ; but when the difficulty of breathing comes on after meals, the faline and digeftive powders may be given in fmall dofes; ftich as the vitriolated tartar, with the nitrous and abforbent powders ; and when it comes on only in the latter months, and ar'tfes merely from the preffure of the diftended uterus, there is no cure but patience till the time of delivery ; when the fymptom always goes off of itfelf on the fubfiding of the womb, funk, Confp. Med. p. 70 r.

7 he French memoirs give us an account of a very unhappy ftate of pregnancy in a young woman of feventeen, attended with fymptoms not common to that ftate. The child lay on the right fide, and grew to fo confiderable a fize that fhe could not ftir ; it died foon after, and was taken from her dead and in feparate pieces. \n the latter months of her pregnancy fhe was troubled with a terrible oppreffion in the breaft and diffi- culty of refpiration, attended with violent palpitations of th< heart: her delivery gave her no eafe as to thefe fymptoms but they continued increafing in violence for five years. In this time, as fhe was young fhe grew in height, and had two children, which both lay on the right fide alfo, and of which fhe was delivered without any particular bad fymptoms. After thefe five years the bad fymptoms of her difeafe. became at ftand, and in her thirty-ninth year fhe died. The body being opened after her death, the round and the broad ligament of the uterus were both found much fhorter on the right fide than on the other, and were more compact and thick on that fhort fide. The uterus was larger than ufual, and inclined a little to the right fide; and the great lobe of the liver, which ought to be hollow behind, convex before, and narrow and ftrait at the bottom, large and thick at the top, and wholly included in the cavity of the belly, was in this fubjeft of a conic figure, nine inches long, and four inches broad at the bafe, which was its lower part, and two at the point; and half its quantity was depofited in the cavity of the breaft, and all the parts on the fame fide. The kidney, the diaphragm, and the lungs, appeared, as well in regard to one another as to the neighbouring parts, to have been all confidently pufhed upwards by the matrix. The too great force of the ligaments of the uterus on the right fide, had drawn the uterus itfelf to that fide, and determined the fcetus to that part; and unhappily that had been particularly large, and bad extended the influence of its preffure upon the vifcera above it, even to the lungs. The duration of the fymptoms was owing to this, that the parts having been difplaced for a long time together during the latter months of the firft preg- nancy, could not reftore themfelves to their places again, even when the obftacle was removed ; fo that the fymptoms con- tinued, even tho' the firfl caufe was removed ; and the growth of the young woman only increafed them. Mem. Acad. Par.

I70Q.

The mifcarriage of pregnant women is principally owino- to a plethora, and is moft frequent with young plethoric women, ' in the firft months of their firft pregnancy. There are, however, feveral other caufes which concur to it ; fuch are, any violent paflions of the mind, as fudden anger, fear, or thelike ; an ha- bitual great difcharge at the time of the menfes, ahigh-feafoned diet, with much wineor other ftrong liquors; the taking of ftronc purges, or violent emetics ; diarrhoeas, efpecially when of Jons continuance and of the aromatic. kind, as they drain off the nourifhment from the foetus ; a tcnefmus, or violent motion to ftool, and hence the ufe of Simulating glyfters may alfo bring on abortion ; as alfo any commotions of the body, fuch as running, leaping, the carrying heavy burthens, falls, or blows on the abdomen : a too" frequent ufe of venery may alfo occafion it, as may the effect of ftrong emmenagogues, copious bleeding in the foot, the fmell of burning oil or any

other. {linking fubftancei nephritic complaints, cachexies, a fiuor albus, or other diforder of the womb; the taking opiates, and the death or great debility of the fcetus while in the womb. The beft methods of preventing abortion, are the ufe of the attemperating and particularly the nitrous medicines afier every commotion of the blood ; bleeding at proper times, corroborating medicines, and the milder carminatives; and to thefe are to be added a temperance in diet, and placid motion of the body. Egg-fhells are by fome greatly recommended, and by others the ftones of refins, which are, indeed, mani- feftly aftringent.

Coflivenefs in the time of pregnancy is very common, and is ufually owing to the want of drinking and exercife; fome- times, indeed, it is owing to the immediate preffure of the womb upon the rectum; but this cafe is known from the others, as it is always attended with a tenefmus. This com- plaint is to be relieved by a lubricating diet, the drinking more liquids than before, and the ufing placid motion of the body, or gentle exercife. Gum ammoniacum is alfo found a very iifefu] medicine in this cafe, and fometimes gentle infufions of fenna are neceflary ; but thefe can only be given in very fmall dofes. Some ufe fuppofitories that are not acrid or pungent, and others glyfters of water-gruel.

Flatulencies are another very frequent complaint with pregnant women : thefe are removed by the milder carminatives, fuch as, orange-peel, pimpernel-root, and the feeds of anife, fweet fennel, &c, taken in powders or in decoctions. Diarrhoeas, in pregnant women, are ufually from the fame caufes with thofe in other perfons; but they require in this cafe a very peculiar regard, as they, when long continued. and accompanied with a tenefmus, ufually bring on abortion. They are to be gently reftrained, and finally ftopped, in the following manner: ftrengthening, carminative and fiomachic medicines are to be given, fuch as candied orange-peel, pre- ferved ginger, calamus aromaticus, galengals and zedoary, and the marmalade of quinces; and while thefe arc taken in- ternally, balfams and ftomachic plaifters applied to theftomach have alio a very great effeel:.

The fluor albus. This is a complaint that very rarely affecls women with child, efpecially if their hufbands be honeft; but when it does, it is very difficult of cure, becaufe the purg- ing medicines neceffary to be given in it are by no means to be allowed of in the time of pregnancy. In this cafe it can. only be reftrained by the ufe of correctives, depuratives, and carminatives : of this kind are infufions of the bitter herbs, with pimpernel- root, balm, foutbernwood, and white dead nettle-ffowers ; or thefe ingredients may be made into powders, and taken in red wine.

Befides all thefe complaints, women in their pregnancy are fub- je£t to feveral others which depend upon the mere weight and preffure of the uterus. Of this kind are: Pains in the him and back. Thefe are principally felt in the laft months, when the belly is greatly fwelled and drawn for- wards ; in others, at the fame period, the belly itfelf is pahed, and looks red in many places, as if it threatened to barft. Thefe complaints are made worfc by all motion, and the T ad- mit of no cure but child-birth, which immediately takes off the whole pain.

Varicous tumors of the legs. Thefe are alfo very commoi and very troublefome, and in phlegmatic habits have alfo veiy fre- quently cedematous tumors joined with them ; and iv other perfons livid marks appear upon them, fuch as are i'ten in others after bruifes. Thefe diftemperatures of the legs atend pregnant women at all times from the fecond month t» the time of delivery, and are owing to the preffure of the uerus upon the iliac or crural veffels. Thefe always go off or. de- livery, but in many perfons return again at every pregnmcy : in fome cafes they are fo flight as not to be worth regard in others they are very violent and painful; thefe are to be treat- ed in the following manner : the common antifpafmdic powders are to be given internally once or twice every ay, and- externally, a moderate bandage, with camphorated mdi- cines and friction ; and if thefe fail, a liniment made of liie- water, oil of elder, and fugar of lead, will be found of g;at fervice; and when the perfon is delivered, gentle ligaturesire to be ufed all up the leg, from the ankle to the knee. Imr- der to prevent thefe tumors for the future, early in the the of pregnancy the perfon fhould be blooded, the bowels artfo be kept from coftivenefs ; and it is a thing of the greateft co- fequence, that the perfon ufe herfelf to fit upon a high fit, the low chairs in which pregnant women ufually love tcfit making the belly prefs greatly more on the crural veffels tkn it would otherwife. Too much exercife alfo is to be avoicd, and particular care taken that the womb is well cleanfed belre the month of a former lying in is over. Frequent defire of voiding the urine often attends, and is \ry troublefome to pregnant women ; but efpecially in the laer part of their time, particularly in the laft weeks : if it haren fooner, as it fometimes does, it is owing to the womb's hifg- ing too much downward, from a laxity of the Iigamets. This is a complaint of no ill confequence, and therefore, 10* troublefome, is to be borne with patience, delivery beingit$ proper cure.

A Strangury and temporary fuppreffions of urine happcnalfcre-

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