A System of Midwifery

_Nature and varieties of puerperal fever.--Vitiation of the blood.-- Different species of puerperal fever.--Puerperal peritonitis.-- Symptoms.--Appearances after death.--Treatme...

_State of the bowels.--Form and size of the uterus.--True and spurious pains.--Treatment of spurious pains.--Management of the first stage.-- Examination.--Position of patient d...

_Membrana decidua._ The earliest trace of impregnation which is to be observed in the cavity of the uterus, and even before the ovum has reached it, is the presence of a soft hu...

[40] "Mémoir sur l'Auscultation appliquée à l'étude de la Grossesse, ou Recherches sur deux nouveaux Signes propres à faire reconnaïtre plusieurs Circonstances de l'Etat de Gest...

The female organs of generation have been usually classed by the English authors under the two heads of _internal_ and _external_; a similar arrangement has also been followed b...

There are few dangers connected with the practice of midwifery which are more deservedly dreaded, and which are wont to come more unexpectedly, both to the patient as well as to...

There are many points of similarity between puerperal convulsions, and the disease which we are now about to consider, so that an acquaintance with the nature of the one, will g...

I. _Where the uterine activity is at fault--functionally or mechanically--from debility--derangement of the digestive organs-- mental affections--the age and temperament of the...

_Difficulty and importance of the subject.--Diagnosis in the early months.--Auscultation.--Changes in the vascular and nervous systems.--Morning sickness.--Changes in the appear...

If we were asked to point out the basis on which the principles of practical midwifery should be founded, we would answer, on an accurate knowledge of the manner in which the ch...

_Malposition of the child.--Arm or shoulder the only faulty position of a full-grown living foetus.--Causes of malposition.--Diagnosis before and during labour.--Results where n...

Women are liable, both before, during, and after labour to attacks of convulsions, not only of variable intensity, but differing considerably in point of character. We shall con...

_Pendulous abdomen.--Rigidity of the os uteri.--Belladonna.--Edges of the os uteri adherent.--Cicatrices and collosities.--Agglutination of the os uteri.--Contracted vagina.--Ri...

The uterus does not always carry the ovum to the full term of pregnancy, but expels it prematurely. This expulsion of its contents may occur at different periods, and is charact...

_Preparatory stage.--Precursory symptoms.--First contractions.--Action of the pains.--Auscultation during the pains.--Effect of the pains upon the pulse.--Symptoms to be observe...

_Turning.--Indications.--Circumstances most favourable for this operation.--Rules for finding the feet.--Extraction with the feet foremost.--Turning with the nates foremost.--Tu...

Before describing the various species of dystocia, or faulty labour, it will be necessary to consider the different means with which the increasing experience of years has furni...

_Abnormal state of the pelvis.--Equally contracted pelvis.--Unequally contracted pelvis.--Rickets.--Malacosteon, or mollities ossium.-- Symptoms of deformed pelvis.--Funnel-shap...

_Nature of the disease.--Definition of phlegmatia dolens.--Symptoms.-- Duration of the disease.--Connexion with crural phlebitis.--Causes.-- Connexion between the phlegmatia dol...

During the earlier months of pregnancy the uterus is liable, although rarely, to a peculiar species of displacement, called _retroversion_, in which the fundus is forced downwar...

The ovum when impregnated does not always quit the ovary and pass along the Fallopian tube into the uterus. It may remain in the ovary and become here developed; it may pass int...

Although by no means a common occurrence, it every now and then happens that a portion of the umbilical cord falls down between the presenting part of the child and the mother's...

The uterus is liable, although rarely, to a peculiar displacement called inversion, where the fundus is forced down into the cavity of the uterus, and so through the os uteri in...

The Pelvis, as the frame-work which, in great measure, contains, supports, and protects, the complicated apparatus of the generative organs, first claims our attention; since an...

The next operation in Midwifery for delivering the full-grown foetus alive is that of _Hysterotomy_, commonly called the Cæsarean operation, viz. where the foetus is extracted t...

Perforation is one of the most ancient operations in midwifery, for in former times it was the only means of artificially delivering the child when the head presented: hence we...

The second division of Dystocia comprises those species of labour where it becomes dangerous for the mother or child, without obstruction to its progress. Of these we shall firs...

By the term _encysted_ placenta, we mean that state of irregular uterine action after the expulsion of the child, where the lower portion of the uterus, particularly the os uter...

Perhaps the greatest improvement in operative midwifery since the invention and gradual improvement of the forceps is the induction of artificial premature labour for the purpos...

In the preceding chapter we have enumerated those changes and phenomena which are observed to take place in the system during pregnancy: many of these amount to actual derangeme...

_Difficulty of the subject.--Signs before labour.--Motion of the Foetus.--Sound of the foetal heart.--Uterus souffle.--Signs during labour where the head presents--where the fac...

In describing this species of dystocia, according to the arrangement of Professor Naegelé, which we have adopted, it will be necessary to observe that serious obstructions to th...

There are few questions of great importance and interest respecting a subject under our daily observation, about which such uncertainty and so much diversity of opinion exists,...

Where the action of the uterus is not very violent, and the bones yielding, the head gradually adapts itself to the form of the passage without destroying the foetus; it elongat...

When any cause has occurred to destroy the life of the embryo during the early weeks of pregnancy, one of two results follows, either that expulsion takes place sooner or later,...

In this case the labour is rendered difficult or impossible to be completed by the natural powers on account of the faulty size, form, or condition of the child. In the first in...

By the term Midwifery is understood the knowledge and art of treating a woman and her child during her pregnancy, labour, and the puerperal state. We employ it in this extended...

Although such a length of time has elapsed since the inversion, that it has become of the chronic kind, still we are not justified in giving up all hopes as to the possibility o...

_Divisions and species._ By the term Dystocia, we understand those labours which either cannot be completed by the natural powers destined for that purpose, or at least, not wit...

State of the bowels.--Form and size of the uterus.--True and spurious pains.--Treatment of spurious pains.--Management of the first stage.--Examination.--Position of the patient...

Malposition of the child.--Arm or shoulder the only faulty position of a full-grown living foetus.--Causes of malposition.--Diagnosis before and during labour.--Results where no...

Difficulty and importance of the subject.--Diagnosis in the early months.--Auscultation.--Changes in the vascular and nervous systems.--Morning sickness.--Changes in the appeara...

Preparatory stage.--Precursory symptoms.--First contractions.--Action of the pains.--Auscultation during the pains.--Effect of the pains upon the pulse.--Symptoms to be observed...

I. Where the uterine activity is at fault--functionally or mechanically--from debility--derangement of the digestive organs--mental affections--the age and temperament of the pa...

Pendulous abdomen.--Rigidity of the os uteri.--Belladonna.-- Edges of the os uteri adherent.--Cicatrices and callosities.-- Agglutination of the os uteri.--Contracted vagina.--R...

Nature and varieties of puerperal fever.--Vitiation of the blood.--Different species of puerperal fever.--Puerperal peritonitis.--Symptoms.--Appearances after death.-- Treatment...

Abnormal state of the pelvis.--Equally contracted pelvis.-- Unequally contracted pelvis.--Rickets.--Malacosteon, or mollities ossium.--Symptoms of deformed pelvis.--Funnel-shape...

Difficulty of the subject.--Signs before labour.--Motion of the foetus.--Sound of the foetal heart.--Uterine souffle.-- Signs during labour where the head presents--where the fa...

Nature of the disease.--Definition of phlegmatia dolens.-- Symptoms.--Duration of the disease.--Connexion with crural phlebitis.--Causes.--Connexion between the phlegmatia dolen...

Turning.--Indications.--Circumstances most favourable for this operation.--Rules for finding the feet.--Extraction with the feet foremost.--Turning with the nates foremost.--Tur...

Difficult labour from faulty condition of the parts which belong to the child.--The membranes.--Premature rupture of the membranes.--Liquor amnii.--Umbilical cord.--Knots upon t...