Part 6
Now that the child is born, there is a freedom from pain and the mother feels rejoiced at the sudden transition from severe suffering to comparative ease. In about ten minutes she again begins to experience pains, which are, however, slight, or less violent than before, in the region of the uterus, coming and going about every five minutes. On examination, the accoucheuse will find a quantity of clotted blood expelled, and on passing up the finger along the cord, she will discover the after-birth, or placenta, as it is called, forced into the upper part of the vagina. If not attached to the womb, which is easily known by carefully pulling at the cord, the midwife will separate it gently, by introducing her hand. The navel-string must be divided as soon as the child is born; which may be done with a pair of scissors, having first tied a string as well on the child’s side of the cord as the mother’s, to prevent hemorrhage. The placenta being taken away, the labor is now over.
An hour after, let the mother take a little oil of sweet almonds, to ease the after pains; and let a poultice of oil of sweet almonds, and two or three new-laid eggs, be boiled together, and laid to the parts, renewing at every six hours for two days. Fifteen days after the birth, the parts may be bathed with an astringent decoction of red roses, alum, or nut-galls in red wine, in order to brace them. The following is the formula I usually employ: Red-rose-leaves, 1 ounce; Alum, 2 drams; Ordinary Claret, half a pint. Put them into a sauce-pan and let them boil for five or ten minutes. After having stood for fifteen or twenty minutes to cool, strain, and apply warm to the parts.
The above is a brief description of a healthy delivery; and such are the usual ones. In some cases, however, the labor may be tedious and difficult, when the lower part of the belly must be covered with a flannel cloth dipped in a hot decoction of bitter herbs, as tanzy, hops, wormwood and catnep, of each a small handful, to which put three pints of equal parts vinegar and water; boil for half an hour in a covered vessel. Wring the flannel out and apply warm over the region of the womb, which will relieve the tension and ease the pain, besides gently stimulating the uterus to contract more forcibly on its contents, whereby the labor is facilitated.
Stimulating injections by the bowels, may now and then be administered—especially if the woman be at all costive. The midwife should also push back with her longest finger the os coxygis, which tends to excite the labor and ease the pain. If the parts are in a stiff, straitened condition, as in the first child, especially if the woman is not young, emollient liniments are to be used, and the parts must be anointed with fresh butter or oil, and to be dilated gently with the hand. If there is a tumor, carbuncle, or membrane opposing the birth, the assistance of an experienced surgeon is required.
Always in difficult labors, the patient should be made as cheerful as possible by her friends, by the recital of lively and amusing anecdotes, and by every species of encouragement in their power; as a depressed and melancholy state of mind invariably retards the labor.
Women in labor, who have a languid circulation and a weak constitution, are benefited by cordials and good nourishment. Let half a glass of wine be given every two hours, which will invigorate the system, and render the action of the uterus more powerful.
If the feet present first, the midwife must be very cautious lest there be twins, and lest she should take a foot of each. The feet must be wrapped in a dry napkin, and the child must be drawn gently, till the waist is in the orifice of the uterus. Then the infant’s hands must be drawn down close to the sides; and if the nose be turned towards the pubic bone in front, it should be placed in an opposite direction to prevent any obstacle. If the chin is embarrassed, the midwife must disengage it, by putting her finger into the mouth, in order to turn to advantage. In case the infant’s head presents across the passage, or laterally, it must be gently thrust back, and carefully turned to its natural situation. If the shoulder presents, the same _tact_ and talent must be employed, although the difficulty is greater. If the belly, hip, or thigh appears first, the child must be extricated by gentle traction made at the feet, and the mother must lie flat on her back. If one or both hands are directed upward, above the head, and lie close to it, the case is not so bad as some would apprehend; for they will keep the orifice equally dilated till the head passes, and thus prevent strangling.
When the fœtus dies before the time of birth, and the membranes are not yet ruptured, it will not putrefy; therefore the work must be left to Nature, for the pains of labor will at length come on spontaneously. Baudelocque says, if the navel-cord first appears, and is compressed soon after by the head of the infant, its life is in danger; and the remedy is to return the infant, and reduce the cord, till the head fills the opening. But if this cannot be done, the woman must be put in a suitable posture, and the child must be extracted by the feet.
When the _placenta_ first presents itself, which is known by its spongy, soft texture, and the great quantity of blood flowing at the same time, it requires speedy assistance. If the membranes are entire, they should be broken, the placenta and membranes should be returned into the uterus, and the child be extracted by the feet (which is more readily effected in the membranes than in the uterus), and put into a proper situation. When there is a great flow of blood from untoward accidents, the infant should be immediately delivered by art, though the mother be not in true labor.
I would caution all how they use the instruments when the mouth of the womb is not fully opened, and never to resort to them unless actually compelled to do so by some serious danger which is to be apprehended from delay. Many cases of this kind do occur, it is true, in large cities, if one happens to have a large practice in this branch of the Healing Art.
ABORTIONS AND MISCARRIAGES.
The anxiety of a woman who desires to avoid pregnancy will often lead her to such dangerous extremes that she is ready to risk health, and even life itself, rather than become a mother. Hence she earnestly seeks the means to destroy her unborn child. When this is done so early that the fœtus cannot live, it is called an abortion. After the sixth or seventh month, it is a miscarriage. Abortions are always dangerous, though some females get over them without much suffering or harm. The most propitious periods for an abortion are at three, five, and six months. Both abortions and miscarriages are brought about by irregularities of conduct, such as too eager gratification of sexual desires, remaining too long in a warm bath, lacing the corsets too tight, violent exercise, such as dancing, riding a hard trotting horse, romping, jumping long distances, &c. Any of these imprudences will be apt to kill the fœtus, which will soon thereafter be expelled from the womb. Women know the moment the fœtus dies, for it falls to the bottom of the abdomen and lies there a dead weight, feeling like a foreign substance in the body.
Sudden and unexpected violence, such as falling down stairs, or being knocked down unexpectedly, will produce abortion or miscarriage, but as these mishaps would be a severe shock to the nervous system, they endanger the life of the mother. Any unnatural efforts to produce abortion, such as forcing the mouth of the womb, or taking powerful medicines, are also dangerous, as these may cause flooding that cannot be stopped. Bleeding too freely will bring on an abortion in some women, and on others will have no effect.
Ergot of Rye is sometimes given by physicians to produce abortion in the early stages of gestation. It is the diseased seeds of the common rye, called grown rye. It acts specifically on the uterus, or womb, increasing its contractile energy. Ergot is not only a powerful promoter of abortions and miscarriages, but it is given to women as a stimulant to uterine action during labor, and also to check hemorrhage. The dose, in powder, is fifteen to twenty grains repeated every twenty minutes until the desired effect is produced, or until one dram is taken. Or, a dram of ergot may be infused in four fluid ounces of boiling water, and one-third taken as a dose, and the other two doses (if necessary) at intervals of twenty minutes. On some women it will produce not only abortion at three or five months, but even a miscarriage, particularly when the fœtus is male. There is no doubt that many women can escape child-bearing by the use of ergot, but it would be better for any one to get it from her family physician, who would know something of her constitution, than to pay a hundred times its worth to a quack, and perhaps endanger life or health by taking more than is prudent, and at an improper time. Oil of Tansey is another article used to bring on the monthly turn, and in some cases it will stop the course of gestation if taken at the time the turn is due. Two or three drops only are necessary for a dose. In some women, a considerable dose will cause a miscarriage at three months.
Abortions are sometimes produced under the direction of physicians by inserting a small hand up into the Vagina, and feeling for the mouth of the Womb with the finger. A little extract of Belladonna is used to promote the relaxation of its mouth, and by the most gentle means possible the finger may force a passage, when flooding at once ensues, and the fœtus will generally be expelled soon after. Women who submit to this operation run some risk of losing their lives, and hence a physician will seldom endanger his reputation by advising it, except in extreme perilous cases.
Abortions and Miscarriages being in collision with Nature’s laws, should never be resorted to except in extreme cases, and then only under medical advice.
APHRODISIACS, OR LOVE POWDERS.
Many quack doctors advertise medicines to stimulate the procreative powers, and thus create a desire for sexual intercourse. These are sold at enormous prices, and are often useless, for the reason that the venders of them cannot know anything at all of their patients, and must fix the dose so as to suit the most delicate temperament for fear of injurious effects. The drugs used for this purpose are sold by every apothecary, and indeed at almost any country store. We will mention some of them:
_Cannabis Indica_ is the principal article used in making love powders. It acts powerfully on the nerves, excites the sexual organs, and increases their activity. The quantity to be taken differs with different persons—too large a dose producing extraordinary excitement and sexual desire, which is followed by corresponding prostration, both mental and physical. The proper use of this drug is not detrimental to health.
_Phosphorus_ is another article used in making preparations to excite the sexual organs. It has a disagreeable smell, and must necessarily be disguised as much as possible. It is powerful in its effects, and has frequently been known to excite women so furiously as to make them discard all prudence and abandon themselves to licentious indulgence. Phosphorated Oil of Almonds, flavored with bergamot, can be introduced into almost any gelatinous substance to disguise the taste of the phosphorus. Dose, from five to ten drops of the oil.
_Ether_ will affect some females very curiously, making them amorous and imparting a strong desire to cohabit with their husbands. On some, again, it has no such effect at all. The dose of Nitrous Ether is from ten to forty drops; or if you prefer Sweet Spirits of Nitre, take half a fluid dram up to twelve drams.
_Strong Coffee_ is a direct stimulant of the generative organs, and if taken in large quantities does not fail to produce marked effects.
_Ergot of Rye_ is taken by some women to bring on their expected monthly turn when they fear they may have become pregnant. It acts as a stimulant and an invigorater of the sexual powers. Dose, in powder, fifteen to twenty grains.
_Saltpetre_ acts also as a stimulant to the sexual organs, and causes a desire to cohabit. It is taken in daily doses of five to ten grains, in the form of purified Nitrate of Potassa.
_Cantharides_, or Spanish Flies, is a direct stimulant of the sexual feeling in some people. It is taken as a tincture, in doses of ten to twenty drops, and should be used with great caution.
THE END.