A Practical Treatise on Midwifery; Containing the Result of Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-Four Births, Occurring in the Dublin Lying-In Hospital During a Period of Seven Years, Commencing November, 1826 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1835 edition. Excerpt: ... 19.--Was admitted into Hospital on the morning of the 10th of August, to be delivered of her first child. Her labour commenced at 12 A.m.; the pains were brisk but not violent, and the waters were discharged in 12 hours after. The head remained for some time high up, but gradually descended, and came to press so strongly on the urethra as to render the introduction of the catheter necessary. We were called in haste to see her the following morning, (about 19 hours from the commencement of labour, ) in consequence of great weakness supervening. At this time her pulse could scarcely be felt; her countenance was pale and ghastly; her extremities quite cold; there was constant vomiting of a yellow fluid; it seemed as if a few minutes would terminate her existence. From these symptoms, together with a complete cessation of the labour pains, there was no doubt as to rupture having taken place. On examination per vaginam, the head was found very low; it had been gradually making progress up to the occurrence of the injury; the pressure on the urethra was so considerable, that there was some difficulty experienced in passing the smallest sized flexible catheter; the space between the head and pelvis was at every point very trifling. The head was immediately lessened, nevertheless it required much exertion to get it down with the crotchet; almost every bone of the cranium came away separately, and, even afterwards, some force was necessary for the extraction of the shoulders. After the operation, the hand was passed into the vagina, where the placenta was found; there was, at the same time, a most extensive laceration discovered, posteriorly, at the junction of the cervix uteri with the vagina, through which the hand passed readily into the..