File:On the theory and practice of midwifery (1857) (14771446845).jpg

Identifier: 101576529.nlm.nih.gov
Title: On the theory and practice of midwifery
Year: 1857 (1850s)
Authors: Churchill, Fleetwood, 1808-1878 Condie, D. Francis (David Francis), 1796-1875 North, Michael J., 1965-, donor
Subjects: Midwifery Pregnancy Pregnancy Complications Obstetric Surgical Procedures
Publisher: Philadelphia : Blanchard and Lea
Contributing Library: U.S. National Library of Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons, U.S. National Library of Medicine

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or this purposeDewees recommends a sponge ; but I have found a silk handkerchief ortow much better. The vagina must be filled completely, and after six oreight hours the plug should be withdrawn, and if necessary a fresh oneintroduced.* Cold should be applied to the vulva, by means of a cloth dipped incold water and suddenly applied : it may be removed after the shock isproduced, and re-applied at intervals. I have also seen great benefitfrom enemata of cold water. consists of a piece of steel of the thickness of a small quill at its handle, and gradu-ally tapered off to its other extremity, which is bent to a hook of small size. In the Fig. 72. =2> accompanying drawing, (fig. 72,) the instrument is represented of one-third the propersize. Various other contrivances to effect the same object have been proposed at dif-ferent times; the best, because the safest and most efficient, in my estimation, is theplacental forceps of Dr. Henry Bond of this city. This instrument is well repre-
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sented in the accompanying drawing (fig. 73). It is about ten inches long, curvedlaterally on a radius of about twelve inches, and the blades are about one inch and ahalf longer than the handles. The blades terminate in an oval expansion nearly halfan inch wide. The handles and blades, including the edges of the oval expansion, arerounded or bevelled off, so as to preclude all probability of wounding or pinching anyof the surrounding soft parts. The inner part of the oval expansion is made concaveand rough, so as to maintain a secure grip upon the body embraced. The curvature isintended to be such, that when introduced with the finger as a director, in cases wherethe perineum is rigid, there shall be no unnecessary or inconvenient pressure on thispart, or on the urethra. The outside of the oval part of the blades is made slightlyconvex and smooth, without a fenestra, so that in passing them through the os uteri,and expanding them so as to embrace the placenta, there shall be the least

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