ITCHING OF THE GENITAL ORGANS.
Pruritus pudendi, or itching of the genital parts, becomes sometimes a most troublesome and distressing complaint in pregnancy—so troublesome, indeed, as utterly to set decency at defiance. Cases under the ordinary modes of treatment, have been known to be so severe as to compel the lady to remain in her chamber for months.
The causes of this affection cannot always be ascertained. A want of proper cleanliness is no doubt often one of the principal sources of it.
A great variety of remedial means have been used in this disease. Astringents, such as alum, borax, acids, etc. are the agents indicated. But cold is the greatest astringent of all; no matter how troublesome the affection, it is completely within our control by the use of cold hip-baths, cold cloths, ice, and the like. In a late number of Braithwait’s “Retrospect,” one of the leading English periodicals of medicine and surgery, it is stated by Dr. James Arnott, “that a most distressing attack of this affection was completely subdued by two congelations, each of about thirty seconds’ duration, after a prussic acid lotion and other routine applications had been tried in vain.” By “congelation,” Dr. Arnott means the application of intense cold, by the use of ice between cloths, or some freezing mixture, but not an actual freezing of the parts, as some might suppose. But shallow hip-baths of cold water from a well, persevered in, will be found sufficient in every case.
It should be remembered that uncleanliness is a most fruitful source of this troublesome affection.