INJECTIONS.

Injections are an essential point of the sexual hygiene of the wife; but they are not sufficient alone: they complete the other preventive methods.

As injection, any acid solution may be used; for instance, vinegar with equal parts of water, or a solution of 1 per cent. of citric or tartaric acid, etc. Any astringent solution, which is also useful in the case of white discharges: sulphate of zinc or alum, of either 1 per cent. (a dessertspoonful of the powder in a litre or in a large bottle of water). Or corrosive sublimate (perchloride of mercury), a decigramme dissolved in a large bottle of water.

This last solution is also very powerful against venereal contagion; but, if too frequently employed, it may prove poisonous.

Solutions of copper or nitrate of silver may be used; but these solutions stain the linen. Copper, if long used, is poisonous.

Now, what syringe should be used?

The simplest instrument is the glass syringe, not curved, of large size (containing 60 cmc. of liquid), which costs 25 cents. The solution is poured into a cup and drawn up into the syringe; the piston should be so carefully fitted that no fluid will escape when the syringe is held downward. The most efficacious method of using the injection is to lie on the back, on a vessel receiving the fluid, the thighs drawn up and separated. The syringe is pushed up into the vagina as far as possible, and then this piston is rapidly pushed down; when this has been done, the syringe is moved from right to left, in order to wash out all the folds of the vagina.

Other instruments may as well be employed if it be only a syringe with a long tube, that it may reach all vaginal folds—the clysopompe, which acts by means of a spring; the clysior or oblong bulb, with a tube at each end; the irrigator, which is hung up on a nail high up on the wall.

These latter instruments require a much greater quantity of the solution than the glass syringe requires. Therefore the fluid, almost a litre, should be warmed when the weather is very cold, or when the woman is very sensitive.

The tube ought not to be too curved, and ought to be pushed up as far as possible and to be energetically moved in all directions, so as to be sure that nothing remains in the vaginal folds.

The least useful syringes are the indiarubber pears, by means of which it often happens that nothing more than the air contained in the pear is introduced into the vagina.

Two important Books by Margaret H. Sanger—What Every Girl Should Know, price 25 and 50 cents, paper and cloth bound; What Every Mother Should Know, paper cover, price 25 cents.—Address, M. Maisel, 422 Grand Street, New York City.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.