Her mental sufferings are even worse than her physical. She has loss of memory, is fretful and irritable. Carried to the extreme, her mind becomes unbalanced and insanity results. Statistics show that uterine disease is a very common cause of insanity in women.
Ulceration is usually found upon the mouth of the womb, or occasionally on the lining membrane. The raspberry ulceration is the most common form. This appears like granulation on the eyelids, and is always preceded and accompanied by inflammation. The surface becomes red, swollen and then abraded, resulting in ulcers. This is accompanied by a thick, purulent, yellow discharge, which, as the disease advances, becomes thin and bloody, with an offensive odor. The pain and reflex symptoms are much the same as in inflammation.
Induration, or thickening and hardening of the cervix is a frequent sequel of inflammation, especially where caustic treatment has been used.
Violations of physical laws cause the occurrence of the above named diseases.
Women take it as a matter of course that the organs of generation should be diseased, without one thought of their responsibility in the matter. Physicians, too, as specialists, treat woman much as though she were a machine to be adjusted at will.
Errors in dress, in diet, want of exercise and the abuse of the sexual relation are the principal causes of these ailments. The frequent use of drugs that act directly upon the generative organs induce and enhance these affections.
There is no doubt that the customary dress of woman, causing such deformity, and such perversion of all her powers, is the prime factor in producing ailments peculiar to her sex.
Being unequal in distribution, it leaves the extremities unprotected; by pressure it restricts digestion, respiration and circulation, while by its weight it burdens the weakened muscles.
Who has the power to save women from this one sin? Who has the pen or voice to present the claims of unborn generations? Many women who have suffered years from uterine diseases have finally recovered by simply adopting a hygienic dress. One thing is certain; it matters not what treatment one takes for these ailments, she can not hope to get well and keep well if she does not remove the restraints of clothing. (See Chap. VII.)
In diet, highly seasoned food, rich pastries, and indeed all food containing in excess the carbonaceous elements, especially the fats and sweets, will produce an inflammatory condition. Some irritating cause locates the affection in certain organs. Constipation also will induce and aggravate any uterine affection.