CHLOROSIS. (Green Sickness.)
This is a disease mostly or entirely peculiar to young women who have not menstruated, and disappears on the establishment of the monthly periods.
Take the A D current. If any symptoms exist of an effort of nature to bring on the menses, note the time of them, and regard it, in the treatment, as the proper monthly period. If no symptoms of such a period are perceptible, the practitioner must fix upon a time for it, and regard it accordingly. About four to six days before the periodic time, commence to treat as follows, using a moderate force: Insert the uterine electrode, N. P., wet in warm water, per vagina, until it meets the uterus; and manipulate with P. P. over the dorsal and first two lumbar vertebræ, and more or less over the back on both sides of the spinal column, some six or eight minutes daily, down to the period fixed upon for the catamenia to appear. If they do not start, let the patient rest for some four or five days, and then begin with general tonic treatment. (See page [95].) Continue this, three times a week, until within a little less than a week of the periodic time, when the same treatment with the uterine electrode as was at first employed should be resumed, and again be continued to the time assigned for the menses. If no success should appear, return, after a few days, to general tonic treatment as before. Let these forms of treatment be prosecuted until success crowns the effort. Ordinarily, not many months—perhaps not more than one or two months—will be required; especially, if the treatment be aided, on the part of the patient, by a good degree of moderate exercise in the open air, and a free, nourishing diet.
AMENORRHŒA. (Suppressed Menstruation.)
Treat as for chlorosis. But if the case be recent—the effect of taking cold—begin, in the first few sittings, to treat eight or ten minutes as for common cold; then conclude the sitting by treating, about as many minutes, in the same manner as prescribed for chlorosis.
DYSMENORRHŒA. (Painful Menstruation.)
If the disease be occasioned by uterine displacement, obstructing the os uteri, the organ must be restored to its normal position. This can best be done by mechanical action. But it is most commonly occasioned by irritation of the mucus membrane lining the interior cavity of the uterus. Mucus surfaces, under chronic irritation, are electrically negative. Therefore, in this case, if it be an old one, taking the A D current, very mild force, apply the uterine electrode, N. P., to the os uteri, and treat over the lower dorsal and upper lumbar vertebræ with P. P., long cord. Treat five to eight minutes, three times a week.
But I should add, that recovery from this infirmity, when occasioned by uterine irritation, will be much aided by commencing each sitting with a general tonic treatment (see page [95]), and closing with the treatment just above prescribed.
The last described form of dysmenorrhœa is sometimes attended with spasmodic contraction of the os uteri, thus preventing the catamenial flow. This may be readily relieved by applying P. P. to uterus, and N. P. to lower dorsal and upper lumbar vertebræ.