I would prefer the tepid vaginal injection—say at a temperature of from 70° to 80° Fah.—rather than the cold. If we have an aching tooth, its nerves all sensitive and bare, we do not take cold water into the mouth, but that which is tepid. We repeat this pretty often, and at the same time rub the face, neck, and other adjacent parts with the coldest water we can get.
If we have a cut and bleeding finger, we do not immerse the wound in cold water, or put cold water upon it, to arrest the bleeding, but we immerse it in tepid water, and make our cold applications some little distance from the wound, as upon the arm and elbow; thus we secure our object in the better way. If we are to treat a felon, we may immerse the hand and arm in cold water, leaving the extreme part, at which the agony is felt, out of it; we may have a wet compress about the painful member, but the greater and more effective applications must be made on other parts, contiguous to the one affected. From these well established principles I infer that the vaginal injections, whatever may be claimed for them, are of minor importance, when compared with the external and more general applications to which I have referred, as a remedy for after-pains. It is to be remembered, likewise, that patients, from the extreme sensitiveness and soreness of these parts after delivery, dread very much applications of this kind. The external applications are soothing, pleasant, and wonderfully effective in relieving soreness, but not so with the internal applications.
Thus, then, it will be perceived, that I place great reliance upon the shallow-bath, tepid, cool, or cold, with prolonged friction by the wet hands, the sitting-bath, the cold wet compresses, often repeated, the wet girdle, cold wet cloths upon the thighs and back, the folded packing sheet, with covering sufficient to keep the patient comfortable, tepid or cold clysters, and water-drinking, together with good nursing throughout, as a remedy for the distressing affection of which I have been treating.
LETTER XXXIII.
THE LOCHIAL DISCHARGE.
The Mosaic Law concerning Purification of Women—Nature of the Lochia—Excessive and Offensive Discharge—Treatment of Suppression of the Lochia.
We read in the New Testament, in reference to the birth of the Saviour (Luke ii., 21, 22), that “when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, His name was called Jesus, which was so named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb;” that “when the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord.”
These passages refer to the Mosaic law (Leviticus, chap. xii.), which is as follows:
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman hath conceived seed, and born a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity, shall she be unclean.
“And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
“And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three-and-thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.