In three days’ time the patient was up and about, and in all respects quite well, though somewhat weak.
Eleven days after commencing the treatment in the above case, namely, on Sunday morning, the 2d of June, 1850, the patient was taken very suddenly in labor. Within half an hour after the very first sensation of any pain, and before her husband could call me, her child was born, a sixth son. She suffered but little, and was delivered while in the standing posture, but the after-birth remained unborn. I found her weeping for fear that she would be subjected to some horrible water-applications, of which she had read. I told her that my mode of practice was altogether different from that which she so much feared, and that, at any rate, no honest physician would ever subject a patient to any process which she could not heartily concur in. I told her, moreover, that I would much prefer that she should have her old physician if she chose, and that she could not possibly offend me if she would but frankly take her own choice. Her husband then desired that she would pursue that course which she herself preferred. With the explanation I had given, she concluded at once to go on with the matter as I might see fit to advise. “Well,” said I to myself, “we will see how a mixed treatment will answer—a little of the old, and a little of the new.”
The patient was perfectly willing to be bathed in tepid water, which I also advised. But she wanted the old-fashioned obstetrical bandage or binder, as she had used it before. I explained to her all about its nature and effects, and consented that she might use it if she would take it off at each time of bathing, and at all times when she found it causing too great heat. Her husband bathed her four times the first day in bed; the women would not help at all. She was able to sit up in bed, and the second day and onward, she bathed herself, the old nurse always making herself absent at the time. She had suffered with after-pains before, but nothing worth mentioning this time. Injections were used from time to time, and the wet towels over the abdomen. The second day the patient was up in her room. The third morning, as I went to her door, I heard some one singing, and, on entering, found it was the patient herself, alone, sitting up with her infant in her arms.
The fourth morning the lady was so well that there was no excuse for a doctor any more. She said she had to keep her room, and mostly her bed, for four weeks always before. Now in three days she was perfectly well, bathing herself repeatedly every day; whereas always before she had never dared wash herself short of a whole month, and then only with whisky! She was now convinced that the only safe way to prevent taking cold, was to bathe.
This, then, may be put down as a remarkable case. Eleven days before labor the patient was very dangerously sick. The birth was exceedingly easy and short; and, although such labors are not, on the whole, as safe as those which are more difficult and protracted, she yet recovered her usual health in a remarkably short period of time, and without any mishap or pain. She bathed but very little, comparatively, although that little told well. No application whatever of cold water was made.
Case VIII.—While the cholera was committing its fearful ravages in the city of Brooklyn, during the summer of 1849, a worthy and intelligent lady, the wife of a sea captain, was preparing to leave for the country, whither I was to go with her to attend her looked-for case of childbirth. Monday, the 9th day of July, she was busy packing trunks and preparing to move, and probably overworked. At all events, she did not feel well, and experienced pains similar to those of labor, all day Tuesday. I remained in the house over night, but in the morning the patient was better. Still there occurred at times periodical pains, and I told the patient that if they were true and natural pains of labor, a bath would accelerate and make them worse; or if they were false pains, and such as did not indicate the near approach of labor, the bath would cure or render them less. They were, however, increased.
At eight o’clock in the evening labor came to a close, the result being a fine, healthy, female child. One hour after, namely, at 9 o’clock, the patient feeling rested, was helped into a sitting-bath tub, and well washed, for some minutes, over the whole surface. The water was fresh and cool from the cistern. As may be imagined, the patient felt incomparably more comfortable after a good cleansing in this manner, and a degree of refreshment that can be conceived of only by those who have had the practical illustration of it in their own persons, was experienced. A plenty of wet linen towels were placed over the abdomen and genitals, and by these means the patient was enabled to pass, on the whole, a very good night.
She had, she informed me, always suffered intolerable anguish for days after the birth of her other children, five or six in number, I believe. Even with the first—a thing very uncommon—she had experienced most severe torture. It was therefore a great object at this time to do every thing possible to prevent the after-pains. Toward morning, as she began to grow more warm, the pains came on in a slight degree.
At 6½ o’clock (the 12th, the first morning after the birth), the patient was again thoroughly washed from head to foot in the hip-tub. After this a large linen sheet, the whole being wet, and folded in the form of a very large girdle (large enough to cover the whole trunk of the body), was employed. It was wrapped round from end to end, its object being to act as a great and moderately cooling, and necessarily soothing fomentation, to the body, to keep off inflammation and subdue pain. The weather being most excessively sultry and hot, only one dry sheet was placed over her as a covering. She was to remain in this condition so long as the wet sheet did not become uncomfortable or too warm. At 10 the same forenoon, after having slept a good nap, a second ablution was practiced.
She now took a trifle of nourishment in the form of oatmeal gruel, the first since the birth of the child. The two whole days previous, likewise, she had not eaten in all the amount of half a common meal. This three days’ abstinence proved a most valuable means in warding off fever and pain. Nor did it materially impair the strength.