As a remedy in painful menstruation, Dr. Good recommends “the advantages of traveling, change of air, and new stimulus given to both the mind and body by novelty of scene, novelty of company, amusing and animating conversation, and exercise of various kinds.” “With these,” continues this author, “may also be combined, in the intervals of the menstrual season, and particularly before the discharge has appeared, the use of cold, and especially of sea-bathing.”
Thus it appears that Dr. Good himself entertained the erroneous notion that cold bathing is a dangerous measure at the menstrual period. He observes, however, that “an unnecessary apprehension of catching cold by the employment of this powerful tonic has been entertained by many practitioners;” that with proper care he had never known it occasion this effect; and that it should only be relinquished when no reactive glow succeeds to the chill produced by immersion, and the system is hereby proved to be too debilitated for its use. But in the water-treatment, as you all know, we are not obliged to resort to cold immersion alone; the rubbing wet-sheet is a most excellent application in those cases where the reactive or calorific force is at a low ebb. We can also use tepid ablutions of various kinds with great advantage, under such circumstances—great, not only as regards the patient’s feelings of comfort and strength, but as to cleanliness, which is also an important consideration.
As to the second indication of treatment in these cases, suppose the pain is already upon you. You ask, “What are we to do?” I answer, there are many things, among which are the following:
The rubbing wet-sheet, with a good deal of rubbing and faithfully applied—many times in the whole day if you find need—is one of the best applications.
The wet girdle, likewise, should be kept constantly about the body, and changed as often as the pain requires. Wet compresses about the thighs and below the knees, or about the calves of the legs, are also useful.
The sitting-bath, cold, and sometimes alternating with warm, is also to be employed. If, at the same time, some one rubs the back well with the wet hand, the relief will be more speedy. In very bad cases, when the pain amounts really to a great agony, sitting in a wash-tub, with a couple of pails of cold water in it, at the same time having two or more persons to aid in rubbing the whole surface, if properly persevered in, must sooner or later quell the pain. Possibly, in some cases, it might require an hour or more to effect the desired object. If the patient becomes too much fatigued to continue the half-bath a long time, she can recline in a folded wet-sheet to rest herself, and then afterward proceed again to the bath. Frictions with the wet hand upon the surface, generally have great effect in assuaging pain in these cases.
The folded wet-sheet, that is, a common double sheet of linen, although cotton answers tolerably well, folded once each way, half of it being wet, and applied about the trunk of the body from the arms downward, is a very soothing application in these cases. Applied in this way, two thicknesses of the sheet next to the surface are wet, and the two outer thicknesses are dry. This is a very convenient application, and one great advantage in using a sheet in this way is, that we can open it in front of the body and rewet it, by sprinkling water upon it, without the patient being obliged to rise. If she is able to get up at the time of rewetting the sheet, it is better to do so; but if she is not, it can be done without. A patient may remain many hours in this folded sheet if there is need, a whole night, for example; but she should not allow herself to become too warm in it, as that would weaken the body. According to the season of the year, it should be rewet more or less often, and the patient should have more or less covering as she may feel a need.
The clyster is also a great help in subduing pain in the womb and back. The tepid, or lukewarm, as a general thing, answers best. We use, sometimes, gallons in succession, until the object is brought about.
The foot-bath is likewise a useful remedy. If the feet are cold, they should be put in warm water, the old-fashioned way; but if otherwise, cold answers the purpose best.
Now, it may occur to you, that this kind of treatment, which is so opposed to the old notions, is to be considered as a dangerous one. You know how afraid women are of cold under such circumstances, and how dangerous it is, in fact, to chill the body at certain times. But remember I am speaking of extreme cases of pain. Cold does not injure the body at such times; but, on the contrary, does a great amount of good. You know that if the discharge gets well started in these cases, the pain ceases. Now the cold, instead of checking the discharge, does actually help it to come. The pain, the undue heat in the uterus, the inflammation, as it might almost be styled, is the cause of the discharge not appearing. The application of cold puts a stop to this pain and undue heat, and thus the discharge is helped to come forward.