I should remark, this lady had frequently had miscarriages before the one above referred to.
Case III.—A very small, delicate, young woman, of this city, being about seven months advanced in pregnancy, went to an evening party, at which she danced. Being very fond of that exercise, she, no doubt, overdid the matter. Indeed, dancing at all in that condition is rather a hazardous experiment. Abortion came on, attended with a great deal of prostration. Water-treatment was practiced in this case, and she recovered as well as could be expected. She felt very sad at thus having lost her child, and resolved for the future to do better. Since that she has succeeded in bringing forth a tolerably healthy offspring.
Case IV.—I knew, some years since, a young married lady, in the city of Boston, who was much addicted to novel reading, and going to balls, theaters, parties, etc., at night. She walked a long way one very hot, sultry night in midsummer, and became overheated and fatigued. On arriving home she commenced bleeding, which became so severe that before a physician could be obtained she fainted many times, and apparently came very near losing her life.
Case V.—I recollect a case which occurred some years ago—one, indeed, which I shall not soon forget, because of the fatigue and anxiety it caused me. A gentleman came after me in the night time, telling me that his wife was bleeding, and had already bled to such an extent that he believed she would be dead before I could get to her. On arriving at the house, I found she had fainted many times, and that she had bled enormously, and even then there was no amendment of the symptoms. I do not know that I ever saw a person apparently so near death from hemorrhage as this lady, and yet recover. I had to remain with her almost constantly for two days and nights, before she appeared to be at all safe.
Years afterward, this lady gave me the following information respecting the cause of that frightful abortion:
Suspecting that she had become pregnant, and much against her inclination at the time, she resolved upon procuring an abortion. Pregnancy, she said, at that time would interfere very much with her comfort, arrangements, etc. She consulted a lady-clairvoyant in reference to the matter. The clairvoyant could not even tell her whether pregnancy existed or not; but to make safe in the matter, she ordered some vegetable teas to be drank in large quantities, which she said would expel the fetus, if one existed. She thus went on for some time. Her general health became deranged by the dosing, and yet no abortion was procured. Afterward, more powerful medicines were directed by the clairvoyant. These she found were at length making great mischief with her health; her stomach became very much deranged, and a regular tertian intermittent set in, yet no abortion came on.
At length, one day her children fell down stairs. Hearing them, she ran down two flights with the greatest precipitation, and as if she were in no sense delicate in health. This, together with the fright she experienced, prostrated her system very much, caused a great trembling to come over her, which soon resulted in the miscarriage I have referred to.
It was a long time—many months—before this patient recovered any thing like her former health. She was low-spirited, dull, inactive, and could take no comfort of life.
Case VI.—Two years after this the same lady was again pregnant. One day she did a very large washing, together with other kinds of work, and became much exhausted. This, again, brought on miscarriage, attended with fearful bleeding as before. A resolute course of treatment was practiced, and thus she was again rescued from danger; but such attacks are always worse than labor at full time.
Case VII.—While I have been writing and arranging these letters, I have been called to visit a lady who has been pregnant a few weeks the second time. Her first child has been somewhat ill from teething—in fact, a good deal sick for some days and nights, and taking care of him, bathing, dressing, applying the bandages, etc., to him, has made her quite weak. Two or three days ago, her husband was gone from home of an evening, and being a very punctual man in such matters, as all good husbands are, his wife expected him home early. He was, however, hindered beyond his time. This caused her a good deal of anxiety, although he had a friend with him. Soon after his return, bearing-down pains came on, and some discharge. Afterward she got better, and then in a day or two much worse. The mother-in-law gave her gin, the old-fashioned way to help on the courses, not believing, I suppose, that she was pregnant. But nature did better than the dosing; it would not let her abort. About this time I was sent for, whereupon I told her to keep pretty quiet, put on a heavy wet girdle, and change it as often as she felt bearing-down pain—every hour or two, at farthest. The cloth worn upon the genitals, under such circumstances, was also to be kept wet in cold water. But first of all, she was to take a good washing by sitting before a fire in a wash-tub, with tepid water, but not quite warm. This gave her a good deal of relief. In the morning I found her quite well, and free from pain and discharge.