It is said to have been an aphorism of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, who lived more than two thousand years ago, that pregnant women attacked with acute disease always die. This strong assertion cannot be said to hold good, certainly, at the present day; but yet pregnancy, it must be admitted, exercises, as a general fact, a very unfavorable influence on the system in acute disease. The danger here may be said to be three-fold. First, the system is already in a febrile condition, or one very nearly bordering thereto; second, there is the new disease; and third, this often causes the death of the unborn child, and then the dangers of abortion are superadded to the others. “The life of the child, too,” say authors, “is endangered by the treatment necessary for the cure; especially in the use of harsh purgatives, violent emetics, salivation, and profuse bleedings.” But thanks to a better day, we of the water practice are under no necessity of running such fearful risks. We have not only a more effectual way, but one, when managed by judicious hands, harmless and safe. “It is by the prompt use of mild means, and a persevering attention to small matters,” judiciously observes Dr. Maunsel, “that the patient is to be conducted through the dangers that encompass her.” And he justly adds, “Above all, avoid the dreadful blunder of treating a woman for acute disease without discovering that she is pregnant.”
Pregnancy, as I have remarked, is always attended with more or less excitement of the system, an excitement which bears some resemblance to a state of fever. There is also a greater proneness to fevers, even from slight causes, now than at other times. Hence the necessity of avoiding, as far as possible, all such causes; and hence also, the necessity of exercising the greatest care in regard to diet and drinks. Too much food, and that which is too exciting, will cause more harm in pregnancy than at other times, from the greater tendency to fever. The common belief among women is, that more food is needed during pregnancy than at other times, because the food goes to furnish nourishment for two instead of one, that is, for the mother and the child within her. “It is therefore,” says Dr. Dewees, “constantly recommended to eat and drink heartily; and this she too often does, until the system is goaded to fever; and sometimes to more sudden and greater evils, as convulsions or apoplexy.”
If, instead of full diet, women in pregnancy will but try the plan of eating less food, even of becoming very abstemious, they will most assuredly find that they get along better, suffer less from plethora or fullness, and enjoy greater comfort of body in every respect.
SLEEPLESSNESS.
This, in a greater or less degree, not unfrequently occurs during pregnancy. It is most apt to occur during the later months of the period. Within a few days of the birth, however, better rest is experienced, and a greater degree of comfort in every respect. This tendency to sleeplessness during pregnancy is sometimes so troublesome as almost wholly to prevent sleep. “The limbs are agitated by involuntary contractions of the muscles, which, by the frequency and suddenness of their motion, instantly interrupt the sleep to which the woman was at the moment strongly inclined.”
“Sleeplessness,” says Dr. Maunsel, “most frequently affects the weak, nervous, and irritable, occurring sometimes early in pregnancy, oftener toward the end of the term. If the want of sleep continue for many days, it is commonly followed by very grave symptoms, as restlessness, fever, mental disturbance, convulsions, etc.; abortion has resulted from it, and some cases have terminated in insanity; others have destroyed life.” But those who follow a judicious course of water-treatment do not become thus afflicted. If such occurrences should be at all possible in the new modes, the cases would be exceedingly rare. I have known many persons to follow bathing during pregnancy, but none who have had any thing like serious difficulty in obtaining a proper amount of rest.
In many cases this want of sleep in pregnancy does not sensibly impair the general health. Some persons have been under the necessity of walking their room much of the night; and yet, after a short repose at the dawn of day, have been astonished to find themselves as much refreshed, apparently, as after a good night’s rest.
Treatment.—To prevent sleeplessness in pregnancy, a variety of means have been recommended. If there is plethora, or too great fullness of the system, small bleedings and cooling purgatives of mild kind are recommended by almost every author who has written on the subject. It is well known that in many parts of the country, women believe that they cannot get through pregnancy at all without being bled. The doctors have been at the root of this matter in the beginning. This old-fashioned practice, fortunately, is now fast going out of date. It is not for me here to enter into a discussion of the question whether such means ever do any good in pregnancy; but I will say, on the authority of physiological and pathological science, and my own experience, that bathing, water-drinking, and the proper regulation of the general habits, are incomparably the best modes; the best, not only for the time of pregnancy, but also for that of childbirth and the period of nursing.
Dr. Dewees recommended for this affection, low diet, cool air, and cold water, as being among the best remedies. And Dr. Denman says, that “a glass of cold water drank at bedtime is not a contemptible remedy;” and he might have said one of the best, especially if the dose be soon repeated. And Dr. Dewees, in quoting this advice of Dr. Denman, adds, “We know that bathing the hands and face in cold water is an excellent practice, and should always be resorted to.”
Dr. Maunsel says, “Pediluvia (foot-baths), or, what is better, hip-baths, very often do good.” But the important matter of temperature, the doctor does not speak of. A warm hip-bath and a cold one are very different things. He remarks, also, well, “that the diet should be cooling, and exercise in the open air as freely as circumstances will permit.”