Femina, A Work for Every Woman

by John A. Miller

In ancient times and until quite recently, it was considered as a distinct disease, attributed to constitutional debility or an indication of impure blood; these theories are now entirely discarded. The modern school of Gynecology has given it quite a different interpretation, and considers leucorrhœa rather a symptom of some local disease than a disease itself. Experience, and careful research in, the sick chamber fully corroborate the correctness of this view, so that a simple local chronic catarrh is the exception to the rule. The exception applies oftener to children than to adults. We find it in young babies or little girls of all ages as a result of diarrhœal discharges which are acrid and filter themselves into the vagina and by their sharp, irritating action on the mucous membrane, excite at first an acute, and afterwards a chronic catarrh of these parts. Eruptive fevers have induced a similar effect upon the mucous membrane of the child’s vagina and also upon that of the bladder; obstinate catarrhs are frequently traced to these fevers. I have known pinworms to make their way from the rectum into the vagina and by their irritating presence excite in the little child a very distressing vaginal catarrh.

The irritation or itching which the inflammation and decomposed secretion cause, makes the child involuntarily dig or scratch her vulva, which of course only aggravates the disease, and which has already been mistaken for precocious masturbation, and will undoubtedly often be so considered again by superficial observers. In later years a subacute inflammation of these parts will undoubtedly develop this pernicious practice, and I have known several cases myself where young girls became physical wrecks from a combination of chronic vaginal catarrh and self-abuse, no one ever dreaming of the real morbid condition, but attributing their decline to everything else but the right cause.

There is another complication that may arise from catarrhal inflammation in little children, and that is an adhesive inflammation of the vaginal walls; that means that the sides of the vagina may partly or completely grow together, and thus change the normal diameter of the vaginal canal. In after years this may entail frightful suffering, either by mechanically obstructing the escape of the menstrual blood or otherwise interfering with the normal function of the canal. There are many diseases from which we suffer in adult life for which the foundation was laid when we were young, through the ignorance of our parents.

The stormy symptoms that usher in the acute form are absent in the development of the subacute or chronic variety. This disease begins sometimes so insidiously that the patient may not be aware of its existence for quite a while. The secretion may not be at first changed in its character, save that it is noticed in greater abundance. In the course of time, the nature of the secretion will be greatly changed, from a white glairy discharge into a grayish opaque secretion; this will be tinged greenish some days and be of a muco-purulent aspect. In the great majority of cases it is a whitish cheesy discharge from which the names leucorrhœa or whites have been derived.

The color of the vaginal mucous membrane in chronic catarrh is of a bluish red tint, and its surface presents in places granulated patches, that bleed easily when they are touched. The vaginal walls are relaxed, so that women often complain that they have a sensation of “feeling open;” this is indeed the real state of affairs; the walls of the vagina may become so relaxed as to constitute a prolapse of the anterior portion or wall of the vagina, dragging the bladder and womb down with it.

A great many of the so-called “falling of the womb cases” are no falling of the womb at all but simply a relaxed vagina, in which the wearing of pessaries or any other mechanical uterine supporter will actually do a great deal of harm.

The treatment of vaginal catarrh is principally local, when there are no constitutional complications. Of course there are rules of conduct that apply to all catarrhal patients, whether the catarrh is of the genitalia, of the nose or throat or of the bronchial tubes; these rules constitute the hygiene of catarrh, a subject which is discussed in a separate chapter in this work to which the intelligent reader is referred.

The main feature of the treatment consists in thorough cleanliness of the vaginal canal and in the use of a soothing lotion. This object is best accomplished by the use of the Femina antiseptic lotion and in the following manner: Dissolve one tablet or half a teaspoonful in a cupful of hot water and then add this to a half gallon of warm water of a temperature of 103° F., and by means of an elastic bulb syringe, use the entire quantity at one time. If the discharge is profuse, or if any offensive odor is perceptible, then the vaginal injection should be made several times a day.

In case there is soreness and pain in the pelvis, and there generally is, a Femina vaginal capsule should be introduced into the vagina, just before retiring.