THE Cure of this Distemper ought to be well-weigh’d, and very cautiously perform’d, because the definite Quantity of BLOOD to be evacuated cannot be well or certainly known: And because if any Part of That be stopped, which ought to be ejected, it of course flows to some other Part, and excites Inflammations or other heavy SYMPTOMS. Wherefore this is only, in the Beginning, to be corrected by proper DIET, and some other convenient light Means: But afterwards by repeated Venæ-Sections in the Arms, if Strength will permit; and proper Astringents inwardly taken, as well as outwardly applied; continuing always a Thickening, Cooling, and Astringent DIET: But farther yet, as the Patient grows weaker, she ought also to have some corroborative Remedies, to enable her to stand out the Cure. Fomentations for the lower Belly of Oxycrat, or an astringent Decoction; Fumigations of the same Decoction, or of hot Oxycrat, are very convenient and helpful on this Occasion, as are also astringent Injections.
BUT however sometimes, and not seldom, it happens, that this Case proceeds from the negligent or ignorant MIDWIFE, by her not duly cleansing the Womb; by which Means, some part (how small soever) of the SECUNDINE or Membrane, or some clotted BLOOD, or perhaps a MOLE, miscall’d a false Conception, may be left behind in the Womb; which distending that Body, occasions not only an immoderate Flux, but also stirs up violent Pains, not unlike to those of Labour: In this pitiful Condition, all possible Diligence must be prudently used to fetch away and remove this Cause, which is only most effectually to be done by the Hand-Cure, in the manner already abundantly set forth.
AFTER which, the PATIENT is to be treated as before, laying her equally flat upon her Back, and keeping her very still and quiet in Bed; which Bed may however in this Case be kept a little Cool, as well as her Chamber, lest Heat should provoke and continue the Course of the Flux.
MOREOVER, in fine, it also sometimes happens, that immoderate Purgations proceed from some gross Excrements contain’d in the Rectum antecedent to the Time of Labour; which, as they puff up the Belly, so they also commonly occasion severe Cholicks; but these being discreetly evacuated by a pretty strong emollient Clyster, the Flooding immediately ceases.
CHAP. V.
Of the Acute Distempers incident to CHILD-BED-WOMEN.
WE are in this place only to consider the Acute Distempers of the Puerperial Woman, because the Time of lying-in is not of such a long Continuance as to admit of Chronick Diseases: And these Acute Ones, in short, which they are most commonly subject to, are continual Fevers, (Either, 1. Essential, that is, Fevers proceeding first from the Blood; or, 2. Symptomatick Fevers, that is, such as follow upon the internal Inflammations, which often attend the Child-Bed-Woman;) as also Frenzies, Watchings, Lethargies, Convulsions, Epilepsies, &c.—
BUT more especially there is one particular kind of Fever, which invades almost all labouring Women the third or fourth Day after the BIRTH, and is commonly call’d the MILK-FEVER; because about that time, the MILK begins to generate more plentifully in the Breasts, taking its Rise from the Motion and Agitation of the Blood, which converts it from the Womb to the Breasts. This Distemper, resolving itself about the ninth Day by Sweat, is of no dangerous Consequence; provided the PATIENT observes a good and proper Diet, and duly prevents all Cold, that might readily stop the Sweat, and carefully preserves the Milk from coagulating or putrefying in her Breasts, whence the Symptomatick FEVERS commonly arise: Wherefore, I say, this MILK-FEVER, being of the extended Ephemerick Sort, and ceasing of itself, requires no great Cure.
ONLY in this Case, it is a vulgar Error among the good Women, that because this FEVER lasts only four or five Days at most, coming on about the fourth, and ending about the ninth Day after the BIRTH, they take all Fevers in this time, for the MILK-FEVER; and consequently thro’ this Mistake, neglecting, or not regarding duly the true Condition, the Patient is very often endanger’d: Which Mistake, that they may for the future diligently avoid, I shall subjoin here some certain Signs of Distinction in due Course. But previously——
THE Causes of all FEVERS incident to the Child-Bed-Woman, are either the Suppression of the Lochia in whole or in part; or the vitious Quality of the Humours accumulated in Gestation, and exasperated in the Birth; or a vitious irregular DIET in the time of lying-in; or the cold Air, or any such Accident by bad Management, may readily convert the MILK-FEVER into a putrid and dangerous one; as a latent CACOCHYMY may also easily dispose it to Corruption.