THE true DIAGNOSTICKS, in my Opinion, are as follow, viz. First, the MILK-FEVER is known from hence, that it always begins about the Fourth Day, when the BREASTS begin to fill with MILK; and then the LOCHIA flowing regularly, the Woman finds a certain Gravity or Weight in her Back and Shoulders.
BUT, Secondly, when the LOCHIA are suppressed, whether in whole, or in part, ’tis then certain that the present FEVER proceeds from thence; the BELLY thereby swells and is puffed up, as also it is pained when touched; and the Humours, at last, putrefying in the WOMB, it ejects a certain fœtid or corrupt Matter.
WHEREAS, Thirdly, if the FEVER neither proceeds from the MILK, nor from any Irregularity of the LOCHIA, why then it must necessarily either proceed from the vitious Quality and Preparation of the Humours; or from a Cacochymical Habit of Body; or from an irregular Way of Living in time of GESTATION.
THE most certain PROGNOSTICKS are as follow, viz. First, All Acute Diseases in Child-bed Women, whose Strength is impaired by their LABOUR, are much more dangerous than in any Others. Secondly, These which proceed from the Suppression of the LOCHIA are most dangerous; because the Humours putrefying in the WOMB, occasion most severe SYMPTOMS, yea and too commonly DEATH itself, unless a lucky Diarrhæa, or a timely Ejection of the corrupted Matter, prevents the Misfortune. Thirdly, The self-same is the unfortunate Consequence, when the Distemper proceeds from the vitious HUMOURS; for Nature then not being able to expurgate their abounding Superfluity by the LOCHIA, the PATIENT must needs be greatly endanger’d, if not overwhelm’d.
THE most adviseable Cure, First, as to the MILK-FEVER, is only to be committed to Nature, the Woman using always a proper DIET, and carefully animadverting, that the SWEAT, in which it commonly terminates, be no ways checked, impeded, or obstructed.
SECONDLY, As to the Watchings, Deliria’s, Epilepsies, &c. which the PATIENT is subject to in this Condition; as they proceed only from Vapours of the BLOOD and Humours, ascending to the Head, when the LOCHIA do not flow regularly, or when the Woman is Feverish: So the Cure of these distemper’d Cases depends (at first) chiefly upon retracting the HUMOURS from the Head to the inferiour Parts, and correcting the Course of the LOCHIA: Because, if these flow orderly, and the vitious Humours, from which such depraved Vapours as affect the Head, be removed and evacuated, all such SYMPTOMS quickly cease and vanish of their own Accord.
THIRDLY, in the other above-mentioned Cases, the PATIENT ought always to be treated according to the various Circumstances of her Condition; I mean, according to the attending SYMPTOMS, conformable also to which the ingenious Physician will always judiciously take his prudent Measures: Since the Cure does not always depend upon the same Method; especially when a symptomatick, or concomitant FEVER, joins the first, as it very often happens, by an Inflammation of some particular Part, proceeding from something of the vitious HUMOURS enforcing itself upon the same very Part.
NOW, in short, tho’ such Inflammations may affect any Part of the Body, yet (I think) the most common Case is, that which affects the PLEURA; and from hence (the Pleurisy joining the FEVER) the Woman labours under both these complicated Acute Diseases at once. The Cure of which difficult and dangerous Condition belongs only to the ablest Physician, to whom I should be justly censured, in impertinently offering any Instruction upon this Subject. Finally, in a word, from what has been said in the Chapter of the Acute Diseases of Women with CHILD[[181]], we may more fully gather what is to be prudently done to Women in CHILD-BED, afflicted with the like Distempers.
