It embraces the use of those general restoratives and specific uterine tonics, so harmoniously combined in Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription, a remedy which has achieved unparalleled success in the cure of this affection and won the highest praise from thousands of grateful women. It many cases, it is well to accompany its use with alterative treatment, for which the "Golden Medical Discovery" will be found especially effective. It is an absurd practice to arrest the discharge with astringent injections alone. The weak and lax walls of the vagina, as well as the other tissues of the system, require strength, and this can be gained only by the use of general and special tonics. Appropriate injections as auxiliary treatment will very much assist in the cure. The "Favorite Prescription" is a special tonic for the affected parts, and the "Golden Medical Discovery" is the best general alterative of which we have any knowledge. They may be taken in alternate doses every day. If the patient is very pale and anæmic, one drachm of the carbonate, or two drachms of the citrate or pyrophosphate of iron, may be advantageously added to each bottle of the "Favorite Prescription." If the carbonate be employed, as it is insoluble, the bottle should be well shaken every time before using. The functions of the skin should be kept active by frequent baths, and the patient, if able, should walk or ride in the open air, and freely expose herself to the sunshine. If the invalid be too weak to exercise much, she should go out in warm weather and sit in the open air. Sunshine is no less important in maintaining animal, than in supporting vegetable growth and health. The human being, like the plant, sickens and grows pale, weak and tender, if secluded from the sunlight. The apartments occupied should be thoroughly ventilated. Many women are sickly and feeble because they live in badly ventilated rooms.
We cannot too strongly urge in this, as in all other chronic diseases peculiar to women, that the bowels be kept regular. Frequent, but small doses of Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets will prove most beneficial. If the vaginal passage is tender and irritable, an infusion, or tea of slippery-elm bark is very soothing, and may be used freely with a vaginal syringe. Whatever injection is employed, should be preceded by the free use of Castile soap and warm water, to thoroughly cleanse the parts. One part of glycerine to six parts of water is a soothing lotion when there is much tenderness, heat, and pain in the vagina. If there be no great tenderness in the vagina, or if the acute, inflammatory symptoms have yielded to the lotions already suggested, then a tonic and astringent injection should be employed.
For this purpose a wash made by dissolving one of DR. PIERCE'S PURIFYING AND STRENGTHENING LOTION TABLETS, in one pint of hot water is a superior application and will not fail to be of great benefit in controlling the disagreeable drain. If your medicine dealer is not supplied with these, mail 25 cents in one-cent stamps to us and we will forward a box of the Lotion Tablets by return post.
These Lotion Tablets have for many years been used in the treatment of obstinate cases of leucorrhea at the Invalids' Hotel and Surgical Institute, and their efficiency has been alike gratifying to both patient and physician.
If pruritus or severe itching, be also a symptom, the itching will readily yield if the parts be cleansed with Castile or other fine soap and warm water, followed by the application of a compound composed of two ounces of glycerine, one ounce of rose-water, and one drachm of sulphite of soda; or, for the sulphite of soda, two drachms of borax may be substituted. The following lotion is a good one to relieve pruritus: sugar of lead, two drachms; carbolic acid, half a drachm; laudanum, four ounces; glycerine, four ounces; water, four pints; mix. This may be applied to the itching parts, and also injected into the vagina.
How to Use Vaginal Injections. We usually recommend the Fountain Syringe illustrated in Fig. 6, as the most convenient instrument for administering vaginal injections. The fountains supplied by us are of soft rubber, and have extra nozzles, with which to make rectal, nasal or ear irrigations. There is also a large, long nozzle for vaginal injections.
It is channeled so is to permit the free clearing away of the secretions as the Douche is employed. The Fountain Syringe can he used without assistance, the flow of fluid is gradual, and with a force that can be varied, by raising or lowering the reservoir, yet is never so great as to be liable to produce injurious effects.
The syringes usually sold with small nozzles or pipes are of little or no value for vaginal injections. In many instances so small a tube will pass readily into the canal of the uterus, and hence there has frequently resulted an injection of a portion of the fluid into the uterus itself, producing severe pain. It is important, therefore, in using the Vaginal Douche to employ only a large tube that has grooves in its surface for the free clearing away of the fluid as it runs from the fountain.