Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health

by S. A. D. Tissot

Every fourth Hour a Glyster should be given, consisting of a Decoction of Mallows and a little Oil. In the Intervals between these Glysters she should be set over a kind of Stove, or in a pierced easy Chair, containing a Vessel in which there is some hot Water: the Passage should be gently rubbed with a little Butter; and Stapes wrung out of a Fomentation of simple hot Water, which is the most efficacious of any, should be applied over the Belly.

The Midwives, by taking this Method, are not only certain of doing no Mischief, but they also allow Nature an Opportunity of doing Good: as a great many Labours, which seem difficult at time, terminate happily; and this safe and unprecipitate Manner of proceeding at least affords Time to call in further Assistance. Besides, the Consequences of such Deliveries are healthy and happy; when by pursuing the heating oppressing Practice, even though the Delivery be effected, both Mother and Infant have been so cruelly, though undesignedly, tormented, that both of them frequently perish.

§ 368. I acknowledge these Means are insufficient, when the Child is unhappily situated in the Womb; or when there is an embarrassing Conformation in the Mother: though at least they prevent the Case from proving worse, and leave Time for calling in Men-Midwives, or other female ones, who may be better qualified.

I beg leave again to remind the Midwives, that they should be very cautious of urging their Women to make any forced Efforts to forward the Birth, which are extremely injurious to them, and which may render a Delivery very dangerous and embarrassing, that might otherwise have been happily effected: and I insist the more freely on the Danger attending these unreasonable Efforts, and on the very great Importance of Patience, as the other very pernicious Practice is become next to universal amongst us.

The Weakness, in which the labouring Woman appears, makes the By-standers fearful that she will not have Strength enough to be delivered; which they think abundantly justifies them in giving her Cordials; but this Way of Reasoning is very weak and chimerical. Their Strength, on such Occasions, is not so very speedily dissipated: the small light Pains sink them, but in Proportion as the Pains become stronger, their Strength arises; being never deficient, when there is no extraordinary and uncommon Symptom; and we may reasonably be assured, that in a healthy, well formed Woman, meer Weakness never prevents a Delivery.

Of the Consequences of Labour, or Childbirth.

§ 369. The most usual Consequences of Childbirth in the Country are, 1, An excessive Hæmorrhage. 2, An Inflammation of the Womb. 3, A sudden Suppression of the Lochia, or usual Discharges after Delivery. And, 4, the Fever and other Accidents, resulting from the Milk.

Excessive Bleedings or Floodings, should be treated according to the Manner directed [§ 365]: and if they are very excessive, Folds of Linen, which have been wrung out of a Mixture of equal Parts of Water and Vinegar, should be applied to the Belly, the Loins, and the Thighs: these should be changed for fresh moist ones, as they dry; and should be omitted, as soon as the Bleeding abates.

§ 370. The Inflammation of the Womb is discoverable by Pains in all the lower Parts of the Belly; by a Tension or Tightness of the whole; by a sensible Increase of Pain upon touching it; a kind of red Stain or Spot, that mounts to the Middle of the Belly, as high as the Navel; which Spot, as the Disease increases, turns black, and then is always a mortal Symptom; by a very extraordinary Degree of Weakness; an astonishing Change of Countenance; a light Delirium or Raving; a continual Fever with a weak and hard Pulse; sometimes incessant Vomitings; a frequent Hiccup; a moderate Discharge of a reddish, stinking, sharp Water; frequent Urgings to go to Stool; a burning kind of Heat of Urine; and sometimes an entire Suppression of it.

§ 371. This most dangerous and frequently mortal Disease should be treated like inflammatory ones. After Bleeding, frequent Glysters of warm Water must by no Means be omitted; some should also be injected into the Womb, and applied continually over the Belly. The Patient may also drink continually, either of simple Barley-Water, with a Quarter of an Ounce of Nitre in every Pot of it, or of Almond Milk [Nº. 4].