HYGIENE FOR WOMEN IN ADVANCED LIFE 499 



sometimes hysteria; complaint of sudden flushing of 

 tlie face, or "rush of blood to the head;" the hands, 

 legs, and trunk of the body sometimes affected, as well 

 as the head and face. These flushings are sudden, and 

 usually last but a few minutes, and are followed by 

 profuse perspiration. Sometimes a perspiration does 

 not occur, a condition known as ' ' dry flushing, ' ' which 

 is much more distressing than the ordinary form, tak- 

 ing its place. Profuse perspiration sometimes occurs 

 during sleep, and is very likely to follow excitement, 

 either mental or nervous. A great variety of other 

 symptoms, involving nearly every organ of the body, 

 are present during this period. 



One of the dangers which should be especially men- 

 tioned is the liability of morbid growths to make their 

 appearance at this time. Various tumors of the womb, 

 as fibroids and cancers, select this as their favorite time 

 of attack. A cancer is not likely to occur, however, 

 unless the womb has sometime been torn at childbirth, 

 and through neglect the laceration has not been re- 

 paired. Growths of the urethra are not unlikely to 

 occur at this time. 



Hygiene of the Menopause.— Many of the ills to 

 which women are subject at this period may be avoided 

 by proper preventive measures. Pre-existing disease 

 of the womb, which through neglect or improper treat- 

 ment has not been cured, lays the foundation for much 

 suffering at this time. It is indeed probable that pre- 

 vious womb disease is the leading cause of suffering 

 at this period, as it is hardly supposable that in the 

 normal state such vital disturbances and great suffer- 

 ing as are observed at this period would occur. This 

 emphasizes the importance of adopting such measures 

 as will secure relief from whatever local disorders may 



