DISEASES PECULIAR TO WOMEN 587 



part of the bowels; slow digestion; inactive bowels; 

 neurasthenia; hysteria; general debility. 



Treatment.— ^est in bed and the employment of 

 hot vaginal douches are of very great value. A sitz 

 bath, at 75° to 80° F., taken daily at bedtime after 

 the douche, is also of very great value. In very obsti- 

 nate cases, a surgical operation may be necessary, the 

 operation consisting of scraping the inside of the 

 uterus with a proper instrument and afterward mak- 

 ing applications of galvanic electricity. The latter 

 method is very successful in a great number of cases. 



It must not be forgotten, also, that catarrh is only 

 a sjnnptom, and indicates a state of congestion which 

 may be the result of prolapsed abdominal viscera, 

 requiring restoration of the tone of the abdominal 

 muscles by massage, electricity, and gymnastics. Tem- 

 porary relief may often be obtained by abdominal sup- 

 porters. 



Chronic Inflammation of the Womb. — The 

 symptoms are pain in the lower part of the back and 

 just above the pubic bone, tenderness on pressure at 

 the last-named point, weight or dragging feeling in the 

 bowels, desire to relieve the bladder too frequently, 

 leucorrhea, headache, general nervous debility. The 

 most common causes are sexual excesses, employment 

 of means to prevent conception, improper dress, abor- 

 tions and miscarriages, getting up too soon after con- 

 finements, injuries in the neck of the womb, or peri- 

 neum, occurring at childbirth. To these must also be 

 added the wearing of uterine supporters, which fre- 

 quently, by not fitting properly, produce serious in- 

 flammation of the womb. 



Treatment.— This disease requires absolute rest in 

 bed and the employment of hot vaginal douches two 



