DISEASES PECULIAR TO WOMEN 589 



tion by drugs or other means. Great harm is often 

 done by the use of amenagogues. A temj^orary sup- 

 pression of the menstrual flow sometimes results from 

 the disuse of flesh food on the part of persons who 

 have been accustomed to using it freely; but we never 

 have seen any harm arise from the suppression of the 

 menstrual flow in these cases. Persons suffering with 

 amenorrhea sometimes have a vicarious hemorrhage 

 when the menstrual flow first makes its reappearance. 

 The hemorrhage may occur from the nose, stomach, 

 or bowels, and has often been known to occur through 

 the skin in the form of bloody sweat. 



Treatment.— When this condition is a symptom of 

 general disease, a cure is to be obtained, not by treat- 

 ment of the womb, but by removal of the general mor- 

 bid conditions of which the symptom is a result. Every 

 measure calculated to build up the general health 

 should be employed, such as a very nourishing, whole- 

 some, easily digested dietary, abundance of out-of-door 

 exercise, gjTimastics, particularly such exercise as will 

 bring into activity the muscles of the trunk and legs, 

 and in cases of great debility massage and manual 

 Swedish movements, are among the most valuable 

 measures to be employed. Swimming may be recom- 

 mended for patients who have sufficient vigor to under- 

 take this most healthful form of exercise. The follow- 

 ing is a very good prescription as a daily routine of 

 treatment: On going to bed at night, give a fomenta- 

 tion covering the whole abdomen, for fifteen minutes, 

 changing every five minutes. After removing the fo- 

 mentation, apply a towel wrung out of cold water dry 

 enough so it will not drip. The towel should be long 

 enough to reach around the body, and should be cov- 

 ered with oil muslin, then with several thicknesses of 



35 



