DISEASES PECULIAR TO WOMEN 597 



day. Hot fomentations and hot poultices over the seat 

 of pain often afford great relief. 



When a high fever accompanying the local pain 

 indicates severe local inflammation, the following 

 method is wonderfully effective in the great majority 

 of cases : Apply a hot blanket pack from the umbilicus 

 to the feet. Slip under the pack an ice-bag, placing 

 it over the seat of pain. After twenty minutes, re- 

 move the pack and apply a pack to each leg thus: 

 Apply first a large linen towel, wrung dry as possible 

 out of cold water. Cover this with mackintosh, snugly 

 wrapped around the leg. Cover all with half a flan- 

 nel sheet or blanket. Wrap the other leg in the same 

 way. Now wrap both together in a flannel blanket 

 until warm, including the hips and trunk. Be care- 

 ful the treatment does not chill. Take off the ice-bag 

 and apply a fomentation once in every half hour for 

 five minutes. Repeat the hot hip and leg pack every 

 three or four hours until the pain and inflammation 

 subside. 



The hot vaginal douche (110° to 115°) should be 

 applied every three or four hours. A hot enema should 

 be given once or twice daily. 



Cellulitis.— This is an inflammation of the cellu- 

 lar tissue about the womb. The symptoms are chills, 

 accompanied by fever and pain across the pelvis, some- 

 times nausea and vomiting, tenderness on pressure 

 above the pubic bone, painful urination and defeca- 

 tion, profuse menstruation. Abscesses sometimes form, 

 which may open externally, through the bowels, va- 

 gina, or bladder. Contractions of the uterus about 

 the womb, causing displacement of the organ, are apt 

 to follow this inflammation. The most common causes 

 are childbirth, abortion, taking cold at the menstrual 



