260 DB. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



Unless we have reason to believe that the chUd is dead, it is desirable that mis. 

 carriage should be prevented, and that the woman should go on to the full time, 

 if possible; but if the motion of the child should cease, if the breasts of the 

 mother should become soft, after disease or great fatigue, and signs of miscar- 

 riage come on, it would be improper to endeavor to prevent the embryo coming 

 away; and we must direct our efforts to relieve any urgent symptoms, and do 

 what we can to conduct the patient safely through the process. 



In the first stage of abortion, when it is merely impending or threatening, 

 and even in the second stage, when the child has become partially separated, it 

 is proper to attempt to check the discharge and prevent the consequent expul- 

 sion. The patient must cease from all exertion in walking, or even sitting 

 upright, and must lie on a bed or sofa; all heating food or liquors must be 

 avoided; whatever is taken should be rather cool, and cold applications must 

 be made to the back, the loins, and neighboring parts. A lotion useful for this 

 purpose is 1 part of vinegar to 3 or 3 parts of cold water; cloths or towels 

 dipped in this are to be applied as directed above. The fainting which so often 

 occurs requires to be relieved by a very moderate use of cordials, as a little 

 wine and water, or even brandy and water; but in this much caution is 

 required, lest feverishness or inflammatory symptoms be brought on, which in 

 a weakened frame are apt to occur, from causes too slight to have the same 

 effect in a healthy one. 



As abortion sometimes takes place from too great fullness of blood, and 

 from that state of the constitution well known by the name of high health, it 

 is right in such cases to enjoin abstinence, to order a cooling diet, as light 

 puddings, preparations of milk, or boiled vegetables; and to give gentle laxa- 

 tives, as castor oil, senna, small doses of purging salts, magnesia, and rhubarb. 

 If, imder such treatment, the discharge from the womb stops, if the pains 

 cease, and the sickness, headache, and constitutional symptoms are relieved, we 

 may hope that the woman will not part with her offspring, but bring it to the 

 full time. She must make up her mind to be in the reclining posture for some 

 time, and must consider herself as liable to be again affected by the same 

 symptoms and the same danger, if she uses the smallest liberty with herself. 



If the discharge, however, still continues, and if there is little likelihood 

 of the pregnancy going on, everything must be done to assist the woman in 

 the safe completion of the process. "We must introduce a soft cloth dipped in 

 oil into the birth, so as to fill the lower part of it. By this means the blood 

 has time to form into clots, and the contraction of the womb throws down the 

 embryo along with them. We should not hastily use any force by the hand 

 to bring it away; but the time when this may be done is to be left to the judg- 

 ment of the medical person in attendance. As the after-birth in the early 

 months bears a larger proportion to the contents of the womb than it does in 

 the later months, it is often retained long after the child is expelled; but it 

 must be remembered, that the womb will not contract till every thing is out 

 of it, and therefore the bleeding will continue till the after-birth is off. It may 

 happen to lie partly out of the womb, and if so, the practitioner is to attempt 



