m DR. CHASE'S RECIPES. 



Convulsions, coming on during labor, are always alarming, and place 

 the patient's life in great danger. Should they occur before the arrival of the 

 medical attendant, no time should be lost in sending for him. In the meantime 

 all that the nurse can do is to keep her patient lying flat down; to see that there 

 is no ti(;ht clothing about her head and chest; to prevent biting the tongue by 

 pushing it, if possible, behind the teeth, and placing a cork or piece of India- 

 rubber between them; to admit plenty of fresh air into the room; and, lastly, 

 to restrain the meddlesome interference of bystanders. It is altogether worse 

 than useless to attempt to force water or stimulants down the throat while the 

 patient is struggling and unconscious; and although sprinkling the face with 

 water, rubbing the hands, and applying smelling salts to the nose, can do no 

 harm, it is more than doubtful whether they ever produce any benefit. When 

 the fit is over, should the medical attendant not have arrived, the nurse may 

 administer a soap-and-water enema with advantage. 



Fainting during labor should always lead to a suspicion that there is 

 iome loss of blood going on, and the medical attendant ought to be immedi- 

 ately summoned, even if there is no blood to be seen externally, for internal 

 bleeding may be going on, notwithstanding. The important point to remember 

 about fainting is, that the patient is on no account to be raised up, however 

 much she may desire it. The level posture, plenty of cool, fresh air, sprinkling 

 a little water on the face, and firm, steady pressure with the hand over the 

 uterus, comprise all that it is desirable for a nurse to do in the way of treat- 

 ment. If there is external hemorrhage, an endeavor must be made to con- 

 trol it in tlie manner described later on. 



Some women, who have previously borne children, suffer from a falling 

 forward of the womb, causing an unusual prominence of the lower part of the 

 abdomen. Such persons require to be put to bed at a very early stage of labor, 

 And should either be allowed to lie flat on the back, or be supported in the half- 

 iitting posture. The late Dr. Radford, of England, to whom I am indebted 

 for the recommendations contained in this paragraph, has recorded two fatal 

 cases in which this condition was present, and in each of which rupture of the 

 uterus took place at the very moment of the patient rising to her feet during 

 labor. 



He suggests that, in order that the uterus may be safely guided into, and 

 maintained in such a position as will facilitate labor, the nurse should, in all 

 such cases, put on a broad bandage at a very early period of the labor, and 

 dghten it as labor advances. After the membranes have ruptured and the 

 waters have been discharged, this bandage should be applied as follows: — The 

 end lying upon the bed is to be fastened to the side of the bed, so as to consti- 

 .tute a lixed point, while the other end is held obliquely by the nurse, and grad- 

 ually tightened as the child descends into the pelvis. The direction of the 

 pressure ^ill thus be slightly upwards as well as backwards. 



This mode of support, by what he terms a " regulating bandage," effectu- 

 ally assists the entrance of the child's head into the pelvis. 



