30 OBSTETRICS. 



prolapsus after confinement it is particularly necessary. Bandages, 

 when they relieve, act by supporting the abdominal muscles, and 

 those of the back, hence they may be useful in women who have 

 borne many children, and in whom these muscles are much relaxed. 

 They can never be regarded as uterine supporters. In decided pro- 

 lapsus, and almost invariably in procidentia, mechanical support by 

 means of pessaries becomes necessary. These differ in shape 

 according to the end to be obtained, and the peculiar views of the 

 practitioner using them. The mode of introduction is as follows : 

 The patient being placed on her side or back, the long diameter of 

 the instrument is to be placed in accordance with the long diameter 

 of the lower outlet ; then gently introduced by steady pressure. 

 When fairly introduced it must be partially turned so as to place it 

 transversely across the pelvis and above the tubera ischii. The 

 globe pessary is more easily introduced and requires no turning. In 

 procidentia the uterus should be first returned, and then retained by 

 means of the pessary. In addition to these means the patient should 

 use cold injections, or hip-baths, astringent injections, rest, for a 

 season at least, tonics if her health be enfeebled, laxatives if the 

 bowels are constipated, and astringents if diarrhoea be present. It 

 has been proposed to cure the disease by cutting out part of the 

 vagina, or to produce cicatrices by caustic, which, by their contrac- 

 tion, shall support the uterus. 



GENERATION. 



By this term is understood, that function by which the species is 

 reproduced ; and it is effected by the union of the two sexes. There 

 are two principal theories of generation, viz.: that of epigenesis, in 

 which each parent contributes a part to the development of the new 

 being, and that of evolution, in which the mother supplies all the 

 material necessary to the development of the new being, the male 

 merely awakening the plastic powers resident in the female product. 

 The popular belief is that each parent supplies material ; the male, 

 the seminal fluid; the female, the ovum; that a union of these two 

 takes place, and from thence results the tertiuni quid, the new being. 

 A great point of difficulty is, as to where this union takes place ; 

 some contending that it is in the ovaries, others, that it occurs in the 

 uterus; the ovum having been previously discharged from the ovary, 

 meeting the male sperm at that place. The only point that seems 

 entirely settled, is the necessity of actual contact, mere aura not 

 being sufficient to effect fecundation. The immediate effect of this 

 contact, or of successful intercourse, is the production of great ex- 

 citement and vascular turgescence of the uterus, ovaries, and Fallo- 

 pian tubes, which lasts for some time. Afler fecundation has taken 

 place, both ovum and uterus undergo changes, the ovum developing 

 itself by its own plastic action upon the materials it derives from the 



