244 THE FCETUS. 



womb is not sufficiently permeable, or too dense to dilate in pro- 

 portion to the wants of the ovum; then one miscarriage must ne- 

 cessarily diminish this abnormal rigidity a little; a second one dimi- 

 nishes it still more; and finally, a third or a fourth may completely 

 overcome it so as at last to render it possible for the woman to con- 

 duct the fostus to delivery at full term. 



Treatment. The practitioner should turn his attention to the pre- 

 vention of miscarriage, for when it has once commenced, all he has 

 to do is to hasten its termination. 



629. The preservative treatment must necessarily vary according 

 to the nature of the determining causes we have to remove or com- 

 bat: if the woman is irritable and very sensible, we must do all in 

 our power to protect her from moral commotions; she should be 

 kept out of large cities; travelling should be recommended to her 

 for change of scene, &c. Those who are weakly and lymphatic, 

 should follow an analeptic regimen, and keep quiet, or at least en- 

 gage only in agreeable exercise: in some cases a tonic medicine may 

 be administered. Should there be a disease of the uterus or of 

 some other organ, its nature should be carefully inquired into, so as 

 lo apply the suitable remedy. When signs of plethora or of con- 

 gestion are present, blood is to be taken from the arm, which may 

 be repeated once or oftener if circumstances require it, particularly 

 in women in whom each menstrual period is marked by an evident 

 molimen. 



Bleeding is certainly one of the best means of preventing abor- 

 tion; but it would be dangerous to conclude with the vulgar, that 

 it is useful in all pregnancies indiscriminately; where no particular 

 circumstance calls for it, it may be injurious to pregnant women as 

 well as to other persons, and too much fault cannot be found with 

 the habit that some fall into of being bled once or twice during their 

 pregnancy without knowing whether there is any real need for it 

 or not.* * 



630. As soon as the signs of abortion become manifest we ought 

 to act in the manner I shall point out in the article on uterine he- 

 morrhagies; in general the most absolute rest, horizontal posture, 

 cold acidulous drinks, external revulsives, applications of ice itself, 



* Dr. Pliysick told me that he was accustomed to order an anodyne enema 

 every night at bed time for such of his patients as were prone to abortion. Fifty 

 drops of landanum and a wineglassful of flaxseed tea was thrown into the rec- 

 tum regularly at night, with a view to obviate any too great tendency to uterine' 

 contraction. I have in several instances happily succeeded in conducting tlie 

 woman to full term by this method of treatment — I have also sometimes found 

 it to fail.— M. 



