FLOODING. 373 



proved. In this respect, moreover, I am completely of accord with 

 Mesdames Boivin and Lachapelle. 



866. Nevertheless, the umbilical vessels, and their branches rami- 

 fying upon the foetal surface of the placenta, are sometimes subjected 

 to rupture; I am in possession of several examples of the kind; but 

 it is because they were previously in a diseased state, and that too 

 generally in the early periods of pregnancy. Then, the foetus dies 

 promptly, abortion takes place, and the hemorrhage is not discovered 

 until the ovum comes to be examined. I have very often found 

 embryos of six weeks, two months, &c., still enveloped in the mem- 

 branes, separated wholly or partially from their cord, close to which 

 were discovered one or more small clots of blood; at other times 

 small varicose or aneurismal sacs, sometimes upon the cord, some- 

 times upon the secondary divisions of its vessels, the walls of which 

 are exceedingly thin, and liable to be ruptured by the slightest effort. 

 In an after-birth at full term, I have seen some of these dilatations 

 that had been ruptured, and which communicated with a large clot 

 covering a part of the placenta, and which had not lacerated the 

 amnios; but it is easy to perceive that this kind of accident is but 

 indirectly similar to those spoken of by authors. 



867. Diagnosis. Uterine hemorrhages have certain common 

 symptoms and certain peculiar signs; among the general signs, there 

 are some which announce the approach of hemorrhage, and others 

 which accompany or succeed it. 



868. Precursory signs. Although in some women the flooding 

 appears on a sudden, and without any precursory symptoms, it is 

 not the less true that this accident is almost alw^ays preceded by a 

 more or less decided disorder of some function. Thus, one or more 

 hours, or one or even several days before the appearance of the 

 blood, the individual has a sense of uneasiness, restlessness in the 

 limbs, weight, fulness in the pelvis, alternate flushes and chills 

 throughout the body, and rather more thirst and less appetite than 

 common; flushes of heat ascend to her head; she has fits of giddiness, 

 and becomes much redder or paler than in her habitual state; the 

 pulse acquires strength, frequency, and quickness; there is, pretty 

 commonly, a degree of febrile action. 



869. Signs of flooding. When a quantity of blood sufficient to 

 excite alarm has flowed, the pulse loses somewhat of its strength and 

 hardness, soon becomes irregular and tremulous; the face grows pale 

 and the skin cooler; dimness of sight, ringing in the ears, and weak- 

 ness of the stomach, which induce the woman to ask for some kind 

 of aliment; yawning, pandiculation, nausea, lipothymia, syncope and 



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