DISEASES CLASS 1.2. 1.12, 



opium, a grain every night. Steel. Bark. A blister. Topi- 

 cal aspersion with cold water, or cold vinegar. 



One cause of excessive menstruation, which sometimes recurs 

 monthly, and continues for a fortnight at each period, and is 

 succeeded by fluor albus during the intervals, I have suspected to 

 arise, like the bleeding piles, from enlargement of the liver, which 

 is liable to occur about the age of forty to those who have drunk 

 much strong small beer, or wine; or to those who have unfor- 

 tunately been long accustomed to the use of tight stays, or other 

 bandages round their bowels. In these situations 6 or 8 grains of 

 rhubarb should be taken every night for months, or even years. 

 Calomel,4 or 6 grains should be taken as a cathartic once a month. 

 A flannel dress on the legs, thighs, and lower body may be use- 

 ful in the cold season, but injurious in the warmer months. 

 Weak acid of vitriol ten drops, two or three times a day; steel 

 in very small quantity; and a very loose dress round the body; 

 are recommended. 



12. Dysmenorrhagia. A difficulty of menstruation attended 

 with pain. In this complaint the torpor of the uterine vessels, 

 which precedes menstruation, is by sympathy accompanied with 

 a torpor of the lumbar membranes, and consequent pain; and 

 frequently with cold extremities, and general debility. The 

 small quantity and difficulty of the discharge is owing to arterial 

 inactivity, as in chlorosis. Whence it happens, that chalybeate 

 medicines are of efficacy both to stop or prevent too great men- 

 struation, and to promote and increase deficient menstruation; 

 as the former is owing to irritability of the veins, and the lat- 

 ter of the arteries of the uterus. See Article IV. 2. 6. in the 

 Materia Medica. 



M. M. Opium, steel, pediluvium. Warm bath. 



IS. Lochianimia. Too great discharge after delivery. In that 

 unnatural practice of some hasty accoucheurs of introducing the 

 hand into the uterus immediately after the delivery of the child, 

 and forcibly bringing away the placenta, it frequently happens, 

 that a part of it is left behind; and the uterus, not having power 

 to exclude so small a portion of it, is prevented from com- 

 plete contraction, and a great haemorrhage ensues. In this cir- 

 cumstance a bandage with a thick compress on the lower part of 

 the belly, by appressing the sides of the uterus on the remaining 

 part of the placenta, is likely to check the haemorrhage, like the 

 application of a pledget of any soft substance on a bleeding vessel. 



In other cases the lochia continues too long, or in too great 

 quantity, owing to the deficiency of venous absorption. 



M. M. An enema. An opiate. A blister. Slight chalybe- 

 ates. Peruvian bark. Cloths dipped in cold vinegar and applied 



