178 DISEASES CLASS II. 2. 1. 17, 



with heat, tension, tumour, and pain of the lower belly. The 

 os uteri painful to the touch. Vomiting. This disease is ge- 

 nerally produced by improper management in the delivery of 

 pregnant women. I knew an unfortunate case, where the pla- 

 centa was left till the next day; and then an unskilful accouch- 

 eur introduced his hand 5 and forcibly tore it away; the conse- 

 quence was a most violent inflammatory fever, with hard throb- 

 bing pulse, great pain, very sizy blood, and the death of the pa- 

 tient. Some accoucheurs have had a practice of introducing 

 their hand into the uterus immediately after the birth of the 

 child, to take away the placenta; which they said was to save 

 time. Many women I believe have been victims to this unna- 

 tural practice. 



Others have received injury, where inflammation has beenr 

 beginning, by the universal practice of giving a large dose of 

 opium immediately on delivery, without any indication of its 

 propriety; which, though a proper #nd useful medicine, where 

 the patient is too feeble, when given in a small dose, as 10 

 drops of tincture of opium, or half a grain of solid opium, must 

 do a proportionate injury, when it is given improperly; and as 

 delivery is a natural process, it is certainly more wise to give no 

 medicines, except there be some morbid symptom, which re- 

 quires it; and which has only been introduced into custom by 

 the ill-employed activity of the priests or priestesses of LUCINA; 

 like the concomitant nonsense of cramming rue or rhubarb into 

 the mouth of the unfortunate young stranger, who is thus soon 

 made to experience the evils of life. See Class II. 1. 1. 12. 

 and I. 1. 2. 5. Just so some over-wise beldames force young 

 ducks and turkeys, as soon as they are hatched, to swallow a 

 pepper corn. 



M. M. Venesection repeatedly; diluents; fomentation; the 

 patient should be frequently raised up in bed for a short time, 

 to give opportunity of discharge to the putrid lochia; mucila-' 

 ginous clysters. See Febris Puerpera. 



17. Lumbago sensitiva. Sensitive lumbago. When the exten- 

 sive membranes, or ligaments, which cover the muscles of the 

 back are torpid, as in the cold paroxysm of ague, they are attend- 

 ed with pain in consequence of the inaction of the vessels which 

 compose them. When this inaction continues without a conse- 

 quent renewal or increase of activity, the disease becomes chroni- 

 cal, and forms the lumbago frigida, or irritativa, described in 

 Class I. 2. 4. 16. But when this cold fit or torpor of these 

 membranes, or ligaments or muscles of the back, is succeeded by 

 a hot fit, and consequent inflammation, a violent inflammatory 

 fever, with great pain, occur*, preventing the erect posture of 



