INNERVATION OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS 583 



The cliaiacteiistic changes which occur in tlie hieasts in connection 

 witli the secretion of milk are described in the next cha])ter. 



The ([uantity of urine passed during the first two daj's of the 

 puerpei'inni is generally above the average. The uiine freipiently 

 contains sugar, whicli may be either glucose or lactose. In the latter 

 case it is generally belie\'ed that the sugar has lieen aljsorbed into the 

 circulation from the changed mammai'y glands. When glyc(jsuria 

 occurs, it is probably comparable to post-operative glycosuria (see 

 p. 539 and pp. ti02-G04). Albumen may also lie present in the urine 

 in the first days of the puerperium. It is stated further that there 

 is an increase in the amount of acetone ^ (see also p. .53.j), 



As mentioned above, a marked leucocytosis occurs during lal)our. 

 According to Hofbauer/ this becomes still more promauiced dui'ing 

 the first twelve hours of the puerperiimi, after which the number of 

 leucocytes in the lilood falls again and in a short time becomes 



Fig. IfciO. — Viiginal externa] os 

 (human). (From Williams' 

 ()hstetrii:t. Appleton & Co.) 



Fig. 161. — Parou.s external os 

 (human). (From Williams' 

 Ohstetfii's. Appleton & Co.) 



normal. Henderson ■' states that on the fifth day the average number 

 of leucocytes per culjic millimetre is 12,000, whereas innnediately 

 after parturition it is 21,000, as compared with about 8000 in a normal 

 woman. It is stated that there is a diminution in the nundjer of red 

 corpuscles during the first days of the puerperium, a circumstance 

 which is commonly a.scribed to the loss of lilood at delivery and the 

 lochial discharge. It is also said that the amount of luemoglobin is 

 reduced, and that there is a relative increase in the quantit}' of filiriu 

 and seium. Experiments show, liowevei-, that tliere is no appi'eciable 

 shortening in the coagulation-time of the blood, such as has been 

 supposed to account for the tlirombosis of the sinuses.* 



Tlie pulse rate during the early days of the puerperium is usually 



' iScholten, " Ueber Puerpeiule Acetonurie," Hegar's li'fitriig:^ inr (Icli. mid 

 (liliiiik., vol. iii., 1900. 



- Hofbauei', "Zur Physiologie des Puerperiums," J/"//"^-.'.-''///'. /'. (lehiirt. und 

 (aiIHuI:, vol. v., 1M97. 



■' Henderson, "Observations on the Maternal Blood at Term and during 

 the P\ierperium," ■four, nf Olistnt. and Gynn'r.^ vol. i., 1902. 



■' Longridge, Inc. i-it. 



