RET 



frequently be introduced ; but it Ihould be of the flexible 

 fort. A curved inflexible one will alfo fometimes pafs, if 

 care be taken to keep its concavity turned towards the va- 

 gina. Rotating the catheter on its axis is here a particu- 

 larly ufeful plan. When the catheter cannot be paffed, 

 other means will fometimes anfwer for bringing about an 

 evacuation of the urine. In forae cafes, the water will begin 

 to flow out, when two fingers are introduced betwixt the 

 pubes and os tincae, and the latter part is preffed towards 

 the facrum. Sometimes prefling the os tineas downwards 

 with the finger ; on other oecalions, raifing the fundus utL-ri 

 backwards and upwards, by means of two ringers in the 

 vagina will have the defired effect. 



When the bladder cannot be emptied in this manner, nor 

 hy the catheter, and mould it be very much dittended, and 

 the reduction of the uterus attended with great difficulty, 

 there can be no doubt about the neceflity of puncturing the 

 bladder ; for the immediate and molt, urgent danger arifes 

 from the retention of urine, and, probably, the diilended 

 bladder is itfelf the chief impediment to the reduction of 

 the womb into its natural pofition. To thefe confiderations 

 we may add, that the paracentefis of the bladder has been 

 performed in thefe cafes with complete fuccefs. (Chefton 

 in Medical Communications, vol. ii.) The practitioner mult 

 alfo endeavour to empty the rectum by means of clyiters, 

 though, it mull be confefled, their application is always at- 

 tended with a degree of difficulty. 



The reduction of the retrovorted uterus is executed by 

 prefling with two fingers applied to trie fundus of this 

 vifcus. A principal obltacle to the fuccefs of the attempt 

 is caufed by the projection of the os facrum. Hence, it is 

 an indication of the greateft confequence to remove the 

 fundus of a retroverted uterus as far as poflible from that 

 bone, in order that the preceding fort of hindrance to the 

 reduction may be avoided. With this view the preffure of 

 the fingers fliould be fo directed as not to incline towards 

 the prominence of the facrum. During the operation, the 

 patient (hould reft upon her elbows and knees, as, in this 

 pofition, the uterus will be at a greater diftance from the 

 facrum. Richter difapproves of the plan, which fome 

 writers have recommended, and which confifls in introduc- 

 ing two fingers into the vagina, for the purpofe of reaching 

 and drawing downwards the os tinea;. He afierts, that 

 fuch part can feldom be reached, and, that if it could be 

 fo in a few inftances, it would not admit of being drawn 

 downwards, while the fundus is incapable of following in 

 the fame direction. Richter alfo ohferves, that the fundus 

 uteri is at this period the lefs likely to be reduced, becaufe 

 the fingers in the vagina have the effect of prefling it to- 

 wards the projection of the facrum. 



The preffure of the finger, whereby trie fundus uteri is 

 to be pufhed up, (hould be directed forwards and upwards 

 towards the navel. When the prellure is made directly up- 

 wards, the body of the uterus is forced againlt the projec- 

 tion of the facrum, and the attempt cannot polfibly fucceed. 

 "Indeed, when much force is excited, as is fometimes requi- 

 flte, preffure thus dirc&ed may do injury to the foetus and 

 the mother, and bring on abortion. It is advantageous to 

 introduce two lingers into the rectum, with their hacks to- 

 wards the facrum, and their infides towards the vagina ; for 

 they may then be ufed for keeping the uterus towarda the 

 navel. Perhaps it may likewife be advifeable to lay two 

 fingers on the abdomen above the pubes, m order to prevent 

 the os tincae from inclining upwards. Perhaps, alio, two 

 Rrfgei l, pafled into tl vagina, might be ufefully employed 

 in prefling the fundus uteri upwards. In difficult cafes, tlus_ 

 double kind of preffure might be abfolutely neceffary. It 



RET 



the retroverted uterus fhould not yield to the foregoing 

 practice, an endeavour may be made, at all events, to pulh 

 the difplaced vifcus upwards on one fide of the projection of 

 the facrum. 



In certain examples, it may be proper not to pafs the 

 fingers into the rectum, but merely into the vagina ; lit, be- 

 caufe we can thus more certainly and effectually make the 

 preffure act upon the uterus ; and zdly, becaufe, when the 

 poiterior parietes of the vagina are pufhed with the end of 

 the fingers towards the facrum, and the upper part of this 

 tube, fituated betwixt the fingers and the os tincae, is 

 itretched, the vagina acts upon the uterus in a manner par- 

 ticularly well calculated to promote the reduction. Not 

 more than two fingers, however, ought to be introduced, 

 as more have the effect of dilating the vagina laterally, and 

 preventing it from becoming tenfe in the longitudinal direc- 

 tion. Theden's Bemerkungen, 3 Sheil. 



When this method is adopted, the uterus in general be- 

 gins to yield at firlt flowly, and afterwards it fuddenly re- 

 turns into its natural fituation. Sometimes the tendency 

 to retroverfion is fo great, that the diforder recurs almoft 

 immediately after the reduction has been accomplifhed. In 

 this circumltance, the patient mult wear a peffary, until all 

 hazard of another retroverfion is removed by the increafe of 

 pregnancy. (Hunter in Medical Obfervations and En- 

 quiries, vol. iv.) Sometimes, when the bladder has been 

 very much diftended with urine during the continuance of a 

 retroverfion of the womb, a retention of urine from weak- 

 nefs of the bladder will remain after the reduction of the 

 uterus, and demand the ufe of the catheter. Richter's 

 Anfangfgrunde der Wundarzneykunft ; Hunter in Medical 

 Obfervations and Enquiries, vol. iv. ; Chelton, in Medical 

 Communications, &c. 



RETSCHITZ KardascH, in Geography, a town of 

 Bohemia, in the circle of Bechin ; 15 miles S.W. of 

 Tabor. 



Retschitz Rot, a town of Bohemia, in the circle of 

 Bechin ; five miles N. of Pilgram. 



RETTEN, a town of the duchy of Stiria ; 12 miles 

 W. of Friedburg. 



RETTERHEIM, a town of the duchy of Wurzburg, 

 infulated m Wertheim ; 16 miles W. of W'irzbiirg. 



RETTERSBACH, a town of the duchy of Wurz- 

 burg ; live miles S. of Gemunden. 



RETTERSWALD, a town of Pruflia, in Pomerelia ; 

 feven miles S.E. of Marienburg. 



RETTINGBERS, a town of Hindooltan, in Mysore ; 

 38 miles E. of Chitteldroog. N. lat. 14 5'. E. long. 



77" 4'- 



RETTLSTEIN, a town of Stiria, on the Muehr ; 



fix miles S.E. of Pruck. — Alfo, a mountain of Stiria ; 



eight miles E. of Pruck. 



RETTO, Ital. in Mufie, ftraight forward, dired, one 

 of the three movements of mulical notes or founds 111 me- 

 lody ; which are, nioto retto, molo contrario, and mo'.o obhquo. 

 Molo retto is, therefore, a regular afcent of the fcale, 

 or a part of it: as moving from the key-HOte to the 5th 

 through all the intermediate founds, in regular order ; as 

 edefg, &c. Another fpeci ol tvement feems want- 

 ing to cxprefs wide intervals, fuch as (kips or leaps beyond 

 the regular progrellion, which in Latin is expreffed by the 

 words ferfaUum, and in Italian either is, or might be, called 

 molo ilr falto. , , 



RETUERTO, in Geography, a town of Spain, in Old 

 Caltile ; is miles S. of Bui 



RETURN, Rr.ruKNA, or Retorna, mLaiv, hath divers 



acceptations. As, 



RriunN 



