Part 37

Sec. 357. There are many Women whose Customs visit them without the slightest Impeachment of their Health: others are sensibly disordered on every Return of them; and to others again they are very tormenting, by the violent Cholics, of a longer or a shorter Duration, which precede or accompany them. I have known some of these violent Attacks last but some Minutes, and others which continued a few Hours. Nay some indeed have persisted for many Days, attended with Vomiting, Fainting, with Convulsions from excessive Pain, with Vomiting of Blood, Bleedings from the Nose, &c. which, in short, have brought them to the very Jaws of Death. So very dangerous a Situation requires the closest Attention; though, as it results from several and frequently very opposite Causes, it is impossible within the present Plan, to direct the Treatment that may be proper for each Individual. Some Women have the Unhappiness to be subject to these Symptoms every Month, from the first Appearance, to the final Termination, of these Discharges; except proper Remedies and Regimen, and sometimes a happy Child-birth, remove them. Others complain but now and then, every second, third, or fourth Month; and there are some again, who having suffered very severely during the first Months, or Years, after their first Eruptions, suffer no more afterwards. A fourth Number, after having had their Customs for a long Time, without the least Complaint, find themselves afflicted with cruel Pains, at every Return of them; if by Imprudence, or some inevitable Fatality, they have incurred any Cause, that has suppressed, diminished, or delayed them. This Consideration ought to suggest a proper Caution even to such, as generally undergo these Discharges, without Pain or Complaint: since all may be assured, that though they suffer no sensible Disorder at that Time, they are nevertheless more delicate, more impressible by extraneous Substances, more easily affected by the Passions of the Mind, and have also weaker Stomachs at these particular Periods.

Sec. 358. These Discharges may also be sometimes too profuse in Quantity, in which Case the Patients become obnoxious to very grievous Maladies; into the Discussion of which however I shall not enter here, as they are much less frequent than those, arising from a Suppression of them. Besides which, in such Cases, Recourse may be had to the Directions I shall give hereafter, when I treat of that Loss of Blood, which may be expedient, during the Course of Gravidation or Pregnancy. See Sec. 365.

Sec. 359. Finally, even when they are the most regular, after their Continuance for a pretty certain Number of Years (rarely exceeding thirty-five) they go off of their own Accord, and necessarily, between the Age of forty-five and fifty; sometimes even sooner, but seldom continuing longer: and this Crisis of their ceasing is generally a very troublesome, and often a very dangerous, one for the Sex.

Sec. 360. The Evils mentioned Sec. 352 may be prevented, by avoiding the Causes producing them; and, 1, by obliging young Maidens to use considerable Exercise; especially as soon as there is the least Reason to suspect the Approach of this Disorder, the Chlorosis, or Green Sickness.

2, By watching them carefully, that they eat nothing unwholesome or improper; as there are scarcely any natural Substances, even among such as are most improper for them, and the most distasteful, which have not sometimes been the Objects of their sickly, their unaccountable Cravings. Fat Aliments, Pastry, farinaceous or mealy, and sour and watery Foods are pernicious to them. Herb-Teas, which are frequently directed as a Medicine for them, are sufficient to throw them into the Disorder, by increasing that Relaxation of their Fibres, which is a principal Cause of it. If they must drink any such Infusions, as medicated Drinks, let them be taken cold: but the best Drink for them is Water, in which red hot Iron has been extinguished.

3, They must avoid hot sharp Medicines, and such as are solely intended to force down their Terms, which are frequently attended with very pernicious Consequences, and never do any good: and they are still the more hurtful, as the Patient is the younger.

4, If the Malady increases, it will be necessary to give them some Remedies; but these should not be Purges, nor consist of Diluters, and Decoctions of Herbs, of Salts, and a Heap of other useless and noxious Ingredients; but they should take Filings of Iron, which is the most certain Remedy in such Cases. These Filings Should be of true simple Iron, and not from Steel; and Care should be taken that it be not rusty, in which State it has very little Effect.

At the Beginning of this Distemper, and to young Girls, it is sufficient to give twenty Grains daily, enjoining due Exercise and a suitable Diet. When it prevails in a severer Degree, and the Patient is not so young, a Quarter of an Ounce may be safely ventured on: Certain Bitters or Aromatics may be advantageously joined to the Filings, which are numbered in the Appendix, 54, 55, 56, and constitute the most effectual Remedies in this Distemper, to be taken in the Form of Powder, of vinous Infusion, or of Electary. When there is a just Indication to bring down the Discharge, the vinous Infusion No. 55 must be given, and generally succeeds: but I must again repeat it (as it should carefully be considered) that the Stoppage or Obstruction of this Discharge is frequently the Effect, not the Cause, of this Disease; and that there should be no Attempt to force it down, which in such a Case, may sometimes prove more hurtful than beneficial; since it would naturally return of its own Accord, on the Recovery, and with the Strength, of the Patient: as their Return should follow that of perfect Health, and neither can precede Health, nor introduce it. There are some Cases particularly, in which it would be highly dangerous to use hot and active Medicines, such Cases for Instance, as are attended with some Degree of Fever, a frequent Coughing, a Haemorrhage, or Bleeding, with great Leanness and considerable Thirst: all which Complaints should be removed, before any hot Medicines are given to force this Evacuation, which many very ignorantly imagine cures all other female Disorders; an Error, that has prematurely occasioned the Loss of many Womens' Lives.

The French Word here, Opiat, is sometimes used by them for a compound Medicine of the Consistence of an Electary; and cannot be supposed, in this Place, to mean any Preparation, into which Opium enters. K.

Sec. 361. While the Patient is under a Course of these Medicines, she should not take any of those I have forbidden in the preceding Sections; and the Efficacy of these should also be furthered with proper Exercise. That in a Carriage is very healthy; Dancing is so too, provided it be not extended to an Excess. In Case of a Relapse in these Disorders, the Patient is to be treated, as if it were an original Attack.

Sec. 362. The other Sort of Obstructions described Sec. 354 requires a very different Treatment. Bleeding, which is hurtful in the former Sort, and the Use, or rather Abuse, of which has thrown several young Women into irrecoverable Weaknesses, has often removed this latter Species, as it were, in a Moment. Bathing of the Feet, the Powders No. 20, and Whey have frequently succeeded: but at other Times it is necessary to accommodate the Remedies and the Method to each particular Case, and to judge of it from its own peculiar Circumstances and Appearances.

Sec. 363. When these Evacuations naturally cease through Age (See Sec. 359) if they stop suddenly and all at once, and had formerly flowed very largely, Bleeding must, 1, necessarily be directed, and repeated every six, every four, or even every three Months.

2, The usual Quantity of Food should be somewhat diminished, especially of Flesh, of Eggs and of strong Drink.

3, Exercise should be increased.

4, The Patient should frequently take, in a Morning fasting, the Powder No. 24, which is very beneficial in such Cases; as it moderately increases the natural Excretions by Stool, Urine and Perspiration; and thence lessens that Quantity of Blood, which would otherwise superabound.

Nevertheless, should this total Cessation of the monthly Discharge be preceded by, or attended with, any extraordinary Loss of Blood, which is frequently the Case, Bleeding is not so necessary; but the Regimen and Powder just directed are very much so; to which the Purge No. 23 should now and then be joined, at moderate Intervals. The Use of astringent Medicines at this critical Time might dispose the Patient to a Cancer of the Womb.

Many Women die about this Age, as it is but too easy a Matter to injure them then; a Circumstance that should make them very cautious and prudent in the Medicines they recur to. On the other Hand it also frequently happens, that their Constitutions alter for the better, after this critical Time of Life; their Fibres grow stronger; they find themselves sensibly more hearty and hardy; many former slight Infirmities disappear, and they enjoy a healthy and happy old Age. I have known several who threw away their Spectacles at the Age of fifty-two, or fifty-three, which they had used five or six Years before.

The Regimen I have just directed, the Powder No. 24, and the Potion No. 32, agree very well in almost all inveterate Discharges (I speak of the female Peasantry) at whatever Time of Life.

Of Disorders attending Gravidation, or the Term of going with Child.

Sec. 364. Gravidation is generally a less ailing or unhealthy State in the Country, than in very populous Towns. Nevertheless Country Women are subject, as well as Citizens, to Pains of the Stomach, to vomiting in a Morning, to Head-ach and Tooth-ach; but these Complaints very commonly yield to Bleeding, which is almost the only Remedy necessary for pregnant Women.

Too great a Fulness of Blood is undoubtedly the Cause of all these Complaints; but as there are different Methods of opposing this Cause, the gentlest should always be preferred; nor should the Constitution become habituated to such Remedies, as might either impair the Strength of the Mother, or of her Fruit. Some Expedients therefore should be thought of, that may compensate for the Want of Bleeding, by enjoining proper Exercise in a clear Air, with a less nourishing, and a less juicy Diet. E. L.

This Note might have its Use sometimes, in the Cases of such delicate and hysterical, yet pregnant Women, as are apt to suffer from Bleeding, or any other Evacuation, though no ways immoderate. But it should have been considered, that Dr. Tissot was professedly writing here to hearty active Country Wives, who are very rarely thus constituted; and whom he might be unwilling to confuse with such multiplied Distinctions and Directions, as would very seldom be necessary, and might sometimes prevent them from doing what was so. Besides which, this Editor might have seen, our Author has hinted at such Cases very soon after. K.

Sec. 365. Sometimes after carrying too heavy Burthens; after too much or too violent Work; after receiving excessive Jolts, or having had a Fall, they are subject to violent Pains of the Loins, which extend down to their Thighs, and terminate quite at the Bottom of the Belly; and which commonly import, that they are in Danger of an Abortion, or Miscarrying.

To prevent this Consequence, which is always dangerous, they should, 1, immediately go to Bed; and if they have not a Mattrass, they should lie upon a Bed stuffed with Straw, a Feather-bed being very improper in such Cases. They should repose, or keep themselves quite still in this Situation for several Days, not stirring, and speaking as little as possible.

2, They should directly lose eight or nine Ounces of Blood from the Arm.

3, They should not eat Flesh, Flesh-broth, nor Eggs; but live solely on Soups made of farinaceous or mealy Substances.

4, They should take every two Hours half a Paper of the Powder No. 20; and should drink nothing but the Ptisan No. 2.

Some sanguine robust Women are very liable to miscarry at a certain Time, or Stage, of their Pregnancy. This may be obviated by their bleeding some Days before that Time approaches, and by their observing the Regimen I have advised. But this Method would avail very little for delicate Citizens, who miscarry from a very different Cause; and whose Abortions are to be prevented by a very different Treatment.