LETTER III.. Of Menstruation.

OF MENSTRUATION.

The Menses—Names—Source—Commencement—Periodicity—Nature—Quantity of the Menstrual Discharge.

In my last letter, speaking of the menstrual discharge in females, I omitted to mention the several names and expressions by which the function is known. Those by which it is more commonly designated are “menses” (meaning a month), monthlies, monthly discharge, show, being regular, regular discharge, flowers, turns, monthly turns, regular periods, monthly periods, courses, monthly courses, catamenia, catamenial discharge, etc. We read in the Bible that Rachel said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee, for the custom of women is upon me.” And we also read of Sarah, that a son was promised to her when “she was old and well stricken in age, and when it had ceased to be with her after the manner of women.”

Menstruation, then, commences at puberty and ceases with fecundity, and generally during the period of giving suck. As a general fact, women who experience no menstruation can never bear children.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE MENSTRUAL DISCHARGE.

This is usually preceded by more or less disturbance of the general system. There may be a general excitement or a depression, or the two in alternation. There is often experienced a sense of weight in the loins, accompanied sometimes by a feeling of tension in the epigastrium, or pit of the stomach, with pain in different parts of the body. There is also general uneasiness, lassitude of the body, and irritableness of the temper and feelings. With these symptoms, a mucous discharge, more or less yellow, takes place. This, after a time, becomes streaked with blood; yet many experience no particular symptoms at this time, and such, doubtless, would generally be the case were the laws of life and health habitually obeyed. In general, menstruation does not become regular until after some months have elapsed from its commencement.

The health should be carefully guarded at the coming on of menstruation. Perhaps at no one period of woman’s life is attention to the laws of health more requisite than here. A little mismanagement may now lay the foundation for life-long suffering and disease.

Bathing, a full share of exercise in the open air, particular attention to diet, and, in short, all the hygienic means that can be brought to bear in keeping up a good condition of the general health, is the course to be pursued. Cheerfulness, contentment, and a pleasing frame of mind, are very desirable at this time. Severe study and unpleasant discourse, of whatever kind, should not now be undertaken.

Neither should parents be too tender of their daughters at this period. Especially should the reading of novels and books of an exciting nature, the attendance of balls, parties, theaters, etc., be avoided; and persons of whatever sex should be particularly careful to treat those of this age with the utmost kindness in every respect. One unkind look, one harsh expression, or one angry word from a parent or near friend, may be the means of affecting severely the individual’s health.

It has been a question with some, as to whether menstruation is strictly a natural function to the human system. So far as we know, it has occurred in all climates and in all periods of time. We read in the Levitical law, “If a woman have an issue of blood in her flesh, that she be put away seven days, and that whoever toucheth her shall be unclean.” The cases of Rachel and of Sarah every one may recollect. Naturalists tell us, too, that some of the monkey tribes, or species of animals nearest resembling man, have symptoms of this kind. Still there have been those who believed that this function has come upon the human race in consequence of great and long-continued physical transgressions, continued, perhaps, through ages and ages, until at length it took on the form of an apparently natural function.

SOURCE OF THE MENSES.

From whence comes the menstrual discharge? This has been a question which has caused a good deal of dispute on the part of some.

The majority of writers, of all ages, agree in regarding the menstrual flow as coming from the womb; yet some have held that it issues only from the vagina and more external parts. This latter supposition cannot hold good except, possibly, now and then, as an exception to the general rule. Blood may exude from any part of the body, from the vagina and external organs of generation, as well as from the womb. But this organ, beyond doubt, is the great and principal source of the menstrual discharge.

PERIODICITY.

The periodicity of this function is remarkable. With those who are regular, menstruation occurs every twenty-eight or twenty-nine days, or once a lunar month. There is, however, considerable variation from this rule. Some having menstruation twice a year appear to enjoy very good health. Some have asserted that the frequency of menstruation varies considerably according to climate. Linnæus, it seems, saw women in Lapland who menstruated about once a year. Dr. Denman speaks of the inhabitants of Lapland, where women do not menstruate till they arrive at mature age, and then only in small quantities and at long intervals, and sometimes only in summer. But if they do not menstruate according to the genius of their country, it is said they suffer equal inconvenience, as in warmer climates, where the quantity discharged is much greater and the period shorter.

NATURE OF THE MENSTRUAL DISCHARGE.

The question as to the nature of the menstrual discharge, has attracted a good deal of attention among physiologists and others. Savage nations, and perhaps some others in the world who would claim a higher place in the range of human civilization and improvement, have entertained singular notions concerning it.

Superstition has been carried so far in this matter, that if a man should meet with the great misfortune of dropping his pipe, and breaking it, the accident would be imputed to its having been lighted at the hut of a female who was at the time menstruating.

So, also, it has been regarded that if a woman, during this period, should walk three times around a garden, all the flowers would be destroyed, and the caterpillars killed in it.

A North American Indian, according to Dr. Gooch, said that if the saliva of a menstruating virgin were applied to the bronchocele of a male, it would cure it.

Every one has read the strict regulations recorded in the Old Testament concerning this function. Thus in the Levitical law we read:

“And if a woman shall have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days; and whoever toucheth her, shall be unclean until the evening.

“And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.

“And whoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

“And whoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon, shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

“And if it be on her bed, or on any thing on which she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the evening.

“And if any man shall lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed on which he lieth shall be unclean.

“And if the woman shall have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it shall run beyond the time of her separation, all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

“Every bed on which she lieth all the days of her issue shall be to her as the bed of her separation; and whatever she sitteth upon shall be unclean as the uncleanness of her separation.

“And whoever touches those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

“But if she shall be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.”

Thus we see how particular, in regard to the menstrual function, were those good old people of the Mosaic time. No doubt many at this enlightened age would say that they carried things to an extreme.

I cannot but think, however, that it would be a great improvement if our modern ladies, some of them, at least, would be one half as careful in regard to cleanliness as the Jewish people were.

The Romans believed the menstrual fluid to be endowed with the most noxious qualities. It was, in short, regarded as a dangerous poison, the exhalations of which alone are sufficient to turn all the sauces of a whole kitchen, the cheeses of a whole dairy, and make a whole family sick, and wilt all the flowers of a parterre.

If the ancients went to an extreme on one side in this matter, there is, perhaps, equal danger with the moderns of going quite as far in the opposite way. Certain it is, that too great pains cannot be taken in reference to this period. It is generally true that old proverbs have at least some truth on which they were originally founded. There was wisdom in the Levitical law, so strict in regard to the purification of women at this period.

Does the menstrual discharge consist of blood? This is a question concerning which physiologists, both ancient and modern, have put forth many speculations, and many experiments have been instituted to settle the matter.

Hippocrates regarded the menstrual fluid like the blood of a slaughtered animal, or, in other words, blood.

Aristotle was of the same notion, comparing it to the blood which flows from a simple wound. It may be a question whether pure blood is discharged; but that the fluid contains the most important properties of blood, is a fact settled beyond dispute.

QUANTITY.

The quantity of menstrual discharge has been a matter of inquiry on the part of medical men.

It would be a very difficult task, if indeed, not impossible, to determine in any given case the precise amount of menstrual fluid discharged at a single period. An approximation to the general rule is all that can be reasonably looked for in investigations of this kind.

In cold regions, the discharge is more scanty; in hot, more profuse; and in temperate climates, a medium quantity is observed.

Dr. Gooch, in his “Treatise on Midwifery,” quotes De Haen as having made inquiries among poor women, who told him that they used only one cloth at the period, which, when wet, was dried, and then applied again. He then took a similar napkin, dipped it in blood, dried it, and applied the same. This experiment he tried repeatedly, and from it he deduced that from four to eight ounces, rarely ten, and most commonly about six, of the menstrual fluid, are lost at each period.

When we consider the great difficulty in ascertaining accurately the amount of menstrual fluid at a given period, and the great show which a comparatively small quantity of blood or menstrual fluid makes upon white, or light-colored clothing, it is not at all surprising that observers should have varied so much in regard to the true amount.

Hippocrates believed that the Greek women lost twenty pounds of blood at each menstrual period.

Galen estimated the quantity at eighteen ounces.

Haller computed it at six, eight, or twelve ounces for the German women.

According to Smellie it amounts to four ounces.

Astruc says that in England it varies from eight to ten ounces.

Magendie thinks it is often very great among the French women, and may amount to several pounds.

It need hardly be said that the quantity of menstrual discharge often varies greatly in the same individual according to the condition of health, general habits, and a variety of circumstances too numerous to mention. It may be so slight as to be scarcely perceivable, or, on the other hand, it may be so very profuse as to amount to several pounds.

I have no doubt but that the amount of this discharge varies a good deal with the same person at different times, and that, even, when the health is good. At all events, I advise you to take no trouble in reference to it, provided you can manage to keep clear of pain and other derangement of the general health. Keep up a good degree of strength, observing, at the same time, all good hygienic rules, and you have nothing to fear in regard to the quantity of blood you may lose. In other words, take good care of the system, and the system will take good care of itself.

In the next, I shall speak of an important matter connected with this subject. I refer to what is termed the change of life, or the period at which the menstrual function ceases. I need not add that this is a matter of importance to each and all of you, for I am persuaded that you already regard it as such.