CHAP. IV.
Of the immoderate Flux of the LOCHIA.
THE too copious and long lasting, or immoderate Flux of the Child-Bed Purgations, is no less Preternatural, than the former Case of their being altogether suppressed, or in part diminished. Tho’ it is however to be observ’d, that there can be no certain Quantity of flowing Blood, nor any certain Time of Duration of this Flux prefix’d or determined to the Puerperial Woman, as aforesaid: Wherefore the Excess of this Evacuation is best known by the Loss of Strength, sinking of the Spirits, and the great Uneasiness of the Patient.
THE Cause of this Distemper is, either 1st, a too great Plenty of the abounding Blood; or 2dly, its Tenuity and Acrimony stimulating Nature to Excretion; or 3dly, too great an Apertion of the Uterine Vessels; or 4thly and lastly, a violent Extraction of the AFTER-BIRTH: For the Flux of the LOCHIA proceeding meerly from the Separation of the Placenta from the Womb, the more strong and violent this Separation or Divulsion is, the more the Vessels in the Concave Part of the Womb are torn or dilacerated; and so being either too much opened, or too difficult to reconsolidate, they discharge Blood immoderately.
HENCE, I say, this immoderate FLOODING, is not only known by the great Quantities of BLOOD voided, by its Continuance, or by coming away in Clods, and much at a time; but also by the Loss of Strength, and a Defect of SPIRITS; upon which follows a low, debilitated and frequent PULSE; Loathing of VICTUALS; PAINS in the Hypochondriacks, with a Twisting of the GUTS, and Griping of the BELLY; a Dimness of SIGHT; a Hissing of the EARS; and at last Swoonings or Convulsions, proceeding from the Depauperation of the BLOOD: Which after an immoderate FLUX always disorders the SPIRITS, because when the Mass of it is much lessened, it cannot keep its due Mixture and Disposition.
IN this Case the true Prognostick is, that, if all immoderate Hæmorrhagies are dangerous; because by them, the Treasure of LIFE (the natural Heat) is exhausted: Then, without Controversy, the immoderate Flux of the Lochia, whether after Labour, or after a MISCARRIAGE, is full of Danger; as coming upon the PATIENT at a most unseasonable time, when her Strength is already spent.
THE Cure of this Distemper ought to be well-weigh’d, and very cautiously perform’d, because the definite Quantity of BLOOD to be evacuated cannot be well or certainly known: And because if any Part of That be stopped, which ought to be ejected, it of course flows to some other Part, and excites Inflammations or other heavy SYMPTOMS. Wherefore this is only, in the Beginning, to be corrected by proper DIET, and some other convenient light Means: But afterwards by repeated Venæ-Sections in the Arms, if Strength will permit; and proper Astringents inwardly taken, as well as outwardly applied; continuing always a Thickening, Cooling, and Astringent DIET: But farther yet, as the Patient grows weaker, she ought also to have some corroborative Remedies, to enable her to stand out the Cure. Fomentations for the lower Belly of Oxycrat, or an astringent Decoction; Fumigations of the same Decoction, or of hot Oxycrat, are very convenient and helpful on this Occasion, as are also astringent Injections.
BUT however sometimes, and not seldom, it happens, that this Case proceeds from the negligent or ignorant MIDWIFE, by her not duly cleansing the Womb; by which Means, some part (how small soever) of the SECUNDINE or Membrane, or some clotted BLOOD, or perhaps a MOLE, miscall’d a false Conception, may be left behind in the Womb; which distending that Body, occasions not only an immoderate Flux, but also stirs up violent Pains, not unlike to those of Labour: In this pitiful Condition, all possible Diligence must be prudently used to fetch away and remove this Cause, which is only most effectually to be done by the Hand-Cure, in the manner already abundantly set forth.
AFTER which, the PATIENT is to be treated as before, laying her equally flat upon her Back, and keeping her very still and quiet in Bed; which Bed may however in this Case be kept a little Cool, as well as her Chamber, lest Heat should provoke and continue the Course of the Flux.
MOREOVER, in fine, it also sometimes happens, that immoderate Purgations proceed from some gross Excrements contain’d in the Rectum antecedent to the Time of Labour; which, as they puff up the Belly, so they also commonly occasion severe Cholicks; but these being discreetly evacuated by a pretty strong emollient Clyster, the Flooding immediately ceases.