Caution in Use of Stimulants. — Another point ^n refer-
ence to this same subject may be mentioned. When stimulants
are advisable for illness, great care must be taken not only that
they are judiciously administered as to present quantity, but
that they are discontinued with regard to future consequences,
when no longer wanted for immediate requirements.
Lying-in Room. — Labor. — We assume for the purposes o^
the present work that there is no medical attendant at hand.
This state of things may and often does occur even in popu-
lous towns; it is, therefore, more likely to happen in new and
distant places beyond the reach of medical aid. The posses-
sion, therefore, of the knowledge what to do on such occasions
may be the source of the greatest possible comfort in an emer-
gency, and possibly the means of saving life. Influenced by
this conviction, then, we shall endeavor to lay down such sim-
ple rules as shall be found applicable by any one who may find
him or herself by imperious necessity called upon to act the
midwife's part. Happily, in healthy, well-made women, the
process of childbirth rarely terminates otherwise than safely.
The principal point during the progress of labor is to keep
the patient cheerful, and, as far as may be, divert her atten-
tion from the lapse of time. A light, but not starvation, diet
should be taken. A first labor is generally far longer in dura-
tion than subsequent ones. Indeed, second and third and sub-
sequent labors are often finished in a few minutes by two or
three pains. Twenty-four hours is not too long a time for a
natural first labor. It is not lequisite here to describe all the
stages of labor; suffice it to say, that there are certain promon-
itory symptoms, such as increased irritability of the bladder, a
sinking of the weight and bulk of the abdomen, and the occur-
rence of pains "such as have not been felt before," as they are
usually graphically and not incorrectly described. At this
period it is as well to administer a dose of castor-oil if the
bowels have not acted freely previously.
The "promonitory" pains, which at first are somewhat irreg-
ular in their character, become sooner or later changed into
more severe and more irregular periodical pains, at intervals
varying from five to ten minutes between, and are at some un-
certain time followed by a gush of "the waters." These p»*ns
288 MEDICINAL.
which occur generally in the back at first, gradually become
longer, and are seated more to the front in the abdomen, and
are more expulsive in character. Moderate allowance of stim-
ulants should be administered from time to time. A straining
effort to expel becomes unavoidable. The woman should then
lie on her left side on a bed properly guarded by a piece of
waterproof. A pillow placed between the knees will facilitate
the passage of the head into the world. The feet should be
fixed against the bedpost or footboard, to which, above the
feet, a rope or jack-towel has been affixed, so that with each
pain of the expulsive sort the patient may be enabled to bear
down the more effectively. This towel or rope should not be
used before expelling pains set in
Page 201
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Caution in Use of Stimulants. — Another point in reference to this same subject may be mentioned. When stimulants are advisable for illness, great care must be taken not only that they are judiciously administered as to present quantity, but that they are discontinued with regard to future consequences, when no longer wanted for immediate requirements.
Lying-in Room. — Labor. — We assume for the purposes of the present work that there is no medical attendant at hand. This state of things may and often does occur even in populous towns; it is, therefore, more likely to happen in new and distant places beyond the reach of medical aid. The possession, therefore, of the knowledge what to do on such occasions may be the source of the greatest possible comfort in an emergency, and possibly the means of saving life. Influenced by this conviction, then, we shall endeavor to lay down such simple rules as shall be found applicable by any one who may find him or herself by imperious necessity called upon to act the midwife's part. Happily, in healthy, well-made women, the process of childbirth rarely terminates otherwise than safely.
The principal point during the progress of labor is to keep the patient cheerful, and, as far as may be, divert her attention from the lapse of time. A light, but not starvation, diet should be taken. A first labor is generally far longer in duration than subsequent ones. Indeed, second and third and subsequent labors are often finished in a few minutes by two or three pains. Twenty-four hours is not too long a time for a natural first labor. It is not requisite here to describe all the stages of labor; suffice it to say, that there are certain promonitory symptoms, such as increased irritability of the bladder, a sinking of the weight and bulk of the abdomen, and the occurrence of pains "such as have not been felt before," as they are usually graphically and not incorrectly described. At this period it is as well to administer a dose of castor-oil if the bowels have not acted freely previously.
The "promonitory" pains, which at first are somewhat irregular in their character, become sooner or later changed into more severe and more irregular periodical pains, at intervals varying from five to ten minutes between, and are at some uncertain time followed by a gush of "the waters." These pains
which occur generally in the back at first, gradually become longer, and are seated more to the front in the abdomen, and are more expulsive in character. Moderate allowance of stimulants should be administered from time to time. A straining effort to expel becomes unavoidable. The woman should then lie on her left side on a bed properly guarded by a piece of waterproof. A pillow placed between the knees will facilitate the passage of the head into the world. The feet should be fixed against the bedpost or footboard, to which, above the feet, a rope or jack-towel has been affixed, so that with each pain of the expulsive sort the patient may be enabled to bear down the more effectively. This towel or rope should not be used before expelling pains set in