The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopathy"Page 38 of 653discuss in this chapter not only the simple puerperal inflammatioof the tissues of the uterus, but likewise puerperal fever properspeaking, and shall, as far as possible, explain the differencesthese two diseases in the paragraph on the etiological causes.Simple puerperal metritis involves, it is true, most frequently tinternal lining of the uterus (endometritis), but usually likewisextends to the parenchyma, the veins and lymphatic vessels, andvery frequently to the peritonseum, although no specific etiologicause can be assigned for each of these different localizations.rhe disease originates more especially in the circumstances underwhich the act of parturition takes place. The inner lining of theuterus is very easily injured by the process of labor ; the placethe placenta adheres, is like an open sore ; the uterine involutieven in perfectly normal conditions, is attended with signs of loinflammatory action and a general febrile excitement. Hence, evenif the process of parturition takes place ever so normally, we hato carefully weigh every circumstance which the most trifling caumight kindle into an inflammatory affection. If, in addition tothis, we. have the effects of a tedious labor, perhaps an operatidetachment of the placenta, turning, etc., the uterus is so muchmore disposed to become inflamed, and the access of atmosphericair which cannot be kept out, increases this disposition by favorthe decomposition of the uterine secretion. This accounts for theMetritis Puerperalis. 85ease with which trifling causes sometimes exert the most nnfavorable influence upon women in confinement. Among these we placein the front rank emotions whether joyful or depressing ; excessiwarmth of the sick-room and bed-covering, with which a want ofcleanlinees almost always goes hand in hand ; stimulating beveragsuch as chamomile-tea and coftee ; and finally a cold, which, however, occurs much less frequently than is generally supposed, todetriment of lying-in women who are not only deprived of fresh aibut, being kept too warm, are made to perspire, and thus becomesensitive to the least exposure.True puerperal fever, under circumstances of which mention willbe made by and by, develops itself from the uterine infiammation,or else it originates without any such special cause. Various hyptheses have been resorted to in order to explain this perniciousmalady, but all these hypotheses are still unproven. What is certain is that the composition of the blood is altered, that exudattake place with a most decided tendency to suppuration, and thata general dissolution of the blood, as in typhus, is apt to occurseems as though this decomposition of the blood were not depending upon the puerperal condition, but may have existed alreadyprevious to confinement, which is inferred from the circumstancethat fever and various local symptoms are already perceived durinthe last few days or even weeks of pregnancy. That the composition of the blood is altered, is moreover evidenced by the circumstance that only such women are attacked as are constitutionallysickly or are exposed to want and oppressed with care and anxietyIf, as Scanzoni asserts, pulmonary tuberculosis is a protection apuerperal fever, the doctrine of dyscrasias would seem to be confirmed by such a fact.http://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt