Southern Medical and Surgical Journal - Georgia Regents University

—778 On Suppression of the Menstrual Discharge. [November,no conceivable motive existed for deception on the part of eitherhim or his mother. I have, therefore, myself no doubt whateverof the fact I have stated. Both this case and the two immediatelypreceding it were communicated at the time to the BorderMedical Society; so, although the cases occurred many yearsago, I am quite confident of the accuracy of the facts I have detailed.And I hope they may be deemed sufficiently interestingto deserve a place in a more permanent record. [EdinburghMed. Jour., and Boston Med. and Surg. Jour.Epilepsy succeeding a Suppression of the Menstrual Discharge,Cured bg the Supervention of Dysentery, and the Restoration ofthe Catatnenia. By Sampson Eagon, M. D., of Bot. County,Va.Miss T. R, set. 17, had the menstrual function established at15, and it continued normally until the 17th year, when fromexposure of the feet to moisture and cold at one of the periods,the catamenial discharge was arrested. For several periods shesuffered the ordinary pain and discomfort of amenorrhcea, andat the fourth month of amenorrhceal suffering, she was attackedwith epilepsy ; I was at this period called to see her. After anunsuccessful effort to re-stablish the catamenial flux, (it being aperiod,) the patient was put upon treatment for epilepsy, thetreatment consisting principally in the use of tonics, antispasmodics,revellents, and emmenagogues. The epileptic convulsions,however, continued to recur with undiminished violence,notwithstanding the treatment was assiduously persevered infor more than twelve months. The argent, nitras, several ofthe salts of iron and copper, as well as sulphate of quinia, weregiven a fair trial, but without decided benefit.The paroxysms in this case were of the most violent character,and lasted for several hours, night and morning of eachday. After having fairly tested the virtues of the most popularanti-epileptic means in the case, with so little success, Dr.Woodson, (the consulting physician,) and myself abandoned allhope of relieving her. In July, 1858, dysentery became epidemicin her locality, with which disease she was attacked in asevere form. Having been called again to the patient at thisperiod, and hoping now that the constant tenesmus and irritationof the large intestine might extend by contiguous sympathyto the torpid uterus, I was careful not to arrest the dysentericdischarge too hastily, prescribing only a half grain of opium,with two of the mild chloride of mercury, repeated every eighthours. On the second day, I learned from the patient's mother,that the menstrual discharge was regularly flowing, and I found