INDUCED ABORTION. — It is seldom necessary to induce abortion during the earlier months of pregnancy, as the dis orders occasionally rendering this step obligatory are frequently amenable to other measures. The most important conditions that may necessitate this step are incoercible vomiting, heart disease threatening life, and serious hydramnios.
Many drugs—such as saffron, tansy, wormwood, cinnamon, horehound, etc. —generally considered as capable of provoking expulsion of the foetus, are practically without effect, while more powerful agents—such as rue (Kula grareolens), savin, red cedar, Arbor vilce, and yew—are only active when giving rise simultaneously to dangerous general symptoms. In women predisposed to abortion, however, all these drugs, be sides others previously mentioned, are capable of exciting expulsive contrac tions of the uterus.
The means for the purpose are, briefly. catheterization of the uterus, injections between the uterus and ovum, mechan ical dilatation of the cervix, the vaginal tampon or douche, and electricity.
It is important to bear in mind, in this connection, that a physician should never perform abortion without one or more consultants.
A new method of producing abortion: A curved silver catheter, 2 millimetres in diameter, is passed to the fundus uteri. A syringe, with a capacity of about 4 grammes, is attached to the catheter, and by it 3 grammes of tinct ure of iodine are injected into the uterine cavity. The catheter is now
removed. and a tampon placed against the cervix to prevent the iodine from coming in contact with the vagina. This method is uniformly successful and quite free from danger. The abortion occurs within two or three days. The iodine penetrates and destroys the em bryo, while its antiseptic properties are a safeguard against sepsis. Oelschlager (Edinburgh Aled. •our.; from Centralb. f. Gyniik., No. 27, 1901).
The electric current is a safe means when artificial abortion is necessary. The patient is placed on a table or gymecological chair, the external geni tals and the vagina are washed with a. solution of fo•malin or Lysol and soap, the cervix exposed by a speculum, and the canal cleansed by means of pledgets of cotton saturated in a 2-per-cent. solution of lysol. Apostoli's bipolar electrode is then introduced in such a manner that the platinum end of the second attachment is seen around the external os. A constant current is ap plied and gradually increased from 50 to 75 and even 100 milliamperes, for fifteen minutes. At the end of this time the electrode is removed and the cervix and vaginal portion of the uterus swabbed with a 2-per-cent. solution of lysol. Three applications are usually sufficient to insure success. 114. Mironoff (1'hila. Ned. dour.; from .Jour. Akouseherstwa i Zshenskick Boleznei, No. 12, 1901).