The condition of the parts is very much that of an inflamed and swollen throat. The lining membrane is swollen and congested, and the discharge proceeds from the glands which exist in it in enormous numbers, just as from a swollen and inflamed throat there proceeds excessive " deflu xion." The Inflammation of the Lining Mem brane of the Body of the Womb is attended by discharge similar to the other, but in greater amount, and disturbances of the monthly ill ness—irregularity, excess, or diminution—are more common. Marked nervous symptoms are often produced by it. The person is fretful and despondent, may suffer from frequent headache, limited to the top of the head, and from other pains, resembling neuralgia, and the dragging pain in the back is very marked. But any difference in symptoms is rather one of degree than of kind.
A not uncommon cause of this condition is sudden stoppage of the monthly flow from cold and the irritation of matters retained in the womb after confinement or miscarriage.
General Treatment of Uterine Inflam is unnecessary to give a detailed account of the treatment necessary for each variety of these uterine affections. The general line of treatment for all will be pretty fully stated. What has been said about the causes of these affections is sufficient to show that there can be no rough-and-ready or " rule-of thumb " procedure in dealing with it. If the condition be mainly caused by a bad state of general health, it cannot be supposed that ap plications to the affected parts will cure it while the general bad health remains. Even though such a cause has not been at work in its pro duction, the disease cannot have lasted any time without inducing some degree of had health, which will stand in the way of a cure. Then if a displacement of the womb is the cause of the inflammatory process, nothing short of restoring the organ to its proper posi tion can be expected to promote a permanent recovery. A mother who suckles her child beyond the necessary period, and suffers from some disorder of the womb, cannot expect to cure by injections what is maintained by the drain upon her system of prolonged nursing. So with other causes. Now, it would be the business of a medical man, well acquainted with such conditions, to determine the cause at work in each particular case, and to apply his treatment accordingly. It is plain, there fore, that it is really quite impossible to state definite plan of treatment which a patient might herself adopt with good prospect of recovery from her trouble. The best advice that could be given would be to place herself under the care of a physician from whom she might confidently hope to receive skilful and conscientious treatment. At the same time it is only right to state some simple means of treatment which a patient may herself adopt, when skilled advice may be for the time beyond her reach—some means which cannot be hurtful no matter what may be the exact cause of the disorder, and which will give some relief in most cases, and in some may be suffi cient for a cure.
The first thing, then, to be done is to restore, if possible, a good measure of general health.
The means to that end are good food of suffi cient quantity and easily digested, the regula tion of the bowels, avoidance of overwork and excitement of any kind, a fair amount of exer cise, exercise short of fatigue, and plenty of fresh air—sea-air is specially beneficial. Con cerning food the mistake must not be made of living on slops, corn-flour, arrow-root, and foods of that kind mainly. Milk should bulk largely in the diet, but also other animal foods, soups, eggs, fish, and a fair daily supply of butcher-meat. A great many women make a grievous mistake in avoiding as much as pos sible such animal foods, and half-starving themselves on sloppy diet. For the regulation of the bowels nothing is better than a wine glassful or thereby of the Hunyadi Janos mineral water taken the first thing in the morning. Over and above this some quinine and iron tonic will be of much value in de pressed states of health.
As regards applications to the affected parts one thing can be very strongly advised, namely, the use of hot-water injections. To obtain the full benefit they must be given in the way to be described. The patient lies across the bed, a pillow under the back to raise the hips, the feet resting on chairs. A piece of mackintosh cloth is placed under her, and arranged to cause water to flow off into a pan at the side of the bed. The injection is given by someone assisting her. About one gallon of hot water should be used, water comfortably warm to the hand, by the thermometer about Fahrenheit. A vaginal douche (Plate XXXII) is employed, ending in a nozzle of glass about 6 inches long. The end of this tube should not have a single opening at its point. It should end in a blunt form, and several openings should exist round it. The douche being properly filled and in good work ing order, the glass end is passed into the passage gently near the back wall and directed backwards. It should be passed in as far as it can easily slip, and then the water should be caused to flow steadily and slowly. Owing to the hips being raised the passage will become filled with the hot water before any flows out, and this is what is desired by the method. At the same time care must be taken that there is no obstacle to the free escape of the water as soon as it has filled the passage. The douche should be given in this way at bed-time, every night or every second night. A. little patience will render it comparatively easy, and the patient will speedily discover the ease and corn fort it affords. If there is any insuperable difficulty in giving it in this way, the patient must content herself by using an enema syringe while she sits over a pan or bath, but the water should be used at the same heat.