Once the discharge has been fully established it should return at the regular periods during the whole of the child - bearing epoch. It is, however, interrupted by pregnancy, and does not, as a general rule, occur during suckling. Its disappearance under any other circum stances is to be regarded as a disturbance of health, which will probably be attended by other symptoms also.
The Duration of each Illness varies in different persons. According to one authority the most common length of time is eight days, then three, and then four. The quantity of discharge during one period it is also impossible to state with definiteness. From 2 to 6 ounces may be stated as extremes which are within the limit of health. Any larger quantity should lead one to seek competent advice. While four weeks is the usual time that elapses from the beginning of one illness to the beginning of the next, there are variations quite consistent with health. One woman may "alter" every three weeks, and another only every six weeks. All departures from what is stated to he the general rule are to be judged by the custom of each per son and by the condition of her general health.
The Change of the age of forty five or thereby, earlier or later in different individuals, the regular periodical illnesses begin to cease. They rarely cease at once, but
become irregular. The "illness" returns at irregular intervals, and gradually the discharge diminishes in amount. It also greatly varies, being at one time scanty and at another very profuse, till it finally ceases. The womb at this time becomes smaller in size, and the ovaries shrivel rapidly. At this time the woman is in an unstable condition of health, and liable to many minor ailments, and also to some more serious. She is liable to headache, flushings of the face, and disturbances of the digestive and nervous systems. When this period is safely past, however, a time of good health may be looked forward to with some confidence.
This period in a woman's life is also called the climacteric, and also menopause.
Vicarious is the term which has been applied to a discharge of blood coming periodically from some part of the body other than the womb, and taking the place of that discharge, which is absent or very scanty. Instances of such menstruation are not very common. But there have been cases in which bleeding from the lungs, stomach, nose, &c., occurred at the usual period, and seemed to be the means of relieving the system when the ordinary discharge was wanting or scanty.