This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1880 edition. Excerpt: ...is safer. 4. The best sulphuric ether is a safer anaesthetic than chloroform. 5. In the days before the use of anaesthetics, the Caesarean operation was safer than now, as there were no secondary anaesthetic effects. 6. The operation is not very painful after the skin has been incised; this is painful, and feels like burning with a hot wire. The stitching is the most severe. 7. To arrest uterine haemorrhage and prevent its return, suture the uterus with silver wire stitches. 8. Ice is a good remedy for exciting uterine contraction, and much safer than the persulphate or perchloride of iron. Vinegar is also a valuable excitant, and acts promptly. Ergot is a good preparative to avoid inertia. 9. The abdomen should be thoroughly cleared of all the blood and amniotic fluid which have escaped from the uterus during the operation. 10. Septic poisoning is apt to originate in the decomposition of matters that have escaped from the uterus, even when in small quantity. 11. Many women lose their lives through post-partum uterine relaxation, ending in haemorrhage. To avoid this, operate very early and without anaesthesia. In all late cases, suture the uterus with silver wire for safety. 12. Where the uterine drainage is not good, leave the lower part of the abdominal wound open, and syringe out the abdominal cavity with dilute liq. sodae chlorinat. fij to Oj, or bromo-chloralum one part to forty or fifty of warm water, daily. 13. Never use catgut for uterine sutures; as the knots become untied, the wound opens, and patient dies. 14. If the temperature of the room is high, the wound may be kept open until the uterus is safely contracted, all bleeding arrested, and parts cleansed. In one case the wound was not closed for an hour, and the patient...