The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in HygieneGalbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Science
The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in Hygiene
Galbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Women -- Health and hygiene
There are two forms of syringes on the market: the bag or fountain
syringe, which is hung up sufficiently high-- about three feet above
the patient-- to cause the water to flow; and the bulb syringe, in
which the bulb has to be constantly squeezed by the hand, which is
tiresome to many women, but this is a much more convenient form to
have in traveling. During pregnancy the fountain syringe only should
be used, and it should be hung as low as will enable the water to
flow. For a woman who has never taken douches it is well to begin with
a temperature of 110∞ F., gradually increasing the temperature to 118∞
or 120∞; this is as high as the woman should attempt to go, for a
higher temperature would burn her, leaving the vulva so sensitive that
she would only be able to take cool douches for a long time after
this; a bath thermometer should be used in all cases to test the
temperature, so that the woman knows exactly what she is doing.
In cases of inflammation of the uterus or its adnexa four quarts of
water should be used, and the douche should be taken in the horizontal
position. The water thus acts as a hot poultice about the uterus, and
the woman will find on rising that some water flows out from the
vagina. Ordinarily plain hot water is all that is necessary to use,
but where the discharge is acrid and scalding, the plain hot-water
douche should be followed by a warm douche containing one teaspoonful
of borax to a pint of water. The best time for taking a douche is at
night just before retiring; there is also less danger of taking cold
when the douche is taken at this time.
The scalding sensations at the vulva may be due to the acidity of the
urine, in which case it will be increased just after urination; or it
may be due to an acrid discharge from the vagina. A little observation
on the part of the patient will enable her to distinguish which is the
real cause. If there is any trouble with the urine, it should be
carefully examined at once, as some congestion or inflammation of the
kidneys is not infrequently present, which if attended to might be
cured, and which if allowed to run on unattended to, may develop into
a serious form of Bright's disease.
The genitals should be washed with soap and water night and morning.
Women who do not suffer from leuchorrhea need not take a vaginal
douche more than once a week; after the menstrual flow the vaginal
injection is advised to remove the detritus of the flow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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