The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and MotherNapheys, George H. (George Henry)
Science
The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and Mother
Napheys, George H. (George Henry)
Women -- Health and hygiene
The difficulty is, that so few people appreciate that to thoroughly
cleanse the skin, still more for the bath to have a medicinal effect, it
must be prolonged far beyond the usual time we allow it. The European
physicians, who, as a rule, attach much greater importance to this than
ourselves, require their patients to remain immersed two, three, four,
and occasionally even ten or twelve hours daily! This is said to have
most beneficial results; but who would attempt to introduce it in this
country?
Local cleanliness is of equal importance. This is obtained by means
of----
INJECTIONS AND IRRIGATIONS
of simple water, or of some infusion or solution. The use of the syringe
as an article of essential service in preserving the health of married
women should never be overlooked. Even when they are aware of no
tendency to weakness or unusual discharge, it should be employed once or
twice a week; and when there is debility or disease of the parts
actually present, it is often of the greatest service.
There are many varieties of female syringes now manufactured and sold,
some of which are quite worthless. Much the most convenient, cleanly,
and efficient is the self-injecting india-rubber syringe, which is
worked by means of a ball held in the hand, and which throws a constant
and powerful stream. They come neatly packed in boxes, occupying small
space, and readily transported from place to place. Much depends on
knowing how to apply them. The patient should be seated on the edge of a
low chair or stool with a hard seat, immediately over a basin. The tube
should then be introduced as far as possible without causing pain, and
the liquid should be thrown up for five or ten minutes. About one or two
quarts may be used of a temperature, in ordinary cases, a little lower
than that of the apartment. Water actually cold is by no means to be
recommended, in spite of what some physicians say to the contrary. It
unquestionably occasionally leads to those very evils which the
judicious use of the syringe is intended to avoid.
No fluid but water should be used in ordinary cases. When, however,
there is much discharge, a pinch of powdered alum can be dissolved in
the water; and when there is an unpleasant odor present, a sufficient
amount of solution of permanganate of potash may be added to the water,
to change it to a light pink color. This latter substance is most
admirable in removing all unpleasant odors; but it will stain the
clothing, and must on that account be employed with caution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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