登陆注册
5228800000048

第48章 II(32)

A writer in the "New York Medical and Physical Journal" for October, 1829, in speaking of the occurrence of puerperal fever, confined to one man's practice, remarks, "We have known cases of this kind occur, though rarely, in New York."

I mention these little hints about the occurrence of such cases, partly because they are the first I have met with in American medical literature, but more especially because they serve to remind us that behind the fearful array of published facts there lies a dark list of similar events, unwritten in the records of science, but long remembered by many a desolated fireside.

Certainly nothing can be more open and explicit than the account given by Dr. Peirson of Salem, of the cases seen by him. In the first nineteen days of January, 1829, he had five consecutive cases of puerperal fever, every patient he attended being attacked, and the three first cases proving fatal. In March of the same year he had two moderate cases, in June, another case, and in July, another, which proved fatal. "Up to this period," he remarks, "I am not informed that a single case had occurred in the practice of any other physician. Since that period I have had no fatal case in my practice, although I have had several dangerous cases. I have attended in all twenty cases of this disease, of which four have been fatal. I am not aware that there has been any other case in the town of distinct puerperal peritonitis, although I am willing to admit my information may be very defective on this point. I have been told of some I 'mixed cases,' and 'morbid affections after delivery.'"

In the "Quarterly Summary of the Transactions of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia" may be found some most extraordinary developments respecting a series of cases occurring in the practice of a member of that body.

Dr. Condie called the attention of the Society to the prevalence, at the present time, of puerperal fever of a peculiarly insidious and malignant character. "In the practice of one gentleman extensively engaged as an obstetrician, nearly every female he has attended in confinement, during several weeks past, within the above limits" (the southern sections and neighboring districts), "had been attacked by the fever."

"An important query presents itself, the Doctor observed, in reference to the particular form of fever now prevalent. Is it, namely, capable of being propagated by contagion, and is a physician who has been in attendance upon a case of the disease warranted in continuing, without interruption, his practice as an obstetrician?

Dr. C., although not a believer in the contagious character of many of those affections generally supposed to be propagated in this manner, has nevertheless become convinced by the facts that have fallen under his notice, that the puerperal fever now prevailing is capable of being communicated by contagion. How otherwise can be explained the very curious circumstance of the disease in one district being exclusively confined to the practice of a single physician, a Fellow of this College, extensively engaged in obstetrical practice,--while no instance of the disease has occurred in the patients under the care of any other accoucheur practising within the same district; scarcely a female that has been delivered for weeks past has escaped an attack?"

Dr. Rutter, the practitioner referred to, "observed that, after the occurrence of a number of cases of the disease in his practice, he had left the city and remained absent for a week, but on returning, no article of clothing he then wore having been used by him before, one of the very first cases of parturition he attended was followed by an attack of the fever, and terminated fatally; he cannot, readily, therefore, believe in the transmission of the disease from female to female, in the person or clothes of the physician."

The meeting at which these remarks were made was held on the 3d of May, 1842. In a letter dated December 20, 1842, addressed to Dr.

Meigs, and to be found in the "Medical Examiner," he speaks of "those horrible cases of puerperal fever, some of which you did me the favor to see with me during the past summer," and talks of his experience in the disease, "now numbering nearly seventy cases, all of which have occurred within less than a twelvemonth past."

And Dr. Meigs asserts, on the same page, "Indeed, I believe that his practice in that department of the profession was greater than that of any other gentleman, which was probably the cause of his seeing a greater number of the cases." This from a professor of midwifery, who some time ago assured a gentleman whom he met in consultation, that the night on which they met was the eighteenth in succession that he himself had been summoned from his repose, seems hardly satisfactory.

I must call the attention of the inquirer most particularly to the (Quarterly Report above referred to, and the letters of Dr. Meigs and Dr. Rutter, to be found in the "Medical Examiner." Whatever impression they may produce upon his mind, I trust they will at least convince him that there is some reason for looking into this apparently uninviting subject.

At a meeting of the College of Physicians just mentioned, Dr.

Warrington stated, that a few days after assisting at an autopsy of puerperal peritonitis, in which he laded out the contents of the abdominal cavity with his hands, he was called upon to deliver three women in rapid succession. All of these women were attacked with different forms of what is commonly called puerperal fever. Soon after these he saw two other patients, both on the same day, with the same disease. Of these five patients two died.

At the same meeting, Dr. West mentioned a fact related to him by Dr.

Samuel Jackson of Northumberland. Seven females, delivered by Dr.

同类推荐
  • 华严经纲目贯摄

    华严经纲目贯摄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 书法三昧

    书法三昧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 北磵集

    北磵集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道教义枢

    道教义枢

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 四分尼戒本

    四分尼戒本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 我的天师女友

    我的天师女友

    他和她的相遇,是偶然,还是命运的必然?他八字超轻,命盘不稳多遇邪秽;她天赋异禀,除魔斩妖诸法皆能。在一次乱点鸳鸯谱的婚约事件中,命运的红线将他们牵到了一起,从那十指相扣的那一刻起,邪事诡事也一件件的发生了。
  • 废柴神偷:绝世三生花

    废柴神偷:绝世三生花

    她,是二十四世纪的神偷;一朝穿越,成了万千宠爱集于一身的朱雀世家大小姐。原主十分骄傲自大,天赋极佳却无法修炼。他,是苍澜国的三皇子,是幻凝大陆的第一天才,邪魅俊美,冷酷霸道,却偏偏对她,情有独钟。三皇子殿下邪魅一笑,宁负天下,不负她!且看他们携手,走遍天下。
  • 江城谣

    江城谣

    好强、敏感又缺爱的任江城,在十四岁那年,在被痴心恋慕的美少年无情拒绝后,愤而投入冰凉的河水之中。再次睁开眼睛的时候,她性情改变了,眼界改变了,言行举止改变了。无数人的命运,也随之改变……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 创世轮回眼

    创世轮回眼

    主人公出生在第一次三界五族大战之后,各方势力粉墨登场,均想通过自己的方法一统江湖。其中一方更为隐蔽势力,早已在大战前埋下伏笔。主人公经过千辛万险方得解救苍生。三界五族的法术遵照五行相生相克,更掺杂花、毒等各种形式。细节描写详尽,打斗场景面面俱到。小说大纲俱已完成,结尾出乎读者意料,但又在情理之中。人物性格饱满,人物形象刻画入木三分,剧情跌宕起伏。主线明显,副线不失严谨,是2019年不可不看的玄幻小说之一。
  • 绝神

    绝神

    绝神灭,六匕铸。乾坤百转,法道初窥。恩情与承诺并在,激情与险恶同存。何为力量的本质?看十六岁少年于修炼一途,如何一骑绝尘,逆斩神魔!
  • 快穿逍遥:玩一下就好

    快穿逍遥:玩一下就好

    “二狗子,我以一个过来人的心态警告你,不要太过分。”“明白!”一觉醒来,连人带床一起换了个地方,还附带一只二狗子系统?这不是真的,我一定还没睡醒……
  • 等待是一个圈

    等待是一个圈

    两岸文学PK大赛 等待是一个圈,起点即终点,终点即起点,当你以为一切都结束了的时候,其实故事才刚刚开始。
  • 樱花雨燕

    樱花雨燕

    洛家小姐偶然结实了晏家少爷,与晏家少爷展开了一段豪门之恋
  • 所欲致患经

    所欲致患经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 酋长快跑

    酋长快跑

    穿到野兽时代,为了保护自己的村子,她毅然走上强者的道路。兽的地位,分为:卒兽、兵兽、士兽、相兽、将兽、王兽、帝王兽!