A treatise on the diseases of females / by William P. Dewees.

  • Dewees, William P. (William Potts), 1768-1841.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the diseases of females / by William P. Dewees. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ease ; as inflammation, scirrhus, or cancer; where all its ordinary functions are either deranged, perverted, or suspended, and this for a long period together, we do not find, that it involves the system in any severer penalties than any other equally important viscus would, under similar circumstances. Sixth.—That when its functional processes are irregularly and imperfectly performed ; or are altogether suspended ; if the gene- ral health sutler from this cause, it is not because the uterus has any superior power to effect this, but because a link is broken (and we are willing to admit it to be an important link,) whereby the chain of healthy functions is maintained. A similar condi- tion of any of the other viscera would be followed by the same consequences. Seventh.—That when the uterus is impregnated, various other portions of the system are deranged, in consequence of their strong sympathy with this organ ; but even here, the complaints are not sui generis ; for every one of them can be, and have been very often similated from other causes.* The whole phenomena of impregnation are so well understood as not to require reciting; but has not almost every body witnessed the whole train of these morbid sympathies to arise from very different causes? We would then ask, what evidence is there, that the uterus possesses such unlimited sway over the healthy or diseased movements of almost every other portion of the body? Does not this error proceed from the influence of authority, and a su- pineness and indifference to rational inquiry or correct observa- tion ? Should the names of Hippocrates, Galen, Aretseus, Van Helmont, and a hundred others of greater or less authority, be permitted so to satisfy the judgment, or so paralyze exertion, as to prevent all investigation? The discoveries of Gall and Spurzheim on the influence of the cerebral system upon other portions of the body, render it much more probable, that the various morbid phenomena attributed to the influence of the uterus, depend upon certain excitements in the cerebellum ; and that the several facts recorded as belonging to the genital system of the female, are themselves but evidences of the influence of cerebral irritation. In the male, at least, this point is pretty well settled—as it has been found by Larrey and others, that certain wounds or injuries of the cerebellum, entail impotence. It is, therefore, much more rational to look for some * In this assertion, we do not mean to include that- beautiful and magic-like play of sympathies, which is established for the future welfare of the expected being ; namely, the swelling of the mamma1, and the secretion of milk. These parts have a mutual, and an associated sympathy, which they with great fidelity maintain as long as they arc capable of performing their appropriate functions. The nature and extent of these intercommunions are too well known to need a particular mention.