Pathological and practical researches on uterine inflammation in puerperal women / By Robert Lee.

  • Lee, Robert, 1793-1877.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pathological and practical researches on uterine inflammation in puerperal women / By Robert Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    marked uterine inflammation, have come under my observation in the British Lying-in-Hospital, and in public and private practice in the western . districts of this metropolis. I have watched the symptoms and progress of these cases with the closest attention, observed the effects of remedies, and where death has taken place, I have carefully examined the alterations of structure, which have remained in the uterine and other organs. r- • -• - - - •: 1 ' > y /. . Of forty cases which have proved fatal, the bodies of thirty-four have been examined, and in all of these, which had presented during life, the charac¬ teristic symptoms of what has been usually de¬ nominated Puerperal Fever, there existed some morbid change from inflammation either in the peritoneal coat of the uterus, or of the uterine appendages, in the muscular tissue, the veins or absorbents of the uterus, to account in a complete and most satisfactory manner for all the constitu¬ tional disturbance which had been observed. The peritoneum and uterine appendages were found inflamed in twenty-six cases, in fourteen there ex¬ isted uterine phlebitis, in eight, inflammation and softening of the muscular tissue of the organ, and in four, the absorbents, were distended with pus. Tiie results of these observations, as far as they go, are therefore decidedly opposed to the opinion now generally prevalent in this country, that there is a specific fever, which attacks puerperal women, and which may arise independent of any local