The course to be pursued in convulsions of pregnant women before the close of term, at first corresponds to that necessary in severe cases of hysteric, of which infact these confusions are usually but an aggravated variety. The exceptional cases will consist principally of those who have either had epileptic attacks in early life, or whose parents had been troubled with this affection, or of those in whom the pregnancy itself has evidently developed the epileptic condition.
In each of these cases, the remedy Homoeopathic to the existing conditions should be administered, in as high a dose and at as long intervals as may coincide the with the judgment of he physician. If the treatment fails, t the convulsions grow more frequent and severe, and evidently threaten to produce miscarriage, the case must be treated as one of abortion from this cause.
The convulsions which make their appearance after parturition, are far more dangerous than those which precede and accompany labor; since they are usually the result of profound exhaustion of the patient’s system. This exhaustion may be principally nervous, and analogous to the “shock” which constitutes the most fatal form of puerperal favor it may be vascular, resulting from excessive hemorrhage, during and immediately after the labor itself. The individuals most liable to the former class of exhaustion are ethos of a weak, nervous temperament;while the full-blooded and plethoric are most apt to suffer from severe losses of blood. In either case the condition is one of exceeding gravity; and unless the physician is sufficiently master of his business to enable him to give the right remedy without loss of time, he may have the mortification of seeing the convince become constantly more violent until the little retain in vitality is at last expended in futile efforts to maintain the reception and circulation and the patient is relieved by death!
And it should always be remembered that the is till another influence to which the puerperal woman is remarkably sensitive, and which may prove as efficient and as fatal a cause of convulsions after labor as either nervous or the sanguineous exhaustion just mentioned, and which comes with tenfold force if brought to bear upon patient already so exhausted. And this is fright, fear, or a sudden emotion of grief, or even of joy. The least intimation to that the mother during labor, that there was something wrong, had been known instantly to stop all pains, and necessitate the use of instruments resulting in the final destruction of mother and child. How much more than should we carefully avoid shocking the feeling and wondering the sensibility of our poor patients in their enfeebled condition at the close of a labor,. which may have been far mar exhausting than it apparent, by readily announcing the death or he4 deformity of her child These trying circumstance, s through which the young physician may at any time recalled to pass, demand from him not only the most entire self-control and presence of mind under the most critical circumstances of labor but also, and no less absolutely, the most careful and tender consideration for the personal feeling and moral state, as well as for the physical condition of his patient afterwards. In all these alarming conditions, the Homoeopathic remedies properly selected and administered, will be found endowed with an efficacy vastly superior to that of the cumbrous and destructive, because either debilitating or stupefying, means employed by old school practitioners. And however discouraging the symptoms may be, especially to the young physician, let him patiently and perseveringly administer the proper remedies, and leave the event with Him who do with all thing swell. Remembering at the same time, that very many cases are thus saved, even of those which he might deem not only desperate but perfectly hopeless.
Treatment.-Let it be the first duty of the physician to make sure that no ligatures or other encumbrances obstruct the circulation or in any manner aggravate the existing difficulty; that there to pure and fresh air; and that all the attendant circumstances and conditions are rendered as favorable as possible for his patient. If the room is crowded, as is often the cause, with friends anxious, distracted and rushing about in confusion, let him at once restore the room to order; otherwise he may chance to find himself inextricably involved in the same hopeless confusion. Then, if not before, let him administer the remedy which seems to him most Homoeopathic to the symptoms and condition of the case. Let him calmly and patiently wait for the action of the first dose, and before repeating it let him be fully satisfied not only that it is the right remedy, but that the beneficial action of his first dose is exhausted. It no improvement arise, and the appearance of new symptoms, or the further development of the old ones should convince him that the right remedy had not been chosen at first, let him endeavor to select another in accordance with the present condition of the case. And in all cases let him render that the more violent the symptoms, the less should let him remember that the more violent the symptoms, the less should the expect instantaneous relief; that the gradual subsidence of the nervous excitement and the corresponding gradual abatement of the spasmodic action is not only the best method by which the patient may improve, but that it is also the only method possible. In addition to the remedies already mentions under hysteria, the following may be studied with of reference to the convulsions which precede, or accompany labor, and to those which subsequently arise in the puerperal state, viz.:
Aconite; Argentum nit; Senega; Belladonna; Bryonia; Cantharis; Causticum; Chamomilla; China; Cicuta; Cocculus; Coffea; Cuprum; Hellebores; Hydrophobin; Hyoscyamus; Initial Ipecac; Kali carb.,: Lachesis; Laurocerasus; Mercurius; Nitric acid; Nux mos; Nux vom; Opium; Phosphorus; Pulsatilla; Secale c.; Stramonium; Veratrum; Zincum met.
Aconite. In those case where,. in their incipiency, there is hot, dry skin; thirst, restlessness fear of death; more or less cerebral congestion; in such cases a dose of Aconite, once every half hour acts like charm.
Argentum nit. She has a presentiment of the approaching spasms. She is in constant motion from the time she comes out of or spasm till she goes into another. thee spasms are violent, and are preceded by a sensation of expansion of the whole body; especially of the face and head.
Arnica. When the pulse is full and strong, and during every pain the blood rushes violent to the face and head; symptoms of paralysis of the left side; loss of consciousness; involuntary discharge of stool and urine.
Belladonna. She has the appearance of being stunned; a semi- consciousness and loss of speech; convulsive movements in the limbs and muscles and coldness of the face, with shivering; fixed or convulsive eyes; foam at the mouth; involuntary escape of the feces and urine. Renewal of the fits at every pain; more or less tossing between the spasms; or deep sleep. with grimaces; or starts and cries with fearful visions.
Bryonia. Is often indicated after the spasms have been controlled. and there remain fulness of the pulse, abdominal tenderness and perspiration, dry parched lips and thirst.
Cantharis. Dysuria belonging to Cantharis. the presence of bright objects, the sight, the drinking or the sound of water, and touching the larynx, seem to reproduce the spasms.
Causticum. When the paroxysms are complicated with screams, gnashing of the teeth, and violent movements of the limbs, & c.
Chamomilla. The spasms have been excited by a fit of anger; or she has one red cheek., while the other is pale, STarts and shocks during sleep. Great impatience and disposition to anger.
China. She has lost much arterial blood as the exciting cause.
Cicuta. Strange contortions of the upper part of the body and limbs, during the paroxysms, with blue face and frequent interruptions of breathing for a few moments.
Cocculus. Spasms following difficult labors; and these which re developed by changing the position of the patient.
Coffea. To quiet the extreme excitability the nervous system, when spasms are apprehended, l or if spasms have actually been developed, attended with cold extremities and grinding of the teeth.
Cuprum. Spasms complicated with violent vomiting Opisthotonos with every paroxysms, complicated with violent vomiting. Opisthotonos with every paroxysm, with spreading out foe limbs and opening of the mouth.
Gelsemium. This remedy bids fair to become one of our most useful agent sin this fearful disorder. It seems indicated by the promontory symptoms, where the head feels very large; or in those cases in. which the spasms occur as the first symptoms of those uteri being unchanged or perhaps rigid. Distressing pains running from before backwards, and upwards in the abdomen.
Hellebores. A shock passes through the brain as if from a shock from electricity, followed by considerably movements in the body.
