Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine [61]
speaks of a tumor expelled from the uterus after delivery. Cathell speaks of a case of pregnancy complicated with both uterine fibroids and measles. Other cases of a similar nature to the foregoing are too numerous to mention. Figure 13, taken from Spiegelberg, shows a large fibroid blocking the pelvis of a pregnant woman.
There are several peculiar accidents and anomalies not previously mentioned which deserve a place here, viz., those of the membranes surrounding the fetus. Brown speaks of protrusion of the membranes from the vulva several weeks before confinement. Davies relates an instance in which there was a copious watery discharge during pregnancy not followed by labor. There is a case mentioned in which an accident and an inopportune dose of ergot at the fifth month of pregnancy were followed by rupture of the amniotic sac, and subsequently a constant flow of watery fluid continued for the remaining three months of pregnancy. The fetus died at the time, and was born in an advanced state of putrefaction, by version, three months after the accident. The mother died five months after of carcinoma of the uterus. Montgomery reports the instance of a woman who menstruated last on May 22, 1850, and quickened on September 26th, and continued well until the 11th of November. At this time, as she was retiring, she became conscious that there was a watery discharge from the vagina, which proved to be liquor amnii. Her health was good. The discharge continued, her size increased, and the motions of the child continued active. On the 18th of January a full-sized eight months' child was born. It had an incessant, wailing, low cry, always of evil augury in new-born infants. The child died shortly after. The daily discharge was about 5 ounces, and had lasted sixty-eight days, making 21 pints in all. The same accident of rupture of the membranes long before labor happened to the patient's mother.
Bardt speaks of labor twenty-three days after the flow of the waters; and Cobleigh one of seventeen days; Bradley relates the history of a case of rupture of the membranes six weeks before delivery. Rains cites an instance in which gestation continued three months after rupture of the membranes, the labor-pains lasting thirty-six hours. Griffiths speaks of rupture of the amniotic sac at about the sixth month of pregnancy with no untoward interruption of the completion of gestation and with delivery of a living child. There is another observation of an accouchement terminating successfully twenty-three days after the loss of the amniotic fluid. Campbell mentions delivery of a living child twelve days after rupture of the membranes. Chesney relates the history of a double collection of waters. Wood reports a case in which there was expulsion of a bag of waters before the rupture of the membranes. Bailly, Chestnut, Bjering, Cowger, Duncan, and others also record premature rupture of the membranes without interruption of pregnancy.
Harris gives an instance of the membranes being expelled from the uterus a few days before delivery at the full term. Chatard, Jr., mentions extrusion of the fetal membranes at the seventh month of pregnancy while the patient was taking a long afternoon walk, their subsequent retraction, and normal labor at term. Thurston tells of a case in which Nature had apparently effected the separation of the placenta without alarming hemorrhage, the ease being one of placenta praevia, terminating favorably by natural processes. Playfair speaks of the detachment of the uterine decidua without the interruption of pregnancy.
Guerrant gives a unique example of normal birth at full term in which the placenta was found in the vagina, but not a vestige of the membranes was noticed. The patient had experienced nothing unusual until within three months of expected confinement, since which time there had been a daily loss of water from the uterus. She recovered and was doing her work. There was no possibility that this was a case of retained secundines.
Anomalies of the Umbilical Cord.--Absence of the membranes has its
There are several peculiar accidents and anomalies not previously mentioned which deserve a place here, viz., those of the membranes surrounding the fetus. Brown speaks of protrusion of the membranes from the vulva several weeks before confinement. Davies relates an instance in which there was a copious watery discharge during pregnancy not followed by labor. There is a case mentioned in which an accident and an inopportune dose of ergot at the fifth month of pregnancy were followed by rupture of the amniotic sac, and subsequently a constant flow of watery fluid continued for the remaining three months of pregnancy. The fetus died at the time, and was born in an advanced state of putrefaction, by version, three months after the accident. The mother died five months after of carcinoma of the uterus. Montgomery reports the instance of a woman who menstruated last on May 22, 1850, and quickened on September 26th, and continued well until the 11th of November. At this time, as she was retiring, she became conscious that there was a watery discharge from the vagina, which proved to be liquor amnii. Her health was good. The discharge continued, her size increased, and the motions of the child continued active. On the 18th of January a full-sized eight months' child was born. It had an incessant, wailing, low cry, always of evil augury in new-born infants. The child died shortly after. The daily discharge was about 5 ounces, and had lasted sixty-eight days, making 21 pints in all. The same accident of rupture of the membranes long before labor happened to the patient's mother.
Bardt speaks of labor twenty-three days after the flow of the waters; and Cobleigh one of seventeen days; Bradley relates the history of a case of rupture of the membranes six weeks before delivery. Rains cites an instance in which gestation continued three months after rupture of the membranes, the labor-pains lasting thirty-six hours. Griffiths speaks of rupture of the amniotic sac at about the sixth month of pregnancy with no untoward interruption of the completion of gestation and with delivery of a living child. There is another observation of an accouchement terminating successfully twenty-three days after the loss of the amniotic fluid. Campbell mentions delivery of a living child twelve days after rupture of the membranes. Chesney relates the history of a double collection of waters. Wood reports a case in which there was expulsion of a bag of waters before the rupture of the membranes. Bailly, Chestnut, Bjering, Cowger, Duncan, and others also record premature rupture of the membranes without interruption of pregnancy.
Harris gives an instance of the membranes being expelled from the uterus a few days before delivery at the full term. Chatard, Jr., mentions extrusion of the fetal membranes at the seventh month of pregnancy while the patient was taking a long afternoon walk, their subsequent retraction, and normal labor at term. Thurston tells of a case in which Nature had apparently effected the separation of the placenta without alarming hemorrhage, the ease being one of placenta praevia, terminating favorably by natural processes. Playfair speaks of the detachment of the uterine decidua without the interruption of pregnancy.
Guerrant gives a unique example of normal birth at full term in which the placenta was found in the vagina, but not a vestige of the membranes was noticed. The patient had experienced nothing unusual until within three months of expected confinement, since which time there had been a daily loss of water from the uterus. She recovered and was doing her work. There was no possibility that this was a case of retained secundines.
Anomalies of the Umbilical Cord.--Absence of the membranes has its