Chapter I: Preface

The object of the author in writing this volume is to offer to nurses, and especially to those women who desire to make “monthly nursing” a vocation, the instruction which they need for that purpose, sufficiently illustrated and at a moderate price.

The book is written under a firm conviction in the mind of the author that a work of this character is needed at the present time—a work that combines some information to the monthly nurse in regard to her peculiar duties with considerable instruction in midwifery. He has many times heard inquiries made for a book of this kind and has not been able to point to one of the character desired. He has learned during the forty-five years that he has practiced medicine in a small city and its vicinity, that mother and nurse are often combined in the same person. The important duty of nursing the sick is so generally performed by mothers, that they also, as a class, require some scientific knowledge to be acquired by means of plain, practical instruction. And, in fact, throughout our country, every mother is liable, in an emergency, to be called upon to fill the office of an accoucheur.

For the professional nurse, such technical and accurate knowledge should be considered indispensable. The training schools for nurses in some of our largest cities are doing a noble work, and are elevating the standard of requirements for those who seek this field of true womanly labor. But comparatively few of the many thousands who follow this vocation are able to attend such schools; yet they are willing and desirous to learn. Women seem instinctively to desire such knowledge. A proper effort to place within their reach the means of obtaining the necessary technical knowledge for their work, and especially for the work of the nurse who attends upon the mother in childbirth, will not, the author trusts, be deemed presumptuous. There are many excellent nurses, who have become so without the aid of training school or such a book as this, but it is hoped that this volume may make the acquirement of the necessary knowledge more easy and furnish ready information of value to those nurses who are most thoroughly perfected in their work. Physicians, they will find, stand ready to aid them. The attending physician, as a rule, may be depended upon to give such help as may be necessary to the understanding of the instructions here presented, and through their cooperation the number of earnest students in this department of womanly labor may be multiplied.

The author, during the preparation of it, consulted many writers upon obstetrics, medicine and nursing; and it is only because it would not be compatible with the size of this volume, that he has not made frequent references to these excellent works. But all that he has written has been founded on his own knowledge, experience, and observation, while it coincides with the expressed opinions of others who may be considered good authority. In only two or three things has the author ventured to advance beyond others.

S. P. S.

ITHACA, March, 1889.

CONTENTS.

Introduction 9

PART I.

PREGNANCY AND CONFINEMENT.

CHAPTER I.

Conduct of the Mother before and after Marriage 13

CHAPTER II.

Conduct of the Mother during Pregnancy 18

CHAPTER III.

Diseases of Pregnancy 22

CHAPTER IV.

Instructions to a Woman during the last stages of Gestation 26

CHAPTER V.

Directions to the Monthly Nurse 33

CHAPTER VI.

Care of the Mother during Labor and Confinement 36

CHAPTER VII.

Directions to the Nurse during the month 43

PART II.

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FEMALE ORGANS—FŒTAL DEVELOPMENT.

CHAPTER I.

Of the Pelvis 55

CHAPTER II.

Parts contained in the Pelvis 64

CHAPTER III.

Physiology of the Uterus and Ovaries 70

CHAPTER IV.

Displacements of the Uterus 76

CHAPTER V.

Mismenstruation 87

CHAPTER VI.

Generation 93

CHAPTER VII.

The Ovum and its development 98

CHAPTER VIII.

The Fœtus 103

PART III.

PREGNANCY AND PARTURITION.

CHAPTER I.

Diagnosis of Pregnancy 113

CHAPTER II.

Abortion 119

CHAPTER III.

Parturition 123

CHAPTER IV.

Mechanical Phenomena of Labor 132

CHAPTER V.

Diagnosis of Artificial Labor 138

PART IV.

SKILLED NURSING AND MIDWIFERY.

CHAPTER I.

Preliminary instruction to the Nurse Midwife 145

CHAPTER II.

The Natural Labor 149

CHAPTER III.

Convalescence 163

CHAPTER IV.

Care of Infants 170

CHAPTER V.

Cases of Difficult Labor 177

CHAPTER VI.

Concluding instructions in Midwifery 192

PART V.

ÆTIOLOGY—SYMPTOMOTOLOGY—MEDICATION—NURSING.

CHAPTER I.

Causes of Disease 196

CHAPTER II.

Symptoms of Disease 203

CHAPTER III.

Diagnosis of Diseases of Children 217

CHAPTER IV.

Treatment of Inflammation in its initial stages 223

CHAPTER V.

Various circumstances, Contagion, Death, &c. 237

CHAPTER VI.

Surgical Nursing 251

PART VI.

REMEDIES AND REGIMEN.

CHAPTER I.

Hints in regard to the treatment of Common Diseases 262

CHAPTER II.

Emergencies, Accidents, Sudden Sickness 279

CHAPTER III.

Slight Hurts and Ailments 295

CHAPTER IV.

Dietetics, Food for Children 307

CHAPTER V.

Prescribing and Prescriptions 327

CHAPTER VI.

Medical Formulary 333

Glossary 364

Index 379