Remarks on the superinduction of anaesthesia in natural and morbid parturition : with cases illustrative of the use and effects of chloroform in obstetric practice / By J.Y. Simpson...With an appendix.

  • Simpson, James Young, 1811-1870.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the superinduction of anaesthesia in natural and morbid parturition : with cases illustrative of the use and effects of chloroform in obstetric practice / By J.Y. Simpson...With an appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    circle, into an occipito-anterior position (the second of Naegele,) and, after being so adjusted, it still required considerable force to extract it. Before applying the forceps the patient was sent into a state of deep anaesthesia by the inhalation of chloroform; and subsequently, when she awakened out of it, she was in no small degree surprised to find that she had really been de- livered while she was sleeping and resting so soundly. The placenta separated, and the uterus contracted firmly. The child, which was large, lived for eight hours after delivery; but, despite of all the measures tried, full and perfect respiration was never established in it. apparently in consequence of some effusion or injury about the base of the brain. Unfortunately a post-mortem examination was not obtained. The mother has made an excellent recovery. I quote the following instance, of craniotomy under chloro- form from a letter (dated 29th November,) which I have re- ceived from my friend, Professor Murphy of London. I give the case in Dr. Murphy's own words: — Case XII.— I have tried the chloroform with great suc- cess in a case of distorted pelvis. It was the ovate deformity, the conjugate measurement being only 2] inches; the head of the child could not enter the brim, and I was obliged to per- forate. I got Dr. Snow to assist me in bringing her under the influence of chloroform. She made some resistance, and strug- gled a good deal at first, chiefly I think from apprehension that we were going to do something very dreadful; however, she soon began to inhale quietly, and gradually fell into a kind of dreamy sleep. I perforated the head, and labored with the crochet (sometimes with the craniotomy forceps) for three quarters of an hour before I could get the head through the brim. She was at length delivered; the placenta was sepa- rated in about ten minutes; the bandage applied, soiled clothes removed, and she was made ' clean and comfortable,' as the midwives say. My patient was perfectly unconscious all this time, and did not awake for about a quarter of an hour after the operation ; she did so then quite quietly, and was greatly surprised to find that all her miseries were over. There was no hemorrhage, but the uterus felt rather spongy and large.