The perasal of Mr. Hamphrey's case of Uterine Hemorrhage in the
Journal for December 4th, iuduces me to relate briefly a very similar
ease, which occurred in my practice some years ago. The subject of
it was the wife of a blacksmith residing near this village, over 30 yean
of age. She was a woman of good constitution ; but the tone of her
system had been considerably reduced by privation and anzietgr*
induced by the prolonged and serious illness of her husband. She bid
hardly completed the third month of utero-gestation, when she expe-
rienced a sudden flight, and abortion was the consequence. Tbt
ovum was reported to have been expelled ; and nothing alarming ba|>-
pened till some days afterwards, when she suddenly jumped out of bed
to assist her husband in an emergency. Profuse loss followed ; and I
found her in a fainting state, with co{»ous gushes escaping every two
or three minutes. A plug applied put a stop to this at once. For
the next month or five weeks, the same recurred, in spite of all treat-
ment suggested, including the mineral acids, metallic salts, vegetable
styptics, opium, and ergot, with cold affusions and astringent vaginal
injections. On many occasions, the timely use of the plug appeared
to rescue her from impending dissolution : all other treatment was of
no avail ; and such was the fearfal condition to which my patient was
reduced, that I looked upon her case as all but hopeless. As a dernier
ressort, I decided to try the effect of mercury. One grain of calomel
and half a grain of opium was, therefore, given every six hoars. The
bowels were relieved occasionally by cold water injections, and active
counter-irritation was applied to the sacrum. No serious hemorrhage
happened afterwards, and my patient made a slow but perfect reeovecy.
