Urethral Caruncle.

This painful affection, commonly included by medical authors as among diseases of the vulva, will be very briefly considered.

DEFINITION. The most common neoplasm to which the urethra is subject is known as urethral caruncle, vascular tumor, or irritable vascular excrescence of the urethra. These growths consist of all excrescences located at the mouth of the urethra, and sometimes extending within the canal for a short distance. They are of a deep-red color, soft and friable, sometimes regular in shape, but more frequently irregular, and then resemble a small cockscomb. They vary in size from the head of a pin to a raspberry, occasionally attaining that of a walnut.

ETIOLOGY.-No definite cause can be given for the development of urethral caruncle. These growths occur among married and single, old and young.

SYMPTOMS. The first symptom generally is that the patient experiences a severe smarting pain during or immediately after voiding urine. Pain is also caused by walking, pressure, friction, or even the slightest contact of clothing. Also sleep is frequently disturbed in consequence of slight movements of the body. Coition not only causes a severe pain, but, owing to the friable and vascular character of the growth, it often causes a flow of blood, which leads the subject to believe she has cancer or some other serious disorder. In addition to the foregoing symptoms the patient usually becomes fretful, nervous, hysterical, and melancholy. The severity of one's suffering when thus affected is very much out of proportion to the size of the growths giving rise to it.

Occasionally there will be a feeling of weight and pain in the pelvic region, extending down the thighs. There will also be a muco-purulent discharge from the urethra.

PATHOLOGY.-Urethral caruncles may be briefly defined as consisting of "dilated capillaries in connective tissue, the whole being covered with squamous epithelium." 1

DIAGNOSIS. (This has been given in part under head of Symptoms.) If there is protrusion of any portion of the caruncle the diagnosis is easy. Yet a prolapse of the urethral mucous membrane or of the urethra may be mistaken for a vascular tumor, but there will not be the characteristic pain attending either of these conditions that invariably accompanies caruncle of the urethra.

Syphilitic growths are sometimes located here, but they are wart-like and painless, and generally have companions in the same neighborhood. By placing the patient on her back in the lithotomy position and carefully inspecting the parts a diagnosis is by no means difficult. When the growths are within the meatus slight dilatation may be requisite to see them, for which purpose a pair of ordinary dressing-forceps will usually suffice.

TREATMENT.-Owing to the liability of the recurrence of caruncles their simple removal by a cutting instrument will not, as a rule, suffice. Various modes of treatment have been recommended, but the most efficacious can be very briefly stated as follows: The patient being anæsthetized and placed on her back, the growths are then removed and their bases

1 Hart and Barbour.

thoroughly cauterized by Paquelin's thermo-cautery at a dull heat; if of a large size it is a better plan to first remove them by scissors and then apply the cautery. If a thermo- or galvanic cautery is not at hand, a knitting-needle heated in the flame of a spirit-lamp will serve a good purpose.

Atresia.

Although the subject is referred to here in its regular order, yet for the greater convenience of the reader vulvar atresia has been included by the author in the preceding section on Diseases of the Vagina (see p. 373).

Eruptions.

The skin and mucous membrane of the vulva may develop eruptions common to such tissues in other parts of the body. Those most often found are eczema, erythema, herpes, and acne. They are not distinguished from eruptions located elsewhere, except it may be their greater obstinacy in responding to treatment.

DISORDERS OF PREGNANCY.

By W. W. JAGGARD, M. D.

"GESTATION," says Mauriceau, " is a disease of nine months' duration." Robert Barnes' more truthfully remarks: "Since in pregnancy every organ and the whole organism are specially weighted, undergoing extraordinary developmental and functional activity, so any defect or fault inherited or acquired, however latent, will be liable to be evolved or intensified under the trial. Hence pregnancy is the great test of bodily soundness." The pregnant woman is liable to many disorders which can be distinctly traced to the existence of pregnancy. The study of the natural history of gestation renders it highly probable that these disorders are merely pathological exaggerations of physiological functions. Then, pregnancy confers upon the individual no immunity from the diseases to which the non-pregnant woman is liable. But certain acute and chronic diseases, sustaining the relation of accidental complications, are variously modified in their course and effects by pregnancy, and accordingly are of interest to the general practitioner.

For convenience of discussion the disorders of pregnancy may be classified under two headings: I. The Pathological Exaggerations of Physiological Processes; and II. The Peculiarities of Certain Accidental Acute and Chronic Diseases occurring in the Course of Pregnancy.

I. THE PATHOLOGICAL EXAGGERATIONS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES.

It is always difficult, frequently impossible, to draw the boundaryline at which normal functional activity becomes pathological. As remarked by Spiegelberg, all the diagnostic penetration of the physician is demanded to recognize this transition. Then, a high exercise of judgment is necessary to determine when to preserve a wise and masterly inactivity, when to adopt measures of active interference.

Alterations in the Constitution of the Blood.

CHLOROSIS AND HYDRÆMIA.

Recent investigations show that qualitative and quantitative changes occur in the constitution of the blood of the normal pregnant woman. The 1 Obstetric Medicine and Surgery, 1884, London, p. 205.

red corpuscles, albumen, and iron diminish, while the white corpuscles, fibrin, and aqueous elements increase. Virchow describes this increase in the number of white corpuscles as a physiological leucocytosis dependent upon the growth of the lymph-vessels and corresponding hypertrophic changes in the pelvic and lumbar lymphatic glands. The total bloodmass is also increased-a change especially notable in the second half of pregnancy. When the number of red blood-corpuscles is abnormally diminished the woman becomes chlorotic. If, in addition, the albumen is abnormally diminished, hydræmia results. Chlorosis and hydræmia can only be regarded as independent affections in the absence of cardiac and renal lesions. They are seldom traceable to pregnancy in the absence of individual predisposition. Effusions into the subcutaneous connective tissue, pleural and peritoneal cavities, are liable to occur. Sudden exudations into the pleural cavity are particularly dangerous, while effusions into the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen, vulva, and lower extremities are annoying and may interrupt pregnancy.

TREATMENT. The indications for treatment are obvious. The quality of the blood must be improved, elimination of the aqueous elements attempted, and local disturbances alleviated. Nutritious food, iron in combination with non-irritant diuretics, fulfil the first two indications. Blaud's pill, which Niemeyer and Spiegelberg extol so highly, is an excellent tonic preparation. Basham's iron mixture is admirable in its effects.

PROGRESSIVE PERNICIOUS ANEMIA.

Gusserow was the first to observe and describe a peculiar form of progressive pernicious anæmia occurring during gestation. The disease is of rare occurrence, and nothing is known as to its etiology. Chlorosis and hydræmia, however, may be mentioned as predisposing causes.

PATHOLOGY.-The alterations in the constitution of the blood are identical with those in anæmia and hydræmia, and produce similar effects. Evidences of fatty degeneration are found in the musculature of the heart, intima of the arteries, and portions of the capillary walls; retinal hemorrhages are constant lesions. The number of white corpuscles is not increased, and signs of leukæmia-splenic tumor, swelling of the lymphatic glands are wanting. The condition is that of oligamia or oligocythosis.

The prodromal symptoms occur during the first half of pregnancy, are obscure, and cannot be distinguished from the effects of chlorosis and hydræmia. After the disease has passed through its incipient stages, food, iron, and tonics seem to have no influence upon its course. During the second half of pregnancy abortion or premature labor usually occurs spontaneously. Under these conditons the shock and hemorrhage resulting from parturition are sufficient to cause a lethal issue in many cases.

PROGNOSIS.-Graefe has collected 25 cases of this rare affection: 1 case recovered, 2 cases were discharged improved; the others died before or shortly after labor. The prognosis is obviously grave.

TREATMENT.-As food, iron, and tonics have little or no effect upon the disease after it has passed through its incipient stages, therapeutic resources are limited. The evacuation of the uterine cavity, as shown by 1 Arch. f Gyn., ii. p. 218. 2 Diss., Halle, 1880.

Graefe's cases, exercises a favorable influence upon the course of the affection. Gusserow advises the artificial interruption of pregnancy whenever grave symptoms occur, and the weight of professional opinion is very decidedly in favor of such a course. Negative results have attended all efforts at transfusion.

HÆMOPHILIA.

Kehrer' has recently called attention to the apparent influence of pregnancy in the development of the hemorrhagic diathesis. This influence, however, is seldom observed, and then only in cases of distinct, individual predisposition.

TREATMENT.—The induction of premature labor, or, at times, of abortion, is indicated.

PLETHORA.

2

The experiments and observations of Spiegelberg and Gscheidlen prove the possibility of the occurrence of plethora during gestation. Actual increase of the red corpuscles, albumen, and iron in the blood is observed during the second half of pregnancy, and then only under the most favorable conditions. As described by Spiegelberg, the symptoms are-mammary and cerebral congestions, palpitation, vertigo, constipation, hepatic torpor.

TREATMENT.-Restricted diet, muscular exercise, and an occasional saline purge will relieve the troublesome symptoms. Spiegelberg is convinced of the value of bleeding in selected cases.

Circulatory Disturbances.

Among the circulatory disturbances due to pregnancy, mechanical oedema and the varices of the pelvis and lower extremities deserve attention.

De Cristoforis of Milan describes a mechanical inferior venous hyperæmia, the result of the pressure of the gravid uterus on the iliac veins. The mechanical oedema of the abdominal walls, vulva, and lower extremities, intensified by chlorosis and hydræmia, is usually associated with venous ectasis. The oedema may become so excessive that locomotion is rendered difficult, while the labia are enormously distended and the subcutaneous tissue of the abdominal walls becomes pendulous. Toward the end of pregnancy, when the uterus sinks into the pelvic cavity, the oedema and varices frequently abate.

Active measures for the relief of the symptoms produced by cedema are frequently indicated. Threatened gangrene of the skin from hyperdistension may render puncture of the hydropsical regions necessary. It is quite possible to interrupt pregnancy by this little operation, especially if the labia are punctured. Elevation of the lower extremities, rest in the horizontal position, elastic bandages and stockings, local hot packs, mild diuretics, usually fulfil all indications for treatment.

Varices are observed more frequently among multiparæ, but may occur in primiparæ. They are usually developed during the second half" 1 Arch. f. Gyn., x. p. 201..

1

2 Lehrbuch d. Geburtshülfe, Lahr, 1882, p. 58.