Identifier: 54510150R.nlm.nih.gov
Title: A nurse's handbook of obstetrics
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: Cooke, Joseph Brown, 1868- author Gray, Carolyn E. (Carolyn Elizabeth), 1873-1938 Baker, Mary Alberta
Subjects: Obstetrical Nursing
Publisher:
Contributing Library: U.S. National Library of Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons, U.S. National Library of Medicine

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ature of the watery discharge, and assured thatit is a perfectly natural phenomenon and of no consequencewhatever. If her night-gown or other garments have becomesoaked with amniotic fluid, they must be replaced at once withdry clothing. When the pains occur as often as every five minutes the phy-sician is to be summoned peremptorily, and even sooner thanthis if he lives at a considerable distance from the patient or incase there is any difficulty in getting word to him. Many phy-sicians give the nurse positive orders as to when they wish tobe called, but in the absence of any such explicit directionsshe may regard the above rule as a safe guide in the majorityof cases. This degree of frequency in the occurrence of the pains is afair indication of the beginning of the second stage of labor, andwhen the pains take on the characteristic features of those of thesecond stage the diagnosis of the condition is not at all difficult. The pains of the second stage arc longer, -much more severe
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PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION. 139 and the patients face is suffused with blood until, at the heightof the pain, it is almost cyanotic, while the neck swells andthe large blood-vessels stand out like knotted ropes and pulsateviolentl v. As soon as it is apparent that the patient is in or near thesecond stage of labor she is to be put to bed, for at this time theos uteri is, of course, fully dilated, and if she is allowed toremain on her feet precipitate labor may occur. As a rule, thepatient is quite willing to go to bed when this period of labor isreached, and in many cases she is unable to keep up any longereven if she were allowed to do so. The nurse should have ready, on the arrival of the physician,hot water, soap, a nail-brush for the disinfection of his hands,antiseptic solution (usually bichloride solution, 1 to 2000) sterilerubber gloves and solution of lysol, 2 per cent, or lubrichondrin.As many physicians, unfortunately, neglect to provide them-selves with an apron or gown, the n

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