This disease is easily known by the pain, hardness, and swelling which
accompany it. In some cases the whole breast appears to be affected; in
others, only on one side; and, in some, the effect is small and
superficial.
When the breast inflames, it is evident that the retention of the milk
must, for a time at least, increase the pain.
The first object then should be to have the breasts drawn, either by the
child or some other means; but, should the milk not come away readily,
and the pain be increased thereby, farther attempts must not be made;
otherwise both the disease and sufferings of the woman may be
aggravated. A cooling diet and an open state of the bowels are necessary
while the swelling continues. And it is better for the patient to remain
in bed, as the weight of the breast, while in the erect posture, often
increases the inflammation. The breast should be gently rubbed with a
small quantity of sweet oil or unsalted butter, and poultices of crumb
of bread and lead water applied. If the pain and hardness do not very
soon go off by this application, warm emollient poultices, as milk and
bread, with a little oil, or united with the leaves of the thorn apple,
must be had recourse to. These poultices will not promote suppuration
unless the inflammation has proceeded so far, that the process has
already begun, and in this case the sooner it is produced the better.
If the abscess do not point and break soon, no good can be gained by
delay: an opening should therefore be made, so as to evacuate the matter
freely. This not only gives immediate relief, but prevents a farther
extension of the mischief. The milk and bread or flax-seed poultices
must be continued for a few days, in order to remove the hardness, and
then the part must be dressed, as in ordinary cases.
Indurations remaining after an abscess, may be frequently remedied by
the application of a mercurial plaster, or cloths wet with the
camphorated spirit, or rubbing the part, night and morning, with
mercurial ointment, united with a little camphor.
Sometimes after the abscess heals, and the breast seems to be cured, it
swells a little, especially towards night. This is from weakness, and is
cured by strengthening the constitution.
Many women suffer more from this complaint than from all the various
stages of pregnancy, labor, and delivery combined, and with whom broken
breasts are an invariable attendant of confinement; they overlook all
the other sufferings they have to undergo, and fix their dread and
apprehension upon this. It is, therefore, all-important _that
inflammation of the breasts should not be permitted to take place_, by
proper precautionary measures, _and this can, in all cases, be
accomplished_, by the mode of treatment pointed out in this work, which,
as yet, has not been mentioned in any other, but of its invariable
success there is not a shadow of doubt, as it has been tested under
circumstances the most unfavorable, in cases where every confinement was
attended with broken breasts, till this mode of treatment was had
recourse to, and the patients, to their great surprise and joy, for the
first time entirely escaped their uniform affliction. It is hoped the
medical faculty will avail themselves of this invaluable mode of
treatment, that hereafter inflammation of the breasts may be unknown,
since prevention is so easy and practicable.
_To prevent Inflamed or Broken Breasts._
This most desirable and important object is accomplished by covering the
entire breasts with diachylon plaster (which can be obtained of every
druggist, the machine-spread is preferable) rather tightly or closely
put on, merely making a round hole (about the circumference of a dollar)
for the nipple, sufficiently large not to interfere with the suckling of
the infant, should it be put to the breast; and if not, it is not only
unnecessary to draw the milk, but it would be advisable to refrain from
it, even if a little pain or distension should supervene, as the milk is
sure to find an outlet in the nipple. The plaster must be cut round and
embrace and cover the entire of each breast, and should be put on within
eight or ten hours after delivery, and before the milk threatens. The
effect is to superinduce the flow of milk to the nipple, from which it
freely and profusely flows, in no case requiring the application of
stimulants to induce its discharge, and, by keeping the breasts in
constant moisture, effectually prevents hardness by coagulation of milk.
In ten days or thereabout the plasters can be taken off without
inconvenience.
It is not too much to say that broken or inflamed breasts are impossible
when this precautionary mode of treatment is adopted, as it has, in
every instance, where it has been tested upon those who before were
invariably afflicted with broken breasts, been attended with most
triumphant success; and it has thus been put to the test in more than
fifty instances to the writer’s personal knowledge. In communicating
this important fact, therefore, he does so with the most thorough
confidence that he is conducing to the amelioration of much suffering,
and without assuming that this may not be known to others, he can only
say that he has not met with any mention of it in any works to which he
has had access. Should those, therefore, into whose hands this work may
fall have a wife, or a relation, or a neighbor, who, heretofore, have
been afflicted with inflamed or broken breasts, they would have it in
their power to ameliorate, nay, prevent much suffering, which to the
author of these lines will be a source of heartfelt satisfaction.