Injections are an essential point of the sexual hygiene of the wife;
but they are not sufficient alone: they complete the other
preventive methods.
As injection, any acid solution may be used; for instance, _vinegar_
with equal parts of water, or a solution of 1 per cent. of citric or
tartaric acid, etc. Any astringent solution, which is also useful in
the case of white discharges: _sulphate of zinc_ or _alum_, of
either 1 per cent. (a dessertspoonful of the powder in a litre or in
a large bottle of water). Or _corrosive sublimate_ (perchloride of
mercury), a decigramme dissolved in a large bottle of water.
This last solution is also very powerful against venereal contagion;
but, if too frequently employed, it may prove poisonous.
Solutions of copper or nitrate of silver may be used; but these
solutions stain the linen. Copper, if long used, is poisonous.
Now, what syringe should be used?
The simplest instrument is the _glass syringe_, not curved, of large
size (containing 60 cmc. of liquid), which costs 25 cents. The
solution is poured into a cup and drawn up into the syringe; the
piston should be so carefully fitted that no fluid will escape when
the syringe is held downward. The most efficacious method of using
the injection is to lie on the back, on a vessel receiving the
fluid, the thighs drawn up and separated. The syringe is pushed up
into the vagina as far as possible, and then this piston is rapidly
pushed down; when this has been done, the syringe is moved from
right to left, in order to wash out all the folds of the vagina.
Other instruments may as well be employed if it be only a syringe
with a long tube, that it may reach all vaginal folds—the
_clysopompe_, which acts by means of a spring; the _clysior_ or
oblong bulb, with a tube at each end; the _irrigator_, which is hung
up on a nail high up on the wall.
These latter instruments require a much greater quantity of the
solution than the glass syringe requires. Therefore the fluid,
almost a litre, should be warmed when the weather is very cold, or
when the woman is very sensitive.
The tube ought not to be too curved, and ought to be pushed up as
far as possible and to be energetically moved in all directions, so
as to be sure that nothing remains in the vaginal folds.
The least useful syringes are the indiarubber pears, by means of
which it often happens that nothing more than the air contained in
the pear is introduced into the vagina.
Two important Books by MARGARET H. SANGER—=What Every Girl Should Know=,
price 25 and 50 cents, paper and cloth bound; =What Every Mother Should
Know=, paper cover, price 25 cents.—Address, M. MAISEL, 422 Grand
Street, New York City.
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