Front matter
Class ^f^j^ ^
Book j.
Copyright IS 10 ___
CHAPTER I THE FRAUENKXINIK : A DAY IN JUNE The Klinik Mothers 1
German controversy on the Freiburg experiment ... 2
The Geheimrat and his patients 4
The first American mother's story 5
A typical Dammerschlaf 9
A typical convalescence 14
Medical science localises the experience 16
The mothers spread it abroad 17
CHAPTER II PROFESSOR KRONIo's TALK TO THE WOMEN OF FREIBURG
The lost speech and its echoes 18
"Kronig 1908" — his address to his students . . . .21
The "rescuing" forceps 23
Exhaustion through pain a cause of its use .... 23
Pain of birth not physiological, but pathological, in its effect . 23
Breakdown often follows painful birth 24
General attitude of the medical practitioner towards pain in
birth 26
James Young Simpson on pain as a danger to the birth process 26
ix x CONTENTS
PAGE
Familiarity with pain brutalises the doctor .... 27
The pain of birth equal to the pain of surgery .... 27
Evidence in regard to the acuteness of birthpain ... 28
The physiological function of birthpain 28
Destruction of vitality by pain 29
Removal of pain saves vitality for resisting the emergencies of
birth 29
Birchmore on birth relieved of the impediment of pain . . 30 His painless cases show muscular contractions normalised by
removal of pain and dilatation furthered .... 30
They show less laceration 30
Pain lengthens labour 31
Pain often makes forceps and other operations necessary . .31
Injury to the child through mother's pain 31
Operative frequency under painlessness cut in half . . .31
Kronig on convalescence from painless birth .... 32
Gauss on painless birth 32
Chapter III Feab And Pain I The Psychology Of Maternity
Actual fear of childbirth, as opposed to hysterical apprehensions disregarded by the obstetricians .... 33
Birchmore on fear 33
Kronig on fear 33
Fear part of traumatic shock of childbirth .... 34
Butler on the place of fear throughout childbearing period . 34
This fear dominates some women's lives 34
A few sensitive obstetricians take account of the farreaching
consequences of both fear and pain in childbirth . . 37 Effect of pain on the nervous system . . . ... .38
Puerperal psychosis 38
Relation of fear to this and to psychosis in pregnancy . . 38
The young girl's fear of marriage 39
The desire for a child fights with fear of childbirth . . 39
Deceptive natural amnesia 39
The fear that follows one painful birth 39
CONTENTS xi
PAGE
Hysteria derived from the Greek word for womb ... 40 Nerves broken down by painful birth sometimes simulate uterine disease 40
Gauss's testimony to this 40
Possible effect of birthpain on women's mental development . 41 Women have faced painful childbirth bravely as long as it was
unavoidable 42
From Genesis on, childbirth has been the literary exemplum
of pain 42
Birth rate contrasted with death rate; sum of suffering through birth and the ills following greater than through disease
and death 42
Dammerschlaf does away both with painful birth and with
much uterine disease 42
Harper's Weekly speaks of desirability of perpetuating birthpain 43
Stoical women desire birthpain 43
These put courage above the conserved vitality which they
could expend on their children after a painless birth . . 43
Peace of mind part of prenatal care for mother and child . . 44
Burdens of pregnancy are enough 44
Birth should be a rite to maternity, not an animal agony . . 44
Chapter IV Gauss And Dammerschlaf: 80% Perfect
"Gauss 1906": personality and work of the author ... 46
Scope and method of his 1906 report 47
The state of Dammerschlaf defined 47
The ideal state for the birth process 48
Atropin-hyoscin-scopolamin family 48
Earlier use of scopolamin in obstetrics 48
Gauss's infinite pains in working out the technique of Dammerschlaf 49
Perfect Dammerschlaf 49
First experimental mothers were dogs 49 xii CONTENTS
PAGE
"Gauss 1906" (Births in Artificial Dammerschlaf ) ; study of
first 500 human mothers . .50
This report stands alone, for scope and the care with which details are studied, in obstetrical literature .... 50 Later reports on 1,000 cases (1907) ; on 3,000 (1911) ; on 600
Work at Freiburg not an experiment but a proved experience 50
"Touchstone" for all obstetrical use of scopolamin-morphin . 51 Kelation of Gauss's 1906 to later reports . . . .51 Three stages of Dammerschlaf: painlessening, partial, and deep
Dammerschlaf 51
Introduction of Dammerschlaf described by Gauss . . .51 Semi-narcosis and artificial Dammerschlaf compared ... 53 Forgetfulness characteristic of this condition of clouded consciousness 54
Examples 55
Amnesia 56
Derangement of apperception the sign of amnesia; "memory
test" the means of maintaining Dammerschlaf ... 57 Pupillary reaction and locomotor ataxia also signs of Dammerschlaf 57
Difficulties in guiding Dammerschlaf 58
Disturbances of the senses 58
Antiphones and mask 59
Muscular sensation 59
Touch and perception of pain 60
Method stands or falls by the memory test 60
Amount and regulation of dose of scopolamin and morphin . 60 Percentage of success in free wards smaller because of disturbances of the senses 61
Percentage of complete and partial success in Gauss's first 500
cases 61
Percentage in his later studies 61
Percentage in first ward 61
Gauss laid down conditions for his work, for safety of mother
and child 62
His early experience led him after the experimental stage was passed to offer Dammerschlaf to all mothers in active
labour 62
His statement on this matter in America 62
CONTENTS xiii
PAGE
Gauss on painlessness as an aid to birth; preventing secondary insufficiency during birth and nervous-uterine diseases
after 63
Easy convalescence 65
Detailed studies by Gauss's assistants show duration of birth
and muscular contractions normal 65
They show blood loss normal 66
They show mother and child uninjured 66
Use of forceps under Dammerschlaf 66
Use of other operations under Dammerschlaf .... 66
Standardising of scopolamin by Professor Straub ... 67
Gauss on the condition of the child 67
Statistics of the first 500 children 68
Oligopncea or light breathing 68
A visiting doctor's description of oligopnea .... 69
Asphyxia never caused by Dammerschlaf 70
Morphin should be cut down to minimum for safety of child . 70
Gauss cuts percentage of oligopncea in half in 1907 ... 70
Infant death rate cut in half by Dammerschlaf at Frauenklinik 70
Prof. Aschoff's explanation 71
Effect of breathing impediments on later development . . 71 Holzbach shows that minute quantities of scopolamin are soon
thrown off by the child 72
Mortality of Frauenklinik babies in first year of life less than
ordinary mortality in that year in Baden .... 72 Larger percentage of mothers confined in Dammerschlaf nurse
their children 72
Favourable statistics on a group of over 400 Frauenklinik
babies followed through first year of life .... 73 Freiburg Frauenklinik has the lowest mother and infant mortality of any maternity hospital in Europe .... 73 General summary of Gauss's 1906 report .... 73 Drs. Harrar and McPherson on disregard of Freiburg technique
by other obstetricians 73
Gauss on the advantages of Dammerschlaf 74
What the Freiburg record has proved 74
An 80% perfect method with small percentage of failure and
requiring in all cases special environment for success . 74
The future may develop a 100% perfect method .... 75 xiv CONTENTS
CHAPTER V how Simpson's method was killed
PAGE
The first spontaneous birth under painlessness was in 1847 . 76 Sir James Young Simpson was not a discoverer of surgical
anaesthesia 76
His sole and persistent original work was for obstetrical anaesthesia or painless childbirth 76
His first case 76
The religious controversy over use of semi-anaesthesia with ether
and chloroform in childbirth 76
Simpson answers his religious and medical opponents . . 77
Story of one of Simpson's first mothers 78
"Miss Anaesthesia" 78
Simpson maintains semi-narcosis in spontaneous births up to
14 hours 79
Chloroform a la reine 79
Simpson's summary of his results 79
Ether a diffused stimulant in labour 79
Dr. A. Ballantyne on Simpson's work 80
Simpson's work better than that of most of his successors . 80 Present administration of chloroform in obstetrics is mere un-
standardised emergency anaesthetisation .... 80 Examples of amateur anaesthetisation childbirth . . .81 A. Lapthorne Smith allows the mother herself to administer
the anaesthetic 81
J. W. Allwright allows this also 81
Chloroform and ether almost entirely safe in childbirth . . 82 Skilled obstetrical anaesthetists can administer them successfully for as long as 30 hours' labour .... 82 Havelock Ellis's experience in producing practical Dammer-
schlaf with chloroform, etc. 83
R. C. Buist also produces this condition 83
Buist's description of amateur methods commonly used to-day 84 Analgesia or painlessness not amnesia is condition aimed at by all other methods than Gauss's ; disturbance of attention in
Ellis's case is an accident not intentional ... 84
CONTEXTS xv
PAGE
Hypalgesia or mere painlessening aimed at by most obstetrical
anaesthetists 84
J. P. Reynolds' experience 84
A mother's evidence in regard to unsatisfactoriness of this
condition 85
No effort has been made to study and standardise the possibilities of obstetrical anaesthesia with ether and chloroform 85
Simpson considered it the moral duty of every obstetrician to
furnish painlessness in childbirth 86
The Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society recognised obstetrical anaesthesia in 1860 as safe and desirable ... 86
Yet A. Ernest Sanson speaks of the opposition offered by his
profession to obstetrical anaesthesia 86
Struggle for more common use by prominent obstetricians . . 86
Reynolds and Allwright say choice should be left to mother not
to doctor 86
A German student of obstetrical anaesthesia finds chloroform, ether and scopolamin-morphin the only anaesthetics suitable for long births 88
He declares that they are not used, simply because they are
too much trouble 88
He brings out the unstandardised character of the experience
with chloroform and ether 88
Little attention given to obstetrical anaesthesia in the literature
of obstetrics 89
Simpson's work taken little advantage of by his profession . 89
His prophecy that women would in time themselves rebel
against the usual tortures of childbirth is now coming true 89
It promises to make effective the work Simpson began . . 90
Chapter VI
Gauss in 1911 on opponents and supporters of Dammerschlaf . 91 Gauss on scope of Freiburg experience in that year . . .91 Germany loses interest in the subject, as England had lost interest in Simpson's work .91
XVI
CONTENTS
Scopolamin-morphin in obstetrics has never been discredited or discarded; records exist of at least 12,000 births in Germany alone 92
Spread throughout Germany by the controversy on its use between Berlin and Freiburg Universities .... 92 Experimentation after von Steinbuchel; some users cautious,
some reckless 92
Eecklessness brought scopomorphin into disfavour ... 92
History of scopomorphin in major surgery .... 92
History in minor surgery and as preliminary narcotic . . 93
Crile's use 93
Difference between method of use and condition to be attained
in surgery and in obstetrics 93
Death rate for all uses compared with death rates for ether
and chloroform 94
"Gauss 1906" reopens experimentation in obstetrics ... 94
His technique and dosage entirely disregarded .... 94
In 1911 a half dozen Germans had reported on Dammerschlaf 94 Their method compared with that of German obstetricians who
did not use Dammerschlaf 94
The men who disregarded Dammerschlaf technique overdosed . 95 One child killed by this class of experimenter .... 95 The struggle centres about the right use of scopolamin . . 96 Disregard of Freiburg technique mainly due to jealousy of Freiburg on the part of Berlin 96
Experimentation at Berlin conducted by Hocheisen ... 96 Debate between Gauss with 1,000 cases and Hocheisen with 100,
Reason for their different results was use of different methods 97
"Time will tell" 98
Effect of this debate both bad and good in Germany: fair
minded used Gauss's method and succeeded ... 98
Steffen of Dresden fails 98
Gminder 99
Avarffy 99
Bumm of Berlin 99
Berlin-Freiburg controversy affects America .... 99
French experience with scopolamin in obstetrics ... 99
English experience 100
Early American experience ........ 100
CONTENTS xvii
PAGE
"Chicago" experiment 101
Charles M. Green tries scopolamin in 1903 102
Freiburg technique not used till 1914 in America . . . 102
American dosages 102
Overdosing with morphin before 1914 103
A dozen American obstetricians who experimented from 1906
Unpleasant experiences but no deaths proved . . . .103
Reckless dosage 103
Discouraged American obstetricians accept the judgment of
Berlin rather than of Freiburg 104
Some cautious American obstetricians continued their use of
scopolamin 104
Chapter VII Time Has Told: Freiburg To New York
October, 1913, Kronig and Gauss before American obstetricians :
October, 1913, two women go to Freiburg .... 106 May, 1914, Kronig's American address published; May, 1914,
McClure's publishes article on Dammerschlaf or Twilight
Sleep '. 106
Twilight Sleep known only to medical profession before, now
talked of all over the world 106
Doctors tried to discredit the facts in the magazine article . 107 October, 1914, a persistent and general, though unorganised,
demand among women for painless birth . . . .107 Freiburg set the standard of obstetrical anaesthesia for the
world; it is now handed over to women to enforce . .108 By October the medical profession had passed from intemperate
attack to open-minded experimentation with Twilight
Sleep 108
This experimentation due solely to pressure of women's demand 109 Value of medical ethics to the physician; to the public . . 109 O. W. Holmes's asepsis put back a generation by conservatism
of his profession 110
Semmelweis's contribution to the same procedure also delayed
and himself driven insane by the same opposition . .110
Ill 111 xviii CONTENTS
PAGE
Publicity given Twilight Sleep in popular magazines considered
a reflection on the progressiveness of American medicine . 110
Fear of safety and practicability of the method made Ameri can doctors unfavourable till they had themselves experi mented
Attitude of two medical journals
Much of the criticism of Twilight Sleep in summer of 1914 is in reality criticism of early unstandardised use of scopolamin in obstetrics 112
Journal of American Academy of Medicine criticises . . .112
Barton C. Hirst criticises on same basis, but with effort to
make it seem that Freiburg method is the same . .113
E. Gustav Zinke's criticism 113
Charles M. Green criticises on basis of his own failures before
Twilight Sleep existed 114
Only a few American obstetricians would acknowledge at first
that Freiburg method differed from their own . . .114
Dr. Eoss McPherson's acknowledgment of this . . . .115
Changed character of the criticisms in the late fall, after experimentation 116
Franklin Newell of Harvard counsels, like Gauss, extreme care
and high skill in the use of scopolamin-morphin . . .117
Women to some extent protected from danger of ill-informed general practitioner using scopolamin incautiously, by their own knowledge of the Freiburg requirements . . .117
They are becoming hospitable to the idea of hospital confine ment
Doctors themselves draw on popular magazine descriptions of the technique
Effect of the women's demand on the general practitioner .
Exodus of American doctors to Freiburg in summer of 1914
Freiburg Frauenklinik accused of commercialism
Freiburg Frauenklinik emptied of its staff by the war
Twilight Sleep handed over to America ....
American reports on Twilight Sleep begin in the fall
Milwaukee Medical Society and the women of Milwaukee
Sessions on Twilight Sleep by all medical societies throughout the country
All the root and branch opposition was by those who stated they had not themselves used the method .
CONTENTS xix
A dozen meetings on the subject in New York City . . .121
Memorandum of Public Health Division of American Academy of Medicine urges investigation and makes the important statement, for the first time in medical history, that the pains of maternity should be relieved 121
Women's Division of American Academy of Medicine as to the perfect practicability of Twilight Sleep
Personal views of doctors reporting at meetings
Opinion of Dr. Craigin
Opinion of Dr. J. Thompson Schell ....
Some report having used scopolamin for many years .
Some report having failed before, but succeeded now that are using Freiburg method • • •
Testimony of Dr. Bertha Von Hoosen • • • •
Testimony of Dr. Franklin S. Newell • * • they
122 122 123 123 123
123 124 124
Chapter VIII Time Has Told: American Reports On Authentic Twilight Sleep
In September, 1911, the two earliest reports on series of cases in Twilight Sleep read before American Association of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 125
Many verbal reports on series of cases in various cities . . 125
Siegel's method 126
Gauss's estimate of this method 126
The method contrasted with that of Gauss; fixed versus individualised dosage 126
J. de Lee on Siegel's method 127
Kronig on Siegel's method 128
A case which shows the difference between the two methods . 128
Siegel's method a menace to authentic Twilight Sleep . . 128 Probably as many as 3,000 cases of authentic Twilight Sleep
now exist in America 129
Reports published by four hospitals 129
None of the experimenters Freiburg trained but have followed
published rules rigidly 129
Dr. Schlossinck 129 xx CONTENTS
PAGE
Drs. Rongy and Arluck's report for Jewish Maternity Hospital
in New York 130
Drs. Harrar and McPherson's report for New York Lying-in
Hospital 131
They comment on the objective symptoms of pain to be observed under Twilight Sleep 132
They compare 100 births under Twilight with 100 births in
consciousness, as to both mother and child . . . .133 Need of high skill in obstetrics for best results in Twilight
Sleep 133
Drs. W. H. W. Knipe and J. O. Polak report on series of cases 135 Both these men had formerly failed with scopolamin; both now
ascribe their failure to disregard of Freiburg technique. . 135 Dr. Polak on reasons for low mortality of mother and child at
Freiburg 136
Dr. Polak on value of painlessness to birth process and to
mother and child . 136
Effect of scopolamin on child 138
Place of Twilight Sleep in obstetrics 140
Dr. Polak's experience . . . 141
Dr. Knipe on the child 141
On avoidance of cumulative overdosing and "forcing" by Twilight Sleep 142
His experience 142
His method of convalescence 142
His estimate of the way in which Twilight Sleep should develop and its effect on obstetrics in the future . . .143
The open hospital 144
Three present menaces to Twilight Sleep 144
Public speaking on Twilight Sleep in department stores . . 145
A street-corner speaker 146
Women respond as to a matter of life and death . . .146
Chapter IX A Dozen Anesthetics And The Fokceps
Anaesthetics which give a brief relief in childbirth . . . 147 Few of these known to the general practitioner . . . 147
CONTENTS xxi
PAGE
The "doctor's discretion" is to-day being replaced by the
mother's discretion in the use of anaesthetics in childbirth 147
M. W. Kapp on effect of mother's pain on a sensitive doctor . 147 A dozen anaesthetics known to the obstetrician . . . .148
Only used in selected cases 149
A half dozen anaesthetics can relieve first stages of labour . 149 A considerable number can relieve final stage . . . .149
A. Johnen's report on anaesthesia in spontaneous birth . . 149 Conclusions as to value of the various narcotics based on
slender, unstandardised experience 150
In England ether or chloroform for long or short periods most
popular 150
In Germany, scopolamin 150
A fairly large experience with cocain is reported . . . 151
Hypnotism developed in France but has limited application . 151 Many anaesthetics used in early stages combined with ether at
end 152
Scopolamin-morphin sometimes used this way .... 152
Codein-digitalin-strychnia 152
Antipyrin 152
Nitrous oxide and oxygen 152
Artificial premature delivery as a means of lessening pain . 153
Its dangers to the child 153
The "alleviating" forceps and its dangers 153
Testimony to this by Dr. Kronig 154
Further testimony by other obstetricians 154
A hundred births relieved by the forceps for every one made
spontaneous under some form of artificial painlessness . 155
Chapter X
Ribeniont-Dessaignes of Paris bases his case for artificial painlessness on its superior safety over painful birth . . 156
He studies birth contractions as a muscular function without
pain 156
His testimony to value of painlessness to birth process . . 157
Its value to convalescence 158 xxii CONTENTS
PAGE
No after-pains 158
Readjustment of organs aided 158
Value of artificial painlessness where minor operations are suddenly called for 159
Value in eclampsia 159
Antalgesine, the new French obstetrical narcotic . . . 159 Still an experiment, not like Twilight Sleep, a proved experience 159
Ribemont-Dessaignes reports on 112 cases under Antalgesine . 160
"A drug for the provinces" 160
Pouchet's chemical analysis; detoxicated morphin . . . 160
Its quick action and other advantages 160
The state of consciousness • . .161
The chemist Georges Paulin discovers Antalgesine . . . 162 Ribemont-Dessaignes, "accoucheur des hopitaux," reports on
its use and astonishes French obstetricians . . . 162
Georges Paulin's story 165
"Tocanalgine"— Painless Birth 166
Paulin's hospital 167
Ribemont-Dessaignes' story 169
Le Laurier's report 171
Pinard's evidence . . . 172
French obstetricians on oligopncea 172
An American obstetrician's experiment with Antalgesine . . 173
He compares its effect with Twilight Sleep 173
Strength and weakness of Antalgesine 174
Educational value of Twilight Sleep 175
CONCLUSION THE OBSTETRICS OF TO-MORROW
Wise judgment and gentle skill characteristic of this age of
obstetrics 176
The general practitioner does not possess this judgment and
skill 176
Many lives lost through inability of doctor to perform caesarean
section 177
In surgery barber is replaced by skilled specialist . . .177
CONTENTS xxiii
PAGE
General practitioner, obstetrician and gynaecologist now share
care of women's sex life 177
Gynaecologist repairs injuries done in childbirth by general
practitioner 177
Obstetrician not properly respected 178
Obstetrician and gynaecologist should be one . . . .178
T. Whitridge Williams' evidence 178
Obstetrical anaesthesia needs the hospital and the specialist . 178 Life-giving should be put on same high basis as life-saving in
surgery . 179
To-day life-giving causes a greater volume of suffering than
disease 179
Hospital necessary to development of obstetrics . . . .179 Morbidity and mortality at childbirth is lowered only in the
hospital 179
100% perfect obstetrical anaesthesia is that which requires the
hospital and expert care 179
Need of hospitals for childbirth 179
Expense of Twilight Sleep should be apportioned to patient's capacity to pay, supplemented by hospital endowment, as
it is to-day in surgery 180
Progress of obstetrics bound up in painless methods . . .180
Cheapness of life to-day 181
Cheapness and over-population go together 181
Twilight Sleep entrusted to the women of America to promote 181 A chain of Twilight Sleep hospitals or hospital wards the possible development of the future 182
Painless spontaneous birth should be as universal as painless
surgery 182
SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER HOW IT FEELS TO TAKE THE TWILIGHT SLEEP
The Freiburg experiences of: Mrs. Cecil Stewart, Mrs. Mark
Boyd, Mrs. Francis Carmody 185
APPENDIX I Painless Delivery in Dammerschlaf. By Bernhard Kronig, 1908 205 xxitf CONTENTS
PAGE
APPENDIX II Births in Artificial Dammerschlaf. By Carl J. Gauss, 1906 . 224
Further Experiments in Dammerschlaf. By Carl J. Gauss,
1911 292
Bibliography 309
ILLUSTKATIONS
The Frausriklinik of Freiburg, the place where the science of obstetrical anaesthesia has been worked out to a perfection that sets a standard for the world. The Frauenklinik has the lowest infant and maternal mortality of any clinic in Europe or America Frontispiece'
FACING PAGE
Jane Erin Emmet was the little girl born on a "day in June," when the great Berlin-Freiburg controversy over painless childbirth was at its height. Jane's brothers, Winthrop and William, both of whom were born under Dammerschlaf, attest to the endorsement of the patients who have had the benefit of Dammerschlaf at the Freiburg Klinik 14'
Mrs. Cecil Stewart was the second American woman to go
to Freiburg for her baby 15'
The son of a Freiburg University professor. While professional etiquette forbade giving the names of men connected with Baden University, the hearty co-operation of wives and mothers in the faculty furnished many photographs of their Dammerschlaf children . 30
The four "scopolamin" children of Frau Bissinger, one of the women of Freiburg whose enthusiasm for Dammerschlaf, together with her wide acquaintance, helped us to collect pictures of over two hundred Dammerschlaf children 31
"Sonny Boy," an excellent specimen of a Dammerschlaf baby. His father, an assistant professor of the Freiburg University, uses scopolamin in preference to atropin in ophthalmological practice . . . .62 xxv xxvi ILLUSTKATIOISrS
FACIXG
(a) "Volcker," of Freiburg, son of a University professor who has made a special study of the 50 per cent, decrease in infant mortality at the Klinik since the introduction of Dammerschlaf. (b) "Peter" Straub's father discovered a means of preserving scopolamin in solution : Peter was born under its Dammerschlaf five years ago 63'
Sir James Young Simpson's sole and persistent work was with obstetrical semi-anaesthesia, or the attaining of painless spontaneous birth. "My profession may never help me," he said once, "but women themselves will betimes rebel against the usual tortures and miseries of childbirth." 94^
The first "painless" child. By chloroform a la reine Sir James Young Simpson maintained a Dammerschlaf condition from six to fourteen hours . .. . 95
Gouverneur Hospital in New York, where Mrs. Hans Leuderman's baby was born in January, 1914, has reported success in over 100 cases of Twilight Sleep, and is the only American clinic which employs the "active convalescence" of Freiburg 142
(a) Barbara Jane, born under Twilight Sleep at the Wesley Hospital, Chicago, September, 1914. (b) Mrs. Francis Xavier Carmody and her little boy, Charlemagne, born July, 1914, while the visiting American doctors were at Freiburg, converted at least one famous American obstetrician to Dammerschlaf . . 143 "
Professor Weismann's great-grandchild, born under Dammerschlaf in 1913. Professor Weismann was the contemporary of Darwin. He was emeritus professor of biology at the University of Baden, and died at Freiburg in 1914 174
ILLUSTEATIONS xxvii
FACING
Mrs. Joseph A. Sargent and William Winthrop Home Sargent, one of the youngest of the American boys born at Freiburg. His family came up from Spain that he might be a Dammerschlaf baby . . . 175 '
"The second day after the baby was born I got up "
From a snapshot taken by Marguerite Tracy in the Frauenklinik, showing Mrs. Stewart out of bed on the second day 190
"Sumner," the little son of Mrs. Mark Boyd, born at Freiburg in January, 1914. Mrs. Boyd turned an interruption in the course of work into an opportunity for intensive work of a special kind .... 191 w
USTTKODUCTION
The history of painless childbirth divides itself into three periods.
The first, or chloroform-ether period, began when, in, 1848, Sir James Young Simpson administered chloroform a la reine. He and a few of his followers used this method in such perfection that descriptions of a birth so conducted read like those of a birth conducted under Freiburg Dammerschlaf, or, as we roughly translate it in America, Twilight Sleep. But the general administration of chloroform-ether in childbirth has deteriorated so that the Dammerschlaf condition is now regarded as peculiar to Freiburg, and indeed required to be rediscovered there.
The second, or scopolamin-morphin period, is the period of the present. This drug came into use in childbirth in 1903. Its history would have repeated that of chloroform, if Kronig and Gauss had not set themselves to work out experimentally a perfect method of dosage. They have furnished a standard, and recorded an experience that lays a secure foundation on which other obstetricians can build up as perfect a science of obstetrical anaesthesia as now exists in surgical anaesthesia. The Freiburg method worked out by Kronig and Gauss, covering as it does many thousands of cases over a period of ten years, is one of the largest experiences under uniform conditions on record in medical literature. It has shown itself
The opening of the book is shown; the full text loads in the reader.
Loading the full text…
The end
You’ve reached the end of Painless childbirth; a general survey of all painless methods, with special stress on "twilight sleep" and its extension to America.