Iodine as a preventive of Mammary Abscess. By II. C.
Stewart, M. D., of Salisbury, Somerset Co., Pa.
This communication, I presume, will fall under the notice of
no physician unacquainted with what is usually termed mammary
abscess, both as regards the condition of the breast and the best
known means of obviating that distressing condition, to which
the “lying-in woman ” is so often subjected.
Perhaps no organ of the body is capable of producing a
greater amount of suffering to the patient, and vexation to the
physician, than the female breast. Situated upon a prominent
part of the body—delicately constructed—influencing and being
influenced at times, by other organs, it is adapted to the per-
formance of an important function, the disturbance of which
must necessarily produce a disagreeable and dangerous
result, often requiring the best efforts of the physician to coun-
teract.
Seeing, then, that these things are so, we have been led to
inquire, Is there no remedy ? or must our patients, after having
undergone the agony of parturition, still suffer on, simply because
their breasts have not been properly and sufficiently relieved of
milk as fast as secreted ?
If mammary abscess cannot be prevented, it is not because
remedies have not been proposed for it; for amongst all the “ ills
that flesh is heir to,” there is none, perhaps, for which such a
multitudinous variety of cures has been tried. This is probably
the best evidence of the difficulty of preventing such an
occurrence.
The first indication that suggests itself to the mind of the
physician, is to remove the tension by withdrawing the milk.
But this cannot always be done; for in how many cases do we
find a complete obstruction of the ducts; others, again, where
there are no nipples, consequently no outlet for the milk. Have
we no remedy here, or must we let the gland inflame, and then
bleed and apply leeches and “poultices to favor suppuration,”
and when the abscess forms, open it with a lancet, and run the
risk of forming a milk fistula, then apply adhesive strips, and if
all this fail—let it alone ?
In the early part of my practice, I was called to attend a
lady, the mother of five children, none of whom she had ever
suckled, owing to an inversion of the nipples, and consequent
obstruction of the ducts. So thorough was this obstruction, that
the best efforts of the physicians, on former occasions, had
totally failed to relieve the breasts of a particle of milk ; conse-
quently the woman had suffered on every occasion from mam-
mary abscess.
In giving me a history of the treatment at different times, she
said that at one time she came near losing both breasts; when
the physician, (dead at the time of this conversation,) as a last
remedy, applied something which, from the description given me,
I believed to be iodine. Knowing the efficacy of that article in
all glandular affections, I resolved to try it as soon as the breasts
showed any signs of inflammation. On the third day, finding
them large, heavy and intensely painful, I made an application
to the breasts of iodine ointment spread upon linen, which gave
almost immediate relief. After a few applicitions, I found the
breasts “ perfectly flaccid, completely cool, and admitting of the
freest palpation and handling, without the woman making any
complaint.” From the favorable result in the above case, I was
induced to try it in two similar cases, with the sama success, and
so far as I know it has never failed in the hands of any of my
medical friends to whom I have recommended it; but not a few
there are who can bear testimony to its virtues.
With these few suggestions, I respectfully submit it to the
profession, hoping that it may not disappoint their expectations.