The Men-midwives are sensible, that, when they urge their knowledge in anatomy as a reason for their being safer than women, they mean to take advantage of _the ignorance_ of mankind. Where _very rare_, _particular_ circumstances occur, undoubtedly the knowledge of anatomy becomes then absolutely necessary to direct the operator in the means requisite to save the woman’s life. In that distressed, unhappy, deplorable situation, no modesty can possibly be violated. The poor afflicted woman, is, _if sensible_, so taken up with anxious thoughts, and torturing pains, that she is _not conscious_ of the transaction—and the Royal Exchange, when crouded, might be spectators, without attracting her attention, or interrupting her fears. It is quite different in _a very large majority_ of labours. The woman has many intervals of ease,—she does not apprehend there is any peculiar danger in her case:—her mind, while free from pain, is at liberty calmly to attend to whatever is done. There is not above one labour in a thousand where there is any occasion for the knowledge of anatomy. I insist that _except in those very extraordinary cases_, a knowledge of anatomy leads Men-midwives frequently to do great mischief. _It makes them impatient._ They _know how_ to bring on the labour pains,—they _know how to force the birth_. From _this DESTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE_, numbers of children are demolished,—numbers of women are thrown into fevers by _lacerations_ and _inflammations_, which might have the worst consequences, and which never would have happened _if the knowledge of anatomy_ had not _tempted men_ to have recourse _to ART within the proper boundaries of NATURE’S empire_. For this reason, if I was a married man, I would not employ _even a woman_ who had been bred under a Man-midwife. Her _knowing the parts ANATOMICALLY_, and _understanding the USE of INSTRUMENTS_, and pursuing the _teizing_, _fiddling_ customs of the men who had instructed her, instead of recommending her to me, would be a sufficient cause to prevent my employing her. _THE ONLY SAFE KNOWLEDGE for a midwife to possess_, is, _that which is taught by EXPERIENCE_. Whenever it _ceases_ being possible for nature, with such assistance, to do her work, _then_, and _then only_, art ought to be called in with instruments to aid.—Yet our young women are not ashamed _premeditately to resolve_ on employing men, though there are such a multitude of chances _against_ the supposition of a dead child—or that there will be occasion for the destruction of her infant to save her own life. It is for this wanton use of men, that I wish I had abilities to expose their want of modesty in colours striking enough to hold out our women to the universal ridicule of the world, and draw down on them the contempt and indignation of the virtuous.