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The danger and immodesty of the present too general custom of unnecessarily employing men-midwives: Being the letters which lately appeared under the signature of a man-midwife. With an introduction, a treatise on the milk, and an appendix. — John Shaqi

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The danger and immodesty of the present too general custom of unnecessarily employing men-midwives: Being the letters which lately appeared under the signature of a man-midwife. With an introduction, a treatise on the milk, and an appendix.

Name: The danger and immodesty of the present too general custom of unnecessarily employing men-midwives: Being the letters which lately appeared under the signature of a man-midwife. With an introduction, a treatise on the milk, and an appendix.
Author: Anonymous

Anonymous

Midwifery -- England -- Early works to 1800

The gentleman concludes with telling us a story of Dr. Ford’s having
attended a poor woman for three days and nights, who had been ill used
by a woman.⸺What then?—It only proves that Dr. Ford _is not destitute of
humanity_, and _that there is ONE_ woman _who interfered with nature_,
and _of course did mischief_.—I know he “is a favourite with many women
of distinction”—but _those ladies BEST know HOW he has recommended
himself to their favour_. Neither Dr. Ford, nor Dr. Hunter, can presume
to affirm, that they never take the most intimate freedoms with ladies,
when there is no chance for labour.⸺Indeed, the ladies make no secret
of it—they now can submit to those examinations on the morning of an
assembly, tell their company of it at dinner, and go to a tavern to
supper!

And now, Mr. Printer, allow me _to take my leave of you, and the public
on this theme_.—The unprejudiced will be convinced—at least it was
this flattering, this most pleasing hope, that stimulated me to write
on this subject.—I can have no sinister views—the conduct of the world
will not interfere with my happiness—for I never will marry any woman,
unless I know her sentiments correspond with mine. The public are now in
possession of all I can think on the subject—The good sense of the people
of England will decide how far my hints may conduce to their domestic
happiness.—I leave _to other pens_ to proceed on it, _in answer to any
writer who may enter the lists against me_. Whoever wishes to know my
sentiments may review these three letters. I should be an hypocrite, if
I attempted to conceal, that, as I took up my pen _for the benefit of
the community_, so I shall be _most highly gratified_, if I hereafter
find my time has been employed to purpose, in _opening the eyes of the
thoughtless_, _informing the ignorant_, and _warning the virtuous_. I
despair of shaming the immodest!

While I live, I shall think NO WOMAN MODEST who employs

                                                            A MAN-MIDWIFE.

[4] I take for granted, Old Chiron is a Man-midwife.




APPENDIX.


As I do not wish to bewilder the Judgments of my Readers, but to convince
their Understandings,—and as I have, throughout my Letters, laid so much
Weight on the Dangers which attend hurrying the Labours of Women, I
cannot dismiss this Pamphlet into the World without endeavouring _clearly
to demonstrate_ the Utility of allowing Nature _to adhere strictly_ to
_her own_ Period for accomplishing the Birth.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The danger and immodesty of the present too general custom of unnecessarily employing men-midwives: Being the letters which lately appeared under the signature of a man-midwife. With an introduction, a treatise on the milk, and an appendix.

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