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.Anonymous
History
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.
Anonymous
Midwifery -- England -- Early works to 1800
The admired Toast of the Town cannot endure the Trouble of nursing. It
would confine her too much at home—it has too vulgar an appearance—it
is not warranted by _the Example_ of the first Circle—the Milk must
_therefore_ be backen’d.—It is denied Liberty to discharge itself by the
Out-lett Providence _intended for it_—the Child, whose Constitution _it
was calculated for_, is not suffered to have it’s Due. What becomes of
the Milk?
It is absorb’d by the lymphatic Vessels, _contrary_ to the _original_
Intention of Nature—and convey’d back into the Blood, in the manner
I have before described.—What is the Consequence?—The blood Vessels
become _not only highly over-charged_ with Blood, but that Blood is thus
rendered of an improper Consistence. A Fever ensues!—This Fever comes
on when the woman is _ill able to bear_ it’s Shock!—_How often_ is this
Fever _fatal_!
The most fortunate Circumstance that can happen, is, when the Milk finds
_ANOTHER out-lett_. Probably _otherwise_ there may be a formation of
Matter somewhere—there is danger _that_ Matter may fly to some capital
Part.
If the Woman is young, healthy, strong, it is most probable the Milk will
_not_ be absorb’d _quick enough_. The Blood will _furnish_ Milk _faster_
than the lymphatick Vessels can imbibe it, and convey it back again. The
Breasts are painfully distended—they inflame.
_When too late_—it is then resolved they shall be suck’d.
During the time of Pregnancy a small quantity of Milk is lodged in
the Milk Vessels of the Breasts. This Milk, when the nine Months are
expired, is thick—clogs the Vessels. If the Woman never gave suck, the
Pores through which the Milk ought to issue to the Child, are not open
enough—they require therefore _to be clear’d_, by the _old_ Milk being
suck’d off, _the very day of the Delivery_, and to empty the Milk Vessels
of what must otherwise clog them. Some woman ought to suck this off
therefore _as soon as possible_. If the Child is put to the Breast _in
Twelve, or Sixteen Hours_ after it’s Birth, it will suck _greedily_—if
delay’d three or four Days, it is twenty to one the Child will not
attempt it for a long time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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