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The Female Physician: Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.Maubray, John

Science

The Female Physician: Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

Name: The Female Physician: Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.
Author: Maubray, John

Maubray, John

Midwifery -- Early works to 1800; Obstetrics -- Early works to 1800

CHAP. XV.
  _Of Preternatural BIRTHS, by the Breast, Belly, or Back, presenting
               first; and the INFANT’s lying transverse._


SOMETIMES likewise the _CHILD_ offers its BREAST or BELLY _first_, along
with the _Navel-string_; which _Preternatural Figure_ is most dangerous
for the _BIRTH_, because of the _Body’s bending backwards_.

IN this difficult _Case_, the attentive _MIDWIFE_ places her _Woman_
conveniently, as soon as the _Waters_ have flow’d, and sliding her
_Hand_ into the WOMB, removes the _String_, and endeavours to bring the
_HEAD forwards_ into the _PASSAGE_; which she easily performs, as long
as the INFANT is suspended on high, and its _Back_ not too much _bent_,
by putting-in her _Hand_ gently up to the _hinder Part_ of the _CHILD_’S
_Head_, attracting it gradually _downwards_. But if in this _Condition_
the _BIRTH_ be fallen too _far down_, it is more adviseable _first_ to
attract the _FEET_ considerately.

I say _considerately_, because it is not sufficient to penetrate with
the _Hand_ to the _FEET_; which however yet, in this _Posture_ is pretty
difficult: But also to know exactly in what manner they are to be _drawn
down_; since it is no indifferent Matter to understand how that is to be
rightly perform’d with Success. Wherefore I shall in this place take
upon me to set forth _two different Ways of Turning the INFANT_ in this
_Condition_; viz.

I. I would _either_ FIRST pass my _Right Hand_ to the _Left Thigh_ of
the _CHILD_, and taking hold of it near the _KNEE_, push it _upwards_
with my _Thumb_, drawing it at the same time _downwards_ with my
_Fingers_ placed behind: _Thus_ I would bring _down one KNEE_ to the
_Passage_, leaving the FOOT yet above, and then the _other KNEE_ in its
Turn; which being done, I would change my _Hand_, and put the _Left_ up
to the _INFANT_’s _Belly_ or _Breast_; where, as I _thrust back_ its
Body _upwards_, there is presently _Room_ enough: then I would take hold
again of _one_ or _both KNEES_, to move the _CHILD higher_, that so the
_FEET_ may be more conveniently brought into the _Passage_ one by one,
if not _Both_ at once: Or, upon the _LEGS_ being bent with the _Right
Hand_, and the _KNEES_ brought into the _Passage_ (as above) I would
take hold of them below the HAM, and bring them past the _Orifice_ of
the WOMB, till the _FEET_ are before the _Passage_; whereupon I would
then readily endeavour to extract the INFANT by the _FEET_. _Or_,
SECONDLY,

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