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.
Maubray, John
Midwifery -- Early works to 1800; Obstetrics -- Early works to 1800
THE Prudent _MIDWIFE_ ought always to be very sollicitous about this
_Case_, making it her particular _Care_ from the beginning of the
LABOUR, as soon as perceiv’d by the TOUCH, and before the _Waters_
break, to avert or hinder its either coming _before_, or _along with
the_ HEAD, by removing it judiciously according to _Art_. But supposing
she comes too late to prevent the _Mischief_, and that the STRING is
already in the _Passage_; then it is to be _put back behind the_ HEAD
immediately, and kept there until the HEAD be fully directed into and
lodg’d in the _Passage_. However it sometimes happens that it cannot be
kept-up so _long_, and that the _MIDWIFE_, whatever _Pains_ she may
take, cannot hinder it from extruding itself at every PANG: In this
_Condition_, I would advise her (without delay) to extract the BIRTH by
the FEET, and that notwithstanding the HEAD should be _foremost_.
III. IT also happens sometimes, that the STRING without hanging down, is
variously compress’d betwixt the HEAD and the _Bones_ of the PELVIS,
which (stopping or impeding the _Motion_ of the BLOOD) soon occasions
the INFANT’s inevitable Death.
IN which _Case_, if pressed against the OSSA PUBIS, having laid the
_Woman_ on her _Back_ with her _Head low_, and the _lower Part of her
Body raised_, I would press _back_ the INFANT’s _Head_, and put the
_STRING_ as much as possible behind it; upon which, then I would bring
the _Head_ forthwith into the PELVIS, unless it be more convenient to
_turn_ and _extract_ it by the _FEET_.
AS also, tho’ seldom, it may happen, that the _Umbilical_ may be
_pressed back_ by the HEAD against the OS SACRUM: In which State of
Affairs, I would turn the _Woman_, if Strength may permit, upon her
KNEES, whilst I employ either _Hand_ on the _Back Part_, in order to
remove the HEAD, how firmly soever fixed: Whereas if the _Patient_ be
weak, I would lay her upon either _Side_, drawing up one _Foot_ to her
_Belly_, for the Advantage of obtaining more Room, in order to effect
the same Thing; which, tho’ difficult, is no impossible _Task_ for the
expert _MIDWIFE_.
BUT if it chances to be pressed against either of the OSSA ILIA, having
laid the _Woman_ on the contrary _Side_, with the _lower Part_ of her
Body elevated, I would remove the _HEAD_ with the opposite _Hand_, and
free the _STRING_; proceeding otherways as in the former _Cases_, with
_HEAD_ or _FEET_, as I should find most convenient.
IV. AGAIN, it also sometimes comes to pass, that the _STRING_ is found
lying upon the _Forehead_, which is indeed most _dangerous_; but it is
easily removed with good Judgement to the _Temples_ of the HEAD, which I
take to be a safe _Position_, because there the _Pressure_ is much less
aggravated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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