The _Navel-string_, by a Variety of Convolutions, sometimes obstructs the Birth, for being shortned, by its Contortions about the Neck, or any Part of the Body, the _Labour_ will become _unnatural_, by Reason tho’ the Pains are _strong_, the _Navel-string_, by its _shortness_, will pull the Child back with each Pain; and here an unskilful Management may break the String, and occasion a dangerous Flooding; but as the Woman’s Pains will prove _ineffectual_, notwithstanding their Strength and Force, the Midwife will, by this Means, find the Case out of her Province; I mean, where the _Navel-string_ is very much _abbreviated_. If the _Navel-string_ comes forward before the Child’s Head, it will seldom remain, when put backward by the Hand; therefore, if the Midwife has any Regard for the Life of the Child, she ought to call for Assistance, before the Birth is further advanc’d, or it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to save the Infant; and she would probably be foil’d for want of sufficient Strength, had she Skill to save it. CHAPTER IX. _Difficulties from the_ Placenta _or_ Secundines. The _Placenta_ or _After-birth_, being from any violent Shock or Accident, more or less, _separated_ from its Seat, during any Time of Breeding, will produce a Flooding, in Proportion to its Quantity, _dangerous_, which is sometimes so violent, as to occasion Death in an Hour’s Time; and nothing but _instant_ Delivery can prevent it. When the Case is not so desparate, as all the _Blood_ in the Mother’s Body, necessary to support her own and Infant’s Life, may be drain’d away, the Consequence may be equally fatal in a more lingering Way. The 26th _Feb._ 1748, I was sent for to a Woman at MOUNTAIN-DEVEREL, within about Five Weeks of her Time, in a violent Flooding; her Midwife gave her an Opiate, which she thought check’d her Flooding, excepting that once a Week, it became very violent, for about three Weeks past; when I came, the Neighbours told me she had lost a Pail full of Blood; the poor Woman was so weak, that her Pulse were scarcely perceptible, and her Voice but a Whisper; I was unwilling to meddle, for fear she should die under my Hands, but yielded to the Importunity of her Friends: It was with great Difficulty I introduced the _Tops_ of my two Fore-fingers and Thumbs into the _internal Orifice_, which I gradually dilated, ’till I could pass my Hand, when by _turning_, I brought away a _dead_ Child, depriv’d of its Nutriment by the great Loss of its _maternal_ Blood; but had considerable Trouble in getting the _After-birth_, by Reason of its _Adhesion_: After Delivery, the Flooding immediately very much abated, the poor Woman reviv’d to Admiration, and I left her the next Day, as well as could be expected in so low a Circumstance, tho’ dubious of her Recovery: I heard she died five or six Weeks after; but I am well satisfied, had she had an earlier Recourse for Assistance, she might have recover’d.