The Condition of the Part, after so long Delay, did not admit the Possibility of rightly reinstating it; I therefore return’d it, as well as I could, into the Pelvis, and introduc’d a Pessary to retain it; and as this Person had already contracted a Hectick, I charg’d her, as she valu’d her Life, to confine herself strictly to a _cooling Milk_, or _vegetable Diet_; she has since had large Discharges of a _bloody_ Corruption, with Portions of a fleshy Confidence from the Parts affected. In _April_, 1751, she told me the Discharge coming from her had long been much abated in Quantity, and what remain’d was the Whites; that she had an inward Fever, and the Piles, for which I gave her my Advice; her Complexion was chang’d from the most florid to a languishing Paleness. My Brother, much better known in this Country, and longer practis’d in Midwifry, has been concern’d in furnishing Medicines for the Person, whose History I have given, altho’ by Means of his Absence, he did not attend her on the most emergent Occasions. I have since been call’d to the Assistance of the _old_ Midwife, who attended, and she frankly told me, she had another Woman under the like Circumstance, who died the same Day. Having related such Things as occur in the most favourable Circumstances of Travil, about which all Midwives ought to be well inform’d, and those Injuries to which Women are sometimes liable, notwithstanding the most _promising_ Appearances: In the next Place I proceed to shew, what are the Symptoms preceeding _difficult_ Labours, which by timely Assistance, may be secured from the most dangerous, if not fatal Consequences, and are of great Moment to be known by Midwives, as well as Matrons and Child-bearing Women, to enable them to judge when it is absolutely necessary to recommend calling that Aid, which is beyond their Capacity to give. CHAPTER VII. _The Difficulty from the_ Membranes. An _unforeseen_ Difficulty may occur, when Appearances are otherwise favourable, from the Strength of the _Membranes_, obstructing the _Birth_, and requiring great Caution to prevent; for in this Case, the Operator must break the _Membranes_, in order to promote the _Birth_; and as the _Waters_, they contain, are a Means to open the _internal Orifice_, lubricate the _Passage_, and facilitate the _Birth_; the _breaking_ the _Membranes_ too soon, will render the Labour more _tedious_; and should it be too long delay’d, the Patient’s Misery would be _prolonged_; wherefore the Midwife must not break _them_, before the _Orifice_ is sufficiently _open_ to admit the Head, when she may tear them with her _Nails_, but by no Means pull them, for as they adhere to the _After-birth_, she might by that Means separate it, and bring on a Flooding. CHAPTER VIII. _Difficulties occasion’d by the_ Navel-String.