The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher: Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy
Philosophy
The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher: Containing his Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; his Experienced Midwife, his Book of Problems and his Remarks on Physiognomy
Human beings; Mind and body; Reproduction
As soon, therefore, as the waters are broken, and it is known that the
child come thus and that the womb is open enough to admit the midwife's
or operator's hand into it, or else by anointing the passage with oil or
hog's grease, to endeavour to dilate it by degrees, using her fingers to
this purpose, spreading them one from the other, after they are together
entered, and continue to do so until they be sufficiently dilated, then
taking care that her nails be well pared, no rings on her fingers and
her hands well anointed with oil or fresh butter, and the woman placed
in the manner directed in the former section, let her gently introduce
her hand into the entrance of the womb, where finding the child's feet,
let her draw it forth in the manner I shall presently direct; only let
her first see whether it presents one foot or both, and if but one foot,
she ought to consider whether it be the right foot or the left, and also
in what fashion it comes; for by that means she will soon come to know
where to find the other, which as soon as she knows and finds, let her
draw it forth with the other; but of this she must be specially careful,
viz., that the second be not the foot of another child; for if so, it
may be of the utmost consequence, for she may sooner split both mother
and child, than draw them forth. But this may be easily prevented if she
but slide the hand up by the first leg and thigh to the waist, and there
finding both thighs joined together, and descending from one and the
same body. And this is also the best means to find the other foot, when
it comes but with one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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