In drawing forth a dead child, let these directions be carefully observed by the surgeon, viz. If the child be found dead, its head being foremost, the delivery will be more difficult; for it is an apparent sign, by the woman’s strength beginning to fail her that the child being dead, and wanting its natural force, can be no ways assisting to its delivery; wherefore the most safe way for the surgeon is to put up his left hand, sliding it as hollow in the palm as he can into the neck of the womb, and into the lower part thereof towards the feet, and then between the head of the infant and the neck of the matrix; then having a hook in the right hand couch it close, and slip it up above the left hand, between the head of the child, and the flat of his hand, fixing it in the bars of the temple towards the eye. For want of a convenient coming at these in the occiputal bone, observe still to keep the left hand in its place, and with it gently moving and stirring the head, and so with the right hand and hook draw the child forward, admonish the woman to put forth her utmost strength, still drawing when the woman’s pangs are upon her. The head being drawn out, with all speed he must slip his hand under the arm-holes of the child, and take it quite out; giving these things to the woman, viz. a toast of fine wheaten bread in a quarter of a pint of Ipocras wine. ARISTOTLE’S WORKS. THE MIDWIFE. GUIDE TO CHILD-BEARING WOMEN. BOOK I.—CHAPTER I. SECT. I. _Of the Womb._ In this Chapter I am to treat of the womb, which the Latins call matrix. Its parts are two; the mouth of the womb, and the bottom of it. The mouth is an orifice at the entrance into it, which may be shut together like a purse. When a woman is not pregnant, it is a little oblong, and of substance very thick and close; but when she is pregnant it is shortened, and its thickness diminisheth proportionably to its distension: and therefore it is a mistake of anatomists, who affirm that its substance waxeth thicker a little before a woman’s labour; for any one’s reason will inform him, that the more distended it is, the thinner it must be; and the nearer a woman is to the time of her delivery, the shorter her womb must be extended. The Author of Nature has placed the womb in the belly, that the heat might always be maintained by the warmth of the parts surrounding it: it is therefore seated in the middle of the hypogastrium (or lower part of the belly,) between the bladder and the rectum (or right gut) by which also it is defended from any hurt through the hardness of the bones: and it is placed in the lower part of the belly for the conveniency of a birth being thrust out at the full time.