Aristotle's works:: Containing the Master-piece, Directions for Midwives, and Counsel and Advice to Child-bearing Women with Various Useful Remedies
Aristotle · en
There are none but will readily grant, that when the hands and feet of
an infant present together, the labour must be unnatural; because it is
possible a child can be born in that manner. In this case therefore,
when the midwife guides her hand to the orifice of the womb, she will
perceive only many fingers close together; and if it be not sufficiently
dilated, it will be a good while before the hands and feet be
sufficiently distinguished; for they are sometimes so shut and pressed
together, that they seem to be all of one and the same shape: but where
the womb is open enough to introduce the hand into it, she will easily
know which are the hands and which are the feet; and having taken
particular notice thereof, let her slide up her hand, and presently
direct it towards the infant’s breast, which she will find very near,
and then let her very gently thrust back the body towards the bottom of
the womb leaving the feet in the same place where she found them: and
then, having placed the woman in a convenient posture, that is to say,
her thighs a little raised above her breast, and (which situation ought
also to be observed when the child is to be put back into the womb), let
the midwife afterwards take hold of the child by the feet, and draw it
forth, as is directed in the second section.
This labour, though somewhat troublesome, yet is much better than when
the child presents only its hands; for then the child must be quite
turned round before it can be drawn forth; but in this they are ready,
presenting themselves, and there is little to do but to lift and thrust
back the upper part of the body, which is almost done of itself, by
drawing by the feet alone.
I confess there are many authors that have written of labours, who would
have all wrong births reduced to a natural figure; which is, to turn it
that it may come with the head first. But those that have written thus
are such as never understood the practical part; for if they had the
least experience therein, they would know that it is impossible; at
least, if it were to be done, that violence must necessarily be used in
doing it, that would very probably be the death of both mother and child
in the operation.