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
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
impossible a child should be born in that manner. In this case,
therefore, when the midwife guides her hand towards 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 will be exactly 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 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
buttocks 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 about 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 it by the feet alone.