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
But herein principally lies the care of the operator, that he be not
deceived, when either the hands or feet of both children offer
themselves together to the birth; in this case he ought well to consider
the operation, of whether they be not joined together, or any way
monstrous, and which part belongs to one child and which to the other;
so that they may be fetched one after the other, and not both together,
as may be, if it were not duly considered, taking the right foot of one
and the left of the other, and so drawing them together, as if they
both belonged to one body, because there is a left and a right, by which
means it would be impossible to deliver them. But a skilful operator
will easily prevent this, if, after having found two or three of several
children presenting together in the passage, and taking aside two of the
forwardest, a right and a left, and sliding his arm along the legs and
thighs up to the wrist, if forward, or to the buttocks, if backwards, he
finds they both belong to one body; of which being thus assured, he may
begin to draw forth the nearest, without regarding which is the
strongest or weakest, bigger or less, living or dead, having first put
aside that part of the other child which offers to have the more way,
and so dispatch the first as soon as may be, observing the same rules as
if there were but one, that is keeping the breast and face downwards,
with every circumstance directed in that section where the child comes
with its feet first, and not fetch the burden till the second child is
born. And therefore, when the operator hath drawn forth one child, he
must separate it from the burden, having tied and cut the navel-string,
and then fetch the other by the feet in the same manner, and afterwards
bring away the after-burden with the two strings as hath been before
showed. If the children present any other part but the feet, the
operator may follow the same method as directed in the foregoing
section, where the several unnatural positions are fully treated of.
* * * * *
CHAPTER VII
_Directions for Child-bearing Women in their Lying-in._
SECTION I.--_How a Woman newly Delivered ought to be ordered._
As soon as she is laid in her bed, let her be placed in it conveniently
for ease and rest, which she stands in great need of to recover herself
of the great fatigue she underwent during her travail, and that she may
lie the more easily let her hands and body be a little raised, that she
may breathe more freely, and cleanse the better, especially of that
blood which then comes away, that so it may not clot, which being
retained causeth great pain.