IT is sufficient that a woman understands and knows the structure and
mechanical disposition of the internal parts which more particularly
distinguish her sex; that she can discern the container from the
contents, what belongs to the mother from what belongs to the child, as
well as what is foreign to both. In short, she ought to be skilled
enough to give full satisfaction to all questions that the most able
anatomist could put to her, in respect to that part purely necessary to
the art of midwifery, and to its operations with mastery and safety.
NOW the midwife, especially one instructed in hospitals, ought to be
well acquainted with all that is essential and necessary to that effect;
and she cannot but be so, unless she is of herself incapable, or that
those who are charged with the instruction of pupils, wrong the
confidence of the public.
I MYSELF know more than one midwife, so well educated as to be able to
give demonstrations on this subject, to analyze things by their names,
either upon drawings of them, upon skeletons, or upon the originals
themselves. It is true, that these poor midwives do not understand
anatomy enough to make dissections; but I fancy that the ladies who want
assistence in their lyings-in, are not very curious of having one that
can dissect instead of delivering them.
PROPHANE history has preserved to us the names and talents of a number
of illustrious women who have distinguished themselves in all kinds of
arts. Cleopatra queen of Egypt, is one of the first ladies that have
written on the art of midwifery. Mr. Smellie, in his introduction,
endeavours to render doubtful this quality of queen and princess, with a
design, probably to weaken the credit of it, or rather out of contempt
to the women; but as all those who have made collections of antient
history, assure us, that notwithstanding the wars in which this princess
was engaged, she did not neglect an assiduous application to physic, I
had rather adhere to their authority, than to that of Mr. Smellie.
IN Greece, Aspasia, and a number of other celebrated women, quoted by
various authors, have applied themselves to our profession, and have
left behind them valuable works on the method of delivering women, and
of managing them both before and after their lying-in.
MADAM Justin, midwife to the Electress of Brandenbourg, has also given
us a very good treatise. Several professed midwives appointed to form
the apprentices of the Hôtel Dieu at Paris, have written very clearly on
the same subject, without however being mistresses of any more anatomy,
than what was sufficient for their business.
OBJECTION the Sixth.
THE different instruments which the men have invented in aid of, and
supplement to the deficiency of nature, and of which they are frequently
obliged to make use in different labors, ought not to be put into the
hands of midwives: and were it but for this reason alone, they ought to
be excluded from the practice of this art. As, why multiply attendants
unnecessarily? A man-midwife, with his instruments which he ought always
to have about him, is enough for every thing: whereas a midwife, if the
case requires instruments, will be obliged to have recourse to a man:
consequently double embarrassment, double expence.