The Province of Midwives in the Practice of their Art,
by William Clark, M. D. 1698–ca. 1780.
THE PROVINCE OF MIDWIVES
IN THE
Practice of their ART:
Instructing them in the timely Knowledge of such
_Difficulties_ as require the Assistance of MEN,
For the Preservation of
MOTHER and CHILD.
Very necessary for the Perusal of ALL the SEX
interested in the Subject,
And interspersed with some
_New_ and _Useful_ OBSERVATIONS.
_By_ WILLIAM CLARK, _M. D._
_And of the_ College _of_ PHYSICIANS.
_Molliter Aufer Onus._ OVID. FASTI.
Printed for _William Frederick_, in BATH; and sold by
_M. Cooper_, in _Pater-Noster-Row_, LONDON.
MDCCLI.
ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.
_The following small Tract will appear contemptible to those who
judge of the Worth of Books by their Bulk; but the Author believes
such as are practis’d in Midwifry will acknowledge both the Want
and Usefulness of an Essay of this Kind._
_The Division of the Chapters, naturally arising from the various
Circumstances which are treated of, will rather assist than
burden the Memory, and admit of a ready Recourse to the short
Instructions, in the Knowledge and Practice_ absolutely necessary,
_given under each Head._
_The Reader will the more readily excuse any Defect in the Stile,
when he considers_ _the Necessity of a strict Expression on the
Subject and the Difficulty a Man lies under, who writes not to
the learned and experienced, but chiefly for the Sake of Persons
ignorant in Anatomy and Philosophy, on a Subject which for the most
Part excludes Information by Sight._
_On such a Subject it will not be imagined Vanity or Applause can
incline a Man to write a Pamphlet, rather than a Volume; when the
Author is not conscious of having omitted the Instruction to be
found in any Book extant, within the Limits of his Design; and
hopes Experience will teach its Value both to Midwives and Matrons;
and that the Perusal will not at all injure, if it does not
improve, the most knowing and experienced._
* * * * *
The READER is desir’d to correct the following ERRORS with the Pen.
Page 9, Line 16, _read_ Pains about the Back, Navel, _&c._—P. 33,
l. 12. omit the Period after the Word Pain; and make a Semicolon,
instead of the Comma, after touch’d it.
CHAPTER I.
_The_ DESIGN.
The Case of _Child-bearing_ Women is very lamentable, in the
Country especially, by Reason of the Ignorance and Unskilfulness
of _Midwives_; for by their Negligence and perverse Management,
many Mothers and Children are destroyed, to the great Misfortune of
particular Families, as well as of the _Publick_, at a Time when it
suffers by the Loss of useful Hands, from too many other Causes. It
were therefore to be wished, that all Midwives were so far appris’d
of their Duty, as to be able to distinguish between Cases within
their Abilities, and such Difficulties as may occasion the Loss of
the Mother, or Child, or both, for Want of necessary Assistance.
They who intend to practice Midwifry in PARIS, are oblig’d to
attend _anatomical_ Lectures and _Dissections_, that their
Judgments may be inform’d, by the Knowledge of the Structure of the
Body, for an Undertaking so hazardous in ignorant Hands.
London, at present, affords equal Advantages of Information; for
the _anatomical_ Wax-work, with suitable Lectures, might furnish as
good a Qualification, with less Offence than real Dissections; and
there are not wanting those who professedly instruct both Sexes by
_mechanical Demonstrations_.
And for the future, it is to be hoped, there will be no Necessity
for Men to have Recourse to PARIS for _Observation_, since we have
_Infirmaries_ at Home for the Accommodation of Women in Child-bed;
and tho’ they are expos’d naked to the Eye in the _Hotel de Dieu_,
it must be confess’d, that the fundamental Rules of the _Art_ are
not built on what the Eye of the Observer can possibly discover in
the most expert _Operators_; but depend on Circumstances conceal’d
from Sight, within the Body of the Patient.
But whatever Advantages LONDON and WESTMINSTER afford for the
Instruction of Midwives, the Country is entirely destitute of them;
and the best Books on the Subject, adorn’d with elegant Figures,
can give but a very imperfect Notion of the Parts they represent,
to any who have not attended _Dissections_, or seen more natural
_Resemblances_ than Cuts.
The Figures in Books, exhibit the _Bones_ of the _Pelvis_, a
Variety of _Situations_ of the Infant, and _Uterus_, the Placenta
and umbilical Vessels and Membranes, _&c._ whereas it would be
no less serviceable to those, who assist Women in Travel, to be
acquainted with the Viscera, liable to suffer by a difficult
Labour; for the _Liver_, _Spleen_, _Sweetbread_ and _Kidneys_,
if not the principal Contents of the Chest, may be so injured by
the ill _Position_ of the Child, Compression of the Parts, and
rash Assistance, as to prove fatal, more or lets immediately;
occasioning _Inflammations_, _Suppurations_, _Mortifications_,
_Schirrhu’s_, _Cancers_, or _Consumptions_.
The best Writers of Midwifry, such as _Mauriceau_, _Deventer_, _De
la Motte_, _Heister_ and others, explain the Causes of difficult
Births, and the proper Methods of Assistance; but instead of
improving most _Country_ Midwives, fill them with Conceits of what,
it is impossible, they should understand, and thereby occasion the
Loss of great Numbers of Women and Children.
In order therefore that Midwives may acquit themselves with
Reputation, and that _Child-bearing_ Women may be the better
Judges for themselves, or the charitable Part of the Sex, who are
past these Dangers, the better able to assist their Friends and
Neighbours, I shall endeavour to shew how far they may act with
Safety under the Disadvantage of Country Practice, and describe
those Symptoms, which for the most Part accompany hard Labours,
very probably beyond their Abilities; when they will justly incur
the Censure of Inhumanity and Rashness to depend upon their own
Skill.