_The Difficulty from the_ Membranes.
An _unforeseen_ Difficulty may occur, when Appearances are
otherwise favourable, from the Strength of the _Membranes_,
obstructing the _Birth_, and requiring great Caution to prevent;
for in this Case, the Operator must break the _Membranes_, in order
to promote the _Birth_; and as the _Waters_, they contain, are a
Means to open the _internal Orifice_, lubricate the _Passage_, and
facilitate the _Birth_; the _breaking_ the _Membranes_ too soon,
will render the Labour more _tedious_; and should it be too long
delay’d, the Patient’s Misery would be _prolonged_; wherefore
the Midwife must not break _them_, before the _Orifice_ is
sufficiently _open_ to admit the Head, when she may tear them with
her _Nails_, but by no Means pull them, for as they adhere to the
_After-birth_, she might by that Means separate it, and bring on a
Flooding.