ITis indeed indifferent whetherMenorWomenpractise thisArt, so thePractisersbe properly adapted, and duly qualified for the Purpose of so great aWork. As for Instance, inFrance,Menonly profess this Business; inItaly, andGermany,MenandWomenpromiscuously; inEngland,Scotland,Holland, &c.Menare stiled ExtraordinaryMidwives, being seldom or never call’d but in extraordinaryCasesof difficult and preternaturalBirths. Wherefore, upon this Account, I shallfirstobserve and denote theQualificationsmost requisite and absolutely necessary forWOMENpractising thisArt.
NOWas allArtsandSciencesrequireInstruction,Application,Pains, andTime, for qualifying anyPersonto become aMasterin thePracticeof them; so theArtofMidwiferyrequires not the least Regard, Attention, and Information. Wherefore it is quite wrong for anyPersons, who have not aBodyandMindparticularly adapted to this Business, to spend their Time inqualifyingthemselves for, andapplyingthemselves to the Performance of this good Office. For such asTheseought to leaveThis ProvincetoThosePersons, whomNaturehas more signally mark’d out for the Purpose.
ANDthat I may the better distinguish upon what I have here propos’d, I shallfirstspeak in theNegative, andthenin theAffirmative Senseof the Affair; Orfirst, of herNatural, andthenof herAcquir’d Qualifications.
I.THEREFORE,Shewho would discreetly undertakeMidwifery, ought not to begin thePracticetooYOUNG, nor continue it till grown tooOLD: For theonewill want, perhaps, dueExperience, as well as decentGravityandSolidity; theotherwill, peradventure, want requisiteStrengthandVigourof Body, as well as the FreeExercise, and readyUseof herSenses.
II.SHEought to be noweak,infirm, ordiseasedPerson, incapable of undergoing theFatigueswhich the Business too often requires: Such aswatching NightandDay; turning theINFANTS, when in a wrongPosture; or extracting them at length; whichActionfrequently requires the fullStrengthof a strongMAN, instead of a weakWoman. Forthusthe most learned and excellentFabricius d’ Aquapendente, testifies of himself, that he has often been sowearyandtired, that he has been obliged to leave the Work for hisAssistantto finish; and asDaventeralso (a robust Man) relates of himself, that in the coldest Time ofWinter, being but thinlycloathed, and at a Distance from anyFire, hisHairhas been wet, and all hisBodyin aSweat, and both hisLoinsand hisLimbshave aked egregiously some Days afterdeliveringa Woman.
III.SHEought not to be tooFatorGross, but especially not to have thick or fleshyHandsandArms, or large-Bon’d Wrists; which (of Necessity) must occasion rackingPainsto the tenderlabouring Woman.
IV.SHEought not to belameormaim’d, nor have stiff or crookedFingers,Hands, orArms; for thesePartsare to be used in differentMannersandPostures, even so that theSuccessof theLabouroften depends upon theirReadinessandAgility.
V.SHEought not to be,negativelyspeaking, aconceiv’dorChild-bearing Woman; becauseThismay be of bad Consequence, not only to thelabouring Woman; (who depends on her, for more than she’s able toperform, especially in astrongLabour) but also to the conceiv’dMIDWIFEherself, and her ownINFANT.
VI.SHEought not to be anIgnorant,Stupid,Indolent, or adullPerson; and especially not incapable of conceiving Matters distinctly, or judging of Things aright: Neither oughtsheto be aSelf-Indulger,Slothful, orLazy; nor aLight,Dissolute, orDaringPerson:Sheought not to beinconsiderate,negligent, orforgetful; norproud,passionate, orobstinate: Neitherpeevish,morose, orsurly; norfearful,doubtful, orwavering-minded: neither oughtsheto be aTiplerorDrunkard, nor aTatlerorVagabond, nor acovetous, ormercenaryPerson.
BUTon theother Hand, in theAffirmative,SHE(First) ought to be aWomanof a goodmiddle Age, ofsolid Parts, offull Experience, of ahealthy,strong, andvigorous Body, with cleversmall Hands: Since nothing can be more agreeable and conducive to theArtofMIDWIFERY, thanslender Hands,long Fingers, and aready Feeling.
II.SHEought to beGraveandConsiderate, endued withResolutionandPresence of Mind, in order to foresee and preventACCIDENTS;SagaciousandPrudentin difficultCases, so as not to takeAllupon her own Shoulders orJudgment, but to have immediateRecourseto the ablestPractiserin theArt, and freely submit herThoughtsto the discerningFacultyof the more Learned and Skilful.
III.SHEought to beWatchful,Diligent, andExpertin all Cases and Conditions that can or may occur; so that noOpportunityin the Beginning of theLabourbe lost: Since I have more than once observ’d, that theNeglectorMistakeof improving acriticalMinute, hath cost theMothermany violent or heavyPainsafterwards, and theChildalso itsLife. For which Reason it is of the greatestImportance, to nick theOpportunity, conformable toCato’s Saying——
Fronte capillata, post est Occasio calva.
Fronte capillata, post est Occasio calva.
Fronte capillata, post est Occasio calva.
Fronte capillata, post est Occasio calva.
IV.SHEought to be a trueFearerofGod, aConscientiousPerson, of goodLifeandConversation: Since Matters of the greatestMomentare committed to herCare; and depend entirely upon the faithfulDischargeof her Duty: Forshehas the first and bestOpportunityof shewing herCompassion, andTendernessto Mankind, in thisInfantandHelpless State. In short,Charityought always to engage her, to be as ready to help thePooras theRich; theLifeof theOnebeing as Dear as theOther’s, and theImageofGodbeing equally stamp’d uponBoth: For the ineffableRecompenceofCharityfar exceeds all otherConsiderationsof triflingGain.
V.SHEought to bePatientandPleasant;Soft,Meek, andMildin herTemper, in order to encourage and comfort thelabouring Woman.Sheshould pass by and forgive her smallFailings, and peevishFaults, instructing her gently when shedoesor saysamiss: But if she will not followAdvice, and Necessity require, theMidwifeought to reprimand and put her smartly in mind of herDuty; yet always in such a manner, however, as to encourage her with theHopesof a happy and speedyDelivery.
VI.INlike manner as she ought to beModest,Temperate, andSober, so she ought to beFaithfulandSilent; always upon herGuardto conceal those Things, which ought not to be spoken of.
THESE, in fine, are the chief of the naturalQualitiesrequisite forMIDWIFERY; from whence I come to theTheoreticalandPractical Part, without which allOthersare (in effect) Nothing to the Purpose.