SOMETIMESlikewise theCHILDoffers itsBreastorBellyfirst, along with theNavel-string; whichPreternatural Figureis most dangerous for theBIRTH, because of theBody’s bending backwards.
INthis difficultCase, the attentiveMIDWIFEplaces herWomanconveniently, as soon as theWatershave flow’d, and sliding herHandinto theWomb, removes theString, and endeavours to bring theHEAD forwardsinto thePASSAGE; which she easily performs, as long as theInfantis suspended on high, and itsBacknot too muchbent, by putting-in herHandgently up to thehinder Partof theCHILD’SHead, attracting it graduallydownwards. But if in thisConditiontheBIRTHbe fallen toofar down, it is more adviseablefirstto attract theFEETconsiderately.
I sayconsiderately, because it is not sufficient to penetrate with theHandto theFEET; which however yet, in thisPostureis pretty difficult: But also to know exactly in what manner they are to bedrawn down; since it is no indifferent Matter to understand how that is to be rightly perform’d with Success. Wherefore I shall in this place take upon me to set forthtwo different Ways of Turning the INFANTin thisCondition; viz.
I. I wouldeitherFirstpass myRight Handto theLeft Thighof theCHILD, and taking hold of it near theKNEE, push itupwardswith myThumb, drawing it at the same timedownwardswith myFingersplacedbehind:ThusI would bringdown oneKNEEto thePassage, leaving theFootyet above, and then theotherKNEEin its Turn; which being done, I would change myHand, and put theLeftup to theINFANT’sBellyorBreast; where, as Ithrust backits Bodyupwards, there is presentlyRoomenough: then I would take hold again ofoneorboth KNEES, to move theCHILD higher, that so theFEETmay be more conveniently brought into thePassageone by one, if notBothat once: Or, upon theLEGSbeing bent with theRight Hand, and theKNEESbrought into thePassage(as above) I would take hold of them below theHam, and bring them past theOrificeof theWomb, till theFEETare before thePassage; whereupon I would then readily endeavour to extract theInfantby theFEET.Or,Secondly,
II. I would put myRight Handup along theBellyto eitherThigh, orKnee, having at the same time a thinBandagedoubled and dipp’d inOil, upon myFingers’ Ends, in order to be put about theKnee, that I may attract it gently thereby; which I would draw out again by theRight Hand, whilst myLeftholds the Ends of theBandage, that they may not move out of their Place: Then I would take the Extremities of theBandagein myRight Hand, attracting it softly thereby, whilst I pass up myLeftinto theWomb, to thrust theCHILD’sBelly upwards. By which ingenious and regular Means, I think, Dr.Daventerfirst moved theupper Partof theBodyupwards, and theFeetdownwards, because theKneesare thereby brought nearer to theOrifice. Now these, in short, are the only safe, and properMethodsto be taken in this presentCase, or nice Conjuncture; because, by allotherinconsiderate and temerariousMeans, theINFANT’sLoinsmay betwisted, itsHipsorKneesdisjointed, itsFeetlamed, and itself at last quite lost or destroy’d.
INlike manner it happens not very seldom, that theINFANTcomes with itsBackforwardsinto thePassage; and in thisPosturetheNavel-Stringfallscommonly downthere, so that besidesitself, nothing else is to be felt by theTouch: In thisCase, theMidwifeis to observe well theFlooding; immediately upon which,sheis to seek for theFeet, which are more easily come at than theHEAD, tho’ the same is even also a very difficultTask, by reason that theCHILD’sBacktakes up the whole Space ofRoom; which, notwithstanding, must be cautiously done, and theINFANTdiscreetly extracted bythem.
BUTagain sometimes, theBIRTHlies alsoTransverse, or a-cross theWomb; in which dangerousCase, I confess theMIDWIFEcannot well perceive, so as to distinguish Matters by theTouch, beforeFlooding: Because theINFANT(swimming in theWaters) is as yet seated high, and then moving itsHandsandFeetvariously,shesometimes feelsone, and sometimesanother Memberat theOrifice; or, one Moment she findsSomething, and anotherNothingat all there. However, in fine,shemay perceive theHumoursmost commonly compressed into anacuminatedoroblong Form.
WHEREFOREin this difficultPreternatural Condition, theMIDWIFEought primarily and chiefly to consider and discover thePostureof theWomb, whether it bedirectoroblique; since according toThatshemust proceed in assisting herWomanwith true Discretion. As forExample, ifshefinds it in a streight ornatural State, and theWaterssufficiently exuberant, extendedlength-ways, &c. as aforesaid,Shemust, withoutLoss of Time, break theMEMBRANE, and presently, removing allImpedimentsofHAND,FOOT, orNAVEL-STRING, judiciously direct theHEADinto thePassage; which may be very easily and safely done immediately upon theFlooding. Whereas ifthis Methodbe delay’d, or not taken indue Time, and consequently theHANDS(as the readiest) present themselves to theOrifice first: In thisCondition, I would lay theWomandiscreetly upon herBack, with theupper Partof her Bodylowest; after which, I would move theINFANT’sHandsback with myown; whereby atthe same time bringing itsFEETinto thePassage, I would in the next Place gently extract the whole Body with all possibleConductandSuccess.