SECT.IV.
BIRTH, and whatever may depend of, take Rise from, or have any antecedent, concomitant, or consequent Relation to it, is the only proper Business ofMidwifery, and justly deemed the common Boundary of theKnowledgeandPracticeof theMidwife.
WHICHArtofMidwiferyis (in itself) as excellent and ingenious, as itsPracticeis useful, and absolutely necessary to theCommonwealth; insomuch that this will admit of noContradiction, when we rightly consider the following few, but important, generalHeads, to which I reduce it throughout this Work,viz.
I.THISArtdistinguisheth aFertilefrom aSterileor BarrenWomb; it supports and corroborates theone, and rectifies and cures theother, in most (if not in all)Cases.
II.ITdistinguisheth an impregnated from an unconceivedWomb, a real from a falseBig-Belly, and a natural from a preternaturalCONCEPTION.
III.ITteacheth theRegimenof the conceived Woman, for averting the Severity of theSymptomsof the severalMonths, and all acuteDiseases, in order to strengthen theInfant, and prevent anyMiscarriage.
IV.ITinstructeth by theTouchorHandlingonly, to discover, from time to time, the trueStateand Condition of theConceived Woman, not only during the Time ofPregnancy, but also before and in the time ofLabour.
V.ITimmediately (in the beginning ofLabour) discriminates aNaturalfrom aPreternatural, and aneasyandspeedyfrom adifficultandlingringfutureBirth.
VI.ITpresently discovers anyoneor more of the many different, general, or particularCAUSESofdifficultorpreternaturalBirths.
VII.ITinformeth the fairPractiserhow to remove and correct thoseCAUSES, and deliver theWoman, not at all bybutcherly Instruments, but byJudgmentandHelpofHandonly.
VIII.ITsheweth not only how to extractdead Children, and sometimesMonsters, but also falseConceptions,Superfœtations,Moles, &c.
IX.ANDLastly, thisArtteacheth the trueRegimenof theCHILD-BED-WOMAN, and herBABE, together with the properMethodsandMeansofHELPin all Cases incident to themBoth.
THESEHeads(I think) fully comprehend the wholeArtofMidwifery: And what can be moreingeniousnow? What can be moreconduciveto the common Good, or moreserviceableto any Country, than the Preservation of theHealthandLivesof its multiplyingWOMENandCHILDREN?
THISArthas been in suchEsteemamong theANTIENTS, that it was (in all Ages) theStudyof the most LearnedPhysicians; tho’ itsPracticesucceeded best only, first inFrance, then inItaly, and afterwardsinGermany. For in theseCountrystheirWomenof all Ranks (the most Precise and Virtuous) have accustom’d themselves (upon this Occasion) to lay aside allchildish Bashfulnessandimaginary Modesty, in order to secure theirOwnand theirChildrensSafety, by inviting theAssistanceofboth SEXES. And indeedMEN(whom I may justly call the truest and bestBoethogynists) being better versed inAnatomy, better acquainted withPhysical Helps, and commonly endued with greaterPresence of Mind, have been always found readier or discreeter, to devise something morenew, and to give quickerReliefin Cases ofdifficultorpreternatural BIRTHS, than commonMIDWIFESgenerally understand; By which means it comes to pass, that thisArtis now brought to its greatestPerfectionin theseCountries: Insomuch that, if I might be allowed to adopt anew Terminto our Language, instead ofMAN-MIDWIFE, which seems to be a Contradiction inTerms, I would call him theAndro-Boethogynist, orMan-Helper of Woman, for his excellent Skill inMIDWIFERY.
MOREOVER, theAuthorsof these Countries have not been remiss, in communicating theirExperienceandMethodstaken to prevent and remedy the many variousDifficultieswhich have occurred in this nice Affair. No,Senertus,Rod. à Castro,Viardel,Mauriceau,Portal,Daventer,Bartine,Garofanzzo,Pfizerus, &c. have promerited our immortalPraisesas well asThanks, for such famous and generous Instances as they have given of their greatBeneficencetoMANKIND.
THEFour latterhave made vastImprovementsof thisArt: but particularly, the most Learned, Ingenious, and excellentPhysicians, andMen-Midwives, (as vulgarly called) Sig.GarofanzzoandPfizerus(my most honouredInstructorsin thisArt) have absolutely perfected theWorkbegun byothers; for their Rules are firmly founded on sound Anatomy, and theirDoctrinesare more extensive, particular, plain, and infallible, than all theirPREDECESSORSDiscoveries.
THEYexplain thisARTupon firmMathematical Foundations, and solidDemonstrationsof Truth. Besides they give many new, and most necessaryDirections, in regard toTouchingorHandlingof Women; wherebyMIDWIVESmay not only foresee allDifficulties, which can possibly happen, but also prevent them in due Time.
THEIRgreatIngenuityandDexterityin thisART, has (to the Glory ofGODAlmighty’s goodProvidence, and the Honour of their ownProfession) rendred theUseofInstruments, not only needless and superfluous, but also odious and ridiculous. They instruct us how to remedy the most difficultOccurrences, by a rightUnderstandingof the Business, and a nice subtile skilfulHANDonly, without any manner of otherINSTRUMENT; excepting only in the Case of aMONSTROUSordead BIRTH.
UPONwhose greatAuthorities, and the smallKnowledgeI myself have of thePartsof Generation, if I affirm the imminent and manifestDangerof such dilatingInstruments, as are commonly us’d upon every trifling Occasion, I hope it will not be taken amiss by theREADER: Since myDesignis not so much to discourage any in theirPractice, as only to excite suchPractitionersto apply themselves to the above-mention’d far moreSafe,Easy, andCommendableMethod: which if they shall think fit to do, the Excellency of theProfessionwill shine as brightHereas inother Partsof the World; and at the same time, the absurdImputationsand falseSuggestionsof the Ignorant (who imagine allWomento be deliver’d either byChance, or by such barbarousUsage) will be clean wip’d off: For (I am fully satisfy’d) that ourArt, no ways depends uponChanceorFortune, and running anyRisqueorHazard; but (to the contrary) on as firm aFoundation, and as infallibleRules, as a great manyother Professions, which however yet are sometimes subject toACCIDENTS. All which I shall endeavour to make evidently appear, in the nextSECTION; where Ishall treat of theCausesofdifficultandpreternatural BIRTHS, together with the respectiveMethodsof preventing, correcting, or removing them effectually.