The Book of Nature / Containing information for young people who think of getting married, on the philosophy of procreation and sexual intercourse, showing how to prevent conception and to avoid child-bearing: also, rules for management during labor and child-birth

by active 1875-1876 James Ashton

An hour after, let the mother take a little oil of sweet almonds, to ease the after pains; and let a poultice of oil of sweet almonds, and two or three new-laid eggs, be boiled together, and laid to the parts, renewing at every six hours for two days. Fifteen days after the birth, the parts may be bathed with an astringent decoction of red roses, alum, or nut-galls in red wine, in order to brace them. The following is the formula I usually employ: Red-rose-leaves, 1 ounce; Alum, 2 drams; Ordinary Claret, half a pint. Put them into a sauce-pan and let them boil for five or ten minutes. After having stood for fifteen or twenty minutes to cool, strain, and apply warm to the parts.

The above is a brief description of a healthy delivery; and such are the usual ones. In some cases, however, the labor may be tedious and difficult, when the lower part of the belly must be covered with a flannel cloth dipped in a hot decoction of bitter herbs, as tanzy, hops, wormwood and catnep, of each a small handful, to which put three pints of equal parts vinegar and water; boil for half an hour in a covered vessel. Wring the flannel out and apply warm over the region of the womb, which will relieve the tension and ease the pain, besides gently stimulating the uterus to contract more forcibly on its contents, whereby the labor is facilitated.

Stimulating injections by the bowels, may now and then be administered—especially if the woman be at all costive. The midwife should also push back with her longest finger the os coxygis, which tends to excite the labor and ease the pain. If the parts are in a stiff, straitened condition, as in the first child, especially if the woman is not young, emollient liniments are to be used, and the parts must be anointed with fresh butter or oil, and to be dilated gently with the hand. If there is a tumor, carbuncle, or membrane opposing the birth, the assistance of an experienced surgeon is required.

Always in difficult labors, the patient should be made as cheerful as possible by her friends, by the recital of lively and amusing anecdotes, and by every species of encouragement in their power; as a depressed and melancholy state of mind invariably retards the labor.

Women in labor, who have a languid circulation and a weak constitution, are benefited by cordials and good nourishment. Let half a glass of wine be given every two hours, which will invigorate the system, and render the action of the uterus more powerful.

If the feet present first, the midwife must be very cautious lest there be twins, and lest she should take a foot of each. The feet must be wrapped in a dry napkin, and the child must be drawn gently, till the waist is in the orifice of the uterus. Then the infant’s hands must be drawn down close to the sides; and if the nose be turned towards the pubic bone in front, it should be placed in an opposite direction to prevent any obstacle. If the chin is embarrassed, the midwife must disengage it, by putting her finger into the mouth, in order to turn to advantage. In case the infant’s head presents across the passage, or laterally, it must be gently thrust back, and carefully turned to its natural situation. If the shoulder presents, the same tact and talent must be employed, although the difficulty is greater. If the belly, hip, or thigh appears first, the child must be extricated by gentle traction made at the feet, and the mother must lie flat on her back. If one or both hands are directed upward, above the head, and lie close to it, the case is not so bad as some would apprehend; for they will keep the orifice equally dilated till the head passes, and thus prevent strangling.

When the fœtus dies before the time of birth, and the membranes are not yet ruptured, it will not putrefy; therefore the work must be left to Nature, for the pains of labor will at length come on spontaneously. Baudelocque says, if the navel-cord first appears, and is compressed soon after by the head of the infant, its life is in danger; and the remedy is to return the infant, and reduce the cord, till the head fills the opening. But if this cannot be done, the woman must be put in a suitable posture, and the child must be extracted by the feet.

When the placenta first presents itself, which is known by its spongy, soft texture, and the great quantity of blood flowing at the same time, it requires speedy assistance. If the membranes are entire, they should be broken, the placenta and membranes should be returned into the uterus, and the child be extracted by the feet (which is more readily effected in the membranes than in the uterus), and put into a proper situation. When there is a great flow of blood from untoward accidents, the infant should be immediately delivered by art, though the mother be not in true labor.

I would caution all how they use the instruments when the mouth of the womb is not fully opened, and never to resort to them unless actually compelled to do so by some serious danger which is to be apprehended from delay. Many cases of this kind do occur, it is true, in large cities, if one happens to have a large practice in this branch of the Healing Art.