THEIR great Ingenuity and Dexterity in this ART, has (to the Glory of GOD Almighty’s good Providence, and the Honour of their own Profession) rendred the Use of Instruments, not only needless and superfluous, but also odious and ridiculous. They instruct us how to remedy the most difficult Occurrences, by a right Understanding of the Business, and a nice subtile skilful HAND only, without any manner of other INSTRUMENT; excepting only in the Case of a MONSTROUS or dead BIRTH.
UPON whose great Authorities, and the small Knowledge I myself have of the Parts of Generation, if I affirm the imminent and manifest Danger of such dilating Instruments, as are commonly us’d upon every trifling Occasion, I hope it will not be taken amiss by the READER: Since my Design is not so much to discourage any in their Practice, as only to excite such Practitioners to apply themselves to the above-mention’d far more Safe, Easy, and Commendable Method: which if they shall think fit to do, the Excellency of the Profession will shine as bright Here as in other Parts of the World; and at the same time, the absurd Imputations and false Suggestions of the Ignorant (who imagine all Women to be deliver’d either by Chance, or by such barbarous Usage) will be clean wip’d off: For (I am fully satisfy’d) that our Art, no ways depends upon Chance or Fortune, and running any Risque or Hazard; but (to the contrary) on as firm a Foundation, and as infallible Rules, as a great many other Professions, which however yet are sometimes subject to ACCIDENTS. All which I shall endeavour to make evidently appear, in the next SECTION; where I shall treat of the Causes of difficult and preternatural BIRTHS, together with the respective Methods of preventing, correcting, or removing them effectually.
CHAP. II.
Of the Qualifications of the Ordinary MIDWIFE.
IT is indeed indifferent whether Men or Women practise this Art, so the Practisers be properly adapted, and duly qualified for the Purpose of so great a Work. As for Instance, in France, Men only profess this Business; in Italy, and Germany, Men and Women promiscuously; in England, Scotland, Holland, &c. Men are stiled Extraordinary Midwives, being seldom or never call’d but in extraordinary Cases of difficult and preternatural Births. Wherefore, upon this Account, I shall first observe and denote the Qualifications most requisite and absolutely necessary for WOMEN practising this Art.
NOW as all Arts and Sciences require Instruction, Application, Pains, and Time, for qualifying any Person to become a Master in the Practice of them; so the Art of Midwifery requires not the least Regard, Attention, and Information. Wherefore it is quite wrong for any Persons, who have not a Body and Mind particularly adapted to this Business, to spend their Time in qualifying themselves for, and applying themselves to the Performance of this good Office. For such as These ought to leave This Province to Those Persons, whom Nature has more signally mark’d out for the Purpose.
AND that I may the better distinguish upon what I have here propos’d, I shall first speak in the Negative, and then in the Affirmative Sense of the Affair; Or first, of her Natural, and then of her Acquir’d Qualifications.
I. THEREFORE, She who would discreetly undertake Midwifery, ought not to begin the Practice too YOUNG, nor continue it till grown too OLD: For the one will want, perhaps, due Experience, as well as decent Gravity and Solidity; the other will, peradventure, want requisite Strength and Vigour of Body, as well as the Free Exercise, and ready Use of her Senses.
II. SHE ought to be no weak, infirm, or diseased Person, incapable of undergoing the Fatigues which the Business too often requires: Such as watching Night and Day; turning the INFANTS, when in a wrong Posture; or extracting them at length; which Action frequently requires the full Strength of a strong MAN, instead of a weak Woman. For thus the most learned and excellent Fabricius d’ Aquapendente, testifies of himself, that he has often been so weary and tired, that he has been obliged to leave the Work for his Assistant to finish; and as Daventer also (a robust Man) relates of himself, that in the coldest Time of Winter, being but thinly cloathed, and at a Distance from any Fire, his Hair has been wet, and all his Body in a Sweat, and both his Loins and his Limbs have aked egregiously some Days after delivering a Woman.
III. SHE ought not to be too Fat or Gross, but especially not to have thick or fleshy Hands and Arms, or large-Bon’d Wrists; which (of Necessity) must occasion racking Pains to the tender labouring Woman.