I may well indeed say frightful; for what can be more inconsistent with the tender NATURE of Women, or more terrible to them, than to see Men come armed against Themselves and their tenderer INFANTS, with Knives, Hooks, Iron-Forceps, &c. thereby (as it were) to help them in time of their extremest Agony? For my part, I am Positive, that let who will use INSTRUMENTS, they kill many more INFANTS than they save, and ruin many more WOMEN than they deliver fairly: And this, I think, will be easily agreed to, by all those who have any Knowledge of the Parts of Generation in that Sex; as (I believe) it is also sufficiently evident even to Those who have no Judgment that way, by the notorious Fatalities and tragical Events they daily hear of in Fact.
HOWEVER I know, some Chirurgeon-Practitioners are too much acquainted with the Use of INSTRUMENTS, to lay them aside; no, they do not (it may be) think themselves in their Duty, or proper Office, if they have not their cruel Accoutrements in Hand: And what is most unaccountable and unbecoming a Christian, is that, when they have perhaps wounded the MOTHER, kill’d the INFANT, and with violent Torture and inexpressible Pain, drawn it out by Piece-meal, they think no Reward sufficient for such an extraordinary Piece of mangled Work.
BUT, in short, I would advise such to practise Butchery rather than MIDWIFERY; for in that Case, they could sell what they slay; but in this, by handling Man so, they only bring Infamy upon their Profession, and expose it to the Contempt and Hatred of Others.
COVETOUSNESS is the blackest of Vices, and in this Case (I am sure) it is an unpardonable Sin, to thirst after sordid Lucre for procuring the Health or preserving the Life of our Neighbour; as, I doubt, is but too common among some mercenary People: Who (as we have been creditably inform’d) have refus’d to take Women in Hand at the very Point of Extremity or Time of Need, before a certain Sum of Money was first deposited; tho’ perhaps borrow’d upon Pledge, or collected amongst their charitable Neighbours for God’ssake.
I do not say however, but that the Workman is worthy of his Reward, and That which ought to be paid according to the Merit and Dignity of his Performance; not according to the Time he spends about it, as hired Labourers are paid their Wages: No, that fruitless Labour would not be worth while; no Gentleman would undertake Midwifery upon such unprofitable Terms: For as it is in his Power to save the Life of the Mother, or the Infant, or Both, (which he often does effectually) He undoubtedly deserves an extraordinary Recompence worthy of so great and good a Piece of Service.
BUT notwithstanding all This, an extravagant Price is not to be arbitrarily demanded, nor ought the Reward to exceed the Ability of the PATIENT; neither are Those to be forsaken or left destitute of Help, and expos’d to imminent Danger, at all Hazards of Life, who cannot afford us Money: But rather (on the contrary) they are to be forthwith taken in Hand chearfully, attended by Night or Day diligently, and a trifle of Money given (by us) rather than taken from them, when our Fellow-Christian’s Circumstances so require it. For this is the right way to secure God’s Blessing to Ourselves, and Success to all our Endeavours.
AND, in short, I humbly pray, that He may (out of his infinite Goodness and Mercy) always enable Me, according to my best Inclinations, faithfully to perform these good Offices, which I know to be so much my indispensible and incumbent Duty, in that STATION, his All-wise Providence hath allotted me, as to the Affairs of Life.
WHENCE I come, in the next Place, by due Order, to treat particularly of the Contents of the preceding Chapter; and, First, to set forth an Anatomical Description of the several Parts of Generation in manner following.
