The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

by John Maubray

CHAP. XVI.
Of the Genuine and Spurious LABOUR-PAINS.

THE sole Reason I add this Chapter, is, because our common MIDWIVES are so often mistaken, and do so frequently err in this Point, having no thorough-pac’d Knowledge of either sort of these PAINS: For when she comes to a Woman, taken ill with severe PAINS in the Belly or Loins, being ignorant of the accurate Nicety of the Touch, she presently concludes These to be the true labouring PAINS, because they indeed often resemble them very much; and she farther finding perhaps the ORIFICE a little relax’d and open, expects it to enlarge to her Satisfaction. Which, however, not answering her Hopes, nor the PAINS encreasing; she endeavours by stimulating Medicines and other sinistrous Means, conformable to the perverse Rules of her Practice, to raise and provoke Them: So that this, in short, is the Cause, not only of many an untimely BIRTH, but also too commonly of many an untimely DEATH.

NOW the Wind-Cholick, either in the Lower or Upper Part of the Belly, occasions frequent racking PAINS, as do also the Humours by Virtue of their Acidity, corroding the Intestines; and these Mordacious PAINS are generally attended with a subsequent Looseness. In which Cases, I always use proper mitigating and repelling Means, (such as a Carminative and Emollient Clyster, &c: upon extreme Occasions); which proper Means infallibly answer my Ends in either Condition. For if the PAINS that afflict the Woman are Spurious, They are thereby suddenly laid and repressed; and if Genuine, These very self-same Means most effectually promote and advance them to BIRTH.

BUT again, some Women are taken with a mix’d Complication of Genuine and Spurious, or Real and False PAINS, that are properly called Tergiversant; which one Moment seem to depress the BIRTH, and encourage the Woman to Labour; and the next convert themselves into scatter’d Cramps, and other contracting PAINS: And these dispersed Bastard-Pains are always more pernicious to the Woman, than the most severe natural Labour-Pains: This Case is also easily distinguished by the Touch; which done, the false wandring Pains are first to be assuag’d or carry’d off, before the BIRTH can well succeed.

NOW, as to the real Natural and Genuine Pains, They are, (methinks) in short, easily to be judged of by the Manner in which they always seize the Woman; viz.

I. FROM the Navel downwards to the Groin, reflecting towards the Loins, with a depressing and bearing down upon the Womb and Privities, as occasionally mentioned in the preceding Chapter: And tho’ These are intermitting (not continual) PAINS, yet their Severity and Violence extenuate the Umbilical, and protuberate the Genital Parts, opening and distending the Passages. But besides, as the Blood is exagitated and fermented, it excites a Velocity of Pulse, and a Redness of Face; whilst the Belly waxes Fiery-hot, and a Feverish Shivering or Trembling-Fit invades the whole Woman, especially the inferiour Limbs, but without any Frigidity.

II. THE Membranes, with their Contents, which MIDWIVES commonly call the Gathering of the Waters, now present themselves at the Orifice before the Head of the Infant, resembling (to the Touch) Abortive Eggs without any Shell: upon These breaking, the Waters begin to flow; at first more Sparingly, but by and by more profusely, and at last a waterish Blood follows, when a GIRL is to be born; or a pure-colour’d Blood, when a BOY: But I also farther distinguish the BIRTH of an approaching BOY from that of a GIRL, by the Labour-Pains; for in the first Case, these are far more severe and penetrating, and accordingly the BIRTH much more expeditious, than in Case of a GIRL: In which (however) the PAINS are more constant and regular.

III. AND now, at last, the OSSA COCCYGIS and COXENDICIS begin to yield, and give way; while the Bottom contracts, the Orifice of the Womb opens, and the Vagina dilates itself fully: So that now, and not before, most of the abovesaid Signs evidently appear, I give my patient Woman the Word to Labour her best; because if she begins sooner, she too much debilitates both Herself and fatigues the CHILD before its due Time.

MOREOVER, I have seen some Women in Labour taken with a sudden Vomiting, that I suppose proceeded from the natural Sympathy, which the Stomach bears to the Womb: Whereupon it discharges a certain Viscous Matter, which I have always observ’d, upon its turning Bloody, to presage an easy LABOUR, and an expeditious DELIVERY.

FARTHER yet, the MIDWIFE must always remember, that when the commenced real PAINS of Labour chance to cease, the Woman’s Labouring Efforts must also terminate with them in Course: And as this Case denotes a Debility of the Expulsive Faculty; so if it be not both Timely and Judiciously assisted, It may prove of the worst of Consequences. In a word, so much I have thought previously necessary to my Purpose, before I enter upon——