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. XXII.
Of Præternatural BIRTHS, proceeding from the Median oblique Situations of the WOMB.

AS the three preceeding Chapters concern only the Extremities of an obliquated Womb, so they necessarily lead me in this Place to offer a short Hint Upon the Median or Less oblique Uterine Positions. Which notwithstanding their great Variety, according to the just Comparison formerly made[^[176]], I shall for Brevity-sake comprehend in One, and treat of in general Terms as subsequently follows.

I. I observe that however conspicuous and remarkable the Difference of these Preternatural Postures may be, especially That betwixt the Four mention’d Extremes and the Natural Situation of the Womb; yet I fear, that there is too much Reason to suspect, that this Difference is but little known to the generality of Practitioners in MIDWIFERY, otherways I am sure Patience would not be so much cry’d up, or at least Time would not be so much trifled away, (at every difficult LABOUR) by the Ordinary Boethogynists, neither would the Use of SHARPS be so much practis’d by the Extraordinary MIDWIFE.

II. I observe, that tho’ a Womb less oblique, occasions a less Difficult, or more easy BIRTH, than any of the Extremes, yet the least Degree of an oblique uterine Posture, may be of great Hindrance, and imminent Danger to the Woman, whose attending MIDWIFE is ignorant of it, as well as of the exact Method of restoring it to its Natural State.

III. I would observe by the way, that as the fatal Consequences of such Ignorance, have already been sufficiently precaution’d in the preceeding Chapters; so it would be supervacaneous, and altogether needless to re-assume or repeat them in This: Wherefore I shall only farther, once for all, exhort and adjure such MIDWIVES, as have any regard for their own Consciences, and the Lives of their Neighbours, that they would qualify themselves duly in these excellent Points of Knowledge. And This I have the more Reason to inculcate, because I never yet knew an assiduous MIDWIFE, who was thus perfectly well endued with the essential Qualifications of her Profession, but the great GOD rather (to whom the Glory of all Things is due) perpetually compleated his own Gifts, and crown’d the Labour of her Hands with desirable Success.

FOR as the Husband-Man, who never sowed, can never expect to reap; or as the Gardener, who never planted, can never hope to gather; so neither can the MIDWIFE who was never regularly qualified, ever justly hope or expect to effect a happy DELIVERY; especially not in Cases of Difficult and Preternatural BIRTHS: Neither can the Consequences of her Mistakes or Ignorance on the other Hand, ever detract from, or lessen, the Divine Power, which is still the Same, and can always do all Things that it will, but will not always do all that it can. Besides HE, who has been pleased to lay such Burthens upon us, to try the Patience and Constancy of One, and to exercise the Industry and Charity of another; HE, I say, often executes his Judgments upon some, for the Sins of both Offenders, that all Things may the more manifestly tend to his own eternal Glory.

IV. I come now in the fourth Place by certain Demonstration, to explain the Nature of a Womb less obliquated, and to lay down the genuine Method of correcting any Preternatural Situation whatsoever of the disorder’d or distorted Womb.

IN order to which, I would previously observe, that all such Postures of the Womb, whether more or less, either tending aside, or prone, or supine, are only best discover’d by the TOUCH: Because the Orifice always answering in a strait Line to the opposite Situation of the Bottom of the Womb, can never fail to shew its Posture to the judicious MIDWIFE.

HENCE if the MIDWIFE does but know exactly the Natural Position of the ORIFICE, she may thence easily conceive by how much it differs in an obliquated Womb, and accordingly thereby readily judge whereabouts the Bottom is seated: Which Situations of Bottom and Orifice being known, she can consequently be at no loss to comprehend the Disposition of the whole Uterine Body. And if she now remembers or recollects what has been said of restoring and replacing the most extream, or most oblique Womb, she will have no Difficulty in restoring any Womb less oblique to its Natural Posture; This depending entirely upon that Method, to which I refer[^[177]], for Brevity’s sake.