BUT that I may farther elucidate the true State of this Case, as it becomes me to speak the Truth ingenuously, it is my candid Opinion that, in any oblique Posture of the WOMB, it is the safest, quickest, and most convenient Method to extract the Infant by the Feet, and that presently in the Beginning of the Labour, either before or at least presently after Flooding, as occasion requires. For this very Reason, and to this Purpose, I hope, I may farther justly lay down one certain Rule; namely, that all BIRTHS ill-turn’d, in a WOMB ill-seated, are to be rightly turn’d again, and drawn out by the Feet. Which Rule, if duly observed, will, I am positive, save a World of Women and Children, that otherwise must inevitably perish; since as for my part, I know no Situation of the Infant in an oblique WOMB, more difficult or dangerous than the Head’s offering itself first; and that because the BIRTH cannot be then turned without the greatest Difficulty and most extreme Pains.
THIS, in short, will be readily granted by All, who do consider or conceive that the WOMB (being fixed by Ligaments on both sides) is always more inclinable to fall Forwards or Backwards, than to either Side, and first most commonly bends back before it comes to any lateral Posture; and that from hence of consequence, the WOMB is distorted as well as obliquely situated. By reason of which Distortion, if the CHILD comes Head foremost, it falls down in the Pelvis obliquely; and tho’ a judicious MIDWIFE may bring the Head directly into the Pelvis, yet the Shoulders following, must needs fall upon the Pelvis a-cross, in its narrower Part; whereby of reasonable Consequence the Infant must be distorted in the Passage.
NOW in this Case, no Pains, how violent soever, can avail to force forwards the BIRTH so fixed upon these Bones; wherefore (I say) when the WOMB is thus seated, it is most safe in the Beginning of the LABOUR, to open its Orifice, break the Membrane, turn the CHILD, and take it out by the FEET; since by the Head’s coming now foremost, both Lives are at Stake and in great Jeopardy.
HOWEVER yet it may be again objected, that I have already prescribed another Method in Chap. 21; viz. of bringing the Orifice together with the Head into the Pelvis, and promoting the BIRTH in that Manner: To this I answer, that my Reason for so doing, was not only to convince some People, that I know their Method as well as my own; but also to whet or assist the Judgment of such good MIDWIVES as cannot forsake their own old By-Paths; Not that I ever design’d to recommend it to any, tho’ I must however acknowledge, that sometimes it may effect the desirable Ends; but according to the Rules of irrefragable Truth, and sound Judgment, we find that, in this Position of the Womb, let the BIRTH offer itself as it will, the only laudable Method is without Loss of Time to extract the Infant, and deliver the Woman as above-directed.
III. I observe upon the whole, that as the immediate present Case is applicable to either (right or left) Side; so what is said of the foregoing Condition, with respect to the Womb’s inclining forwards, may be easily apply’d to the Case of its tending backwards: Only with this considerable Difference, that the oblique forward Posture of the Womb, is the most commodious of the Four mentioned Extremes, and consequently admits of a more easy Exclusion of the BIRTH by the Head, than any of the rest mentioned.
NOT but that either of these grand or complicated preternatural BIRTHS imply and prognosticate imminent Danger to the MOTHER, or the CHILD, or Both; as well as incredible Labour and Fatigue to the faithful MIDWIFE; who, in such Cases, can less distinctly feel, less commodiously handle, and more difficultly come at the Matter, so as to dispose the INFANT’S Members for Attraction, than in any other Condition of BIRTH: Hence it is, in short, that so many MIDWIVES are liable to the most egregious Mistakes, and unaccountable Deceptions upon these unlucky Occasions. But——
AGAIN farther, I hope I may freely speak my Mind, and openly avow, that the most of these Births proceed merely from want of seasonable and skilful Assistance in the beginning of the Labour: Because the BIRTH (however well seated then) by reason of the bad Situation of the Womb, cannot possibly pass thro’ the Pelvis of itself; and not being judiciously assisted at that nice Juncture, behold, from a Natural, it falls on a sudden also into a Preternatural Posture. From hence we have this extreme difficult and most dangerous sort of Preternatural BIRTHS, as will more conspicuously appear from a deliberate Reflection upon the preceding Chapters. And This much (I hope) may finally suffice any intelligent Reader, to conceive the different Circumstances of all complicated Preternatural BIRTHS whatsoever. Whence I go on to the Fourth and last Sort of Preternatural BIRTHS proposed; namely, Those proceeding from intervening accidental Causes; which because they are also different, I shall handle briefly and separately in the ensuing Manner; viz.——
