Aristotle's works: / Containing the Master-piece, Directions for Midwives, and Counsel and Advice to Child-bearing Women with Various Useful Remedies

by pseud. Aristotle

Those women that are very small and misshapen, should not be put to bed, at least, till their waters are broke, but rather kept upright, and assisted to walk about the chamber, by being supported under the arms; for, by that means, they will breathe more freely, and mend their pains better than on the bed, because there they lie on a heap. As for those that are very lean, and have hard labour from that cause, let them moisten the parts with oil and ointments, to make them more smooth and slippery, that the head of the infant and the womb be not so compressed and bruised by the hardness of the mother’s bones which forms the passage. If the cause be weakness, she ought to be strengthened, the better to support her pains; to which end give her good jelly broths, and a little wine with a toast in it. If she fears her pains, let her be comforted, assuring her that she will not endure many more, but be delivered in a little time. But if her pains be slow and small, or none at all, they must be provoked by frequent and pretty strong clysters; let her walk about the chamber, that so the weight of child may help them forwards. If she flood, or have strong convulsions, she must be then helped by a speedy delivery; the operation I shall relate in the section of unnatural labours. If she be costive, let her use clysters which may also help to dispel the cholic, at those times very injurious, because attended with useless pains, and because such bear not downward, and so help not to forward the birth. If she find an obstruction or stoppage of the urine, by reason the womb bears too much on the bladder, let her lift up her abdomen a little with her hand, and try if she receives any benefit; if she finds she does not, it will be necessary to introduce a catheter into her bladder, and thereby draw forth her urine. If the difficulty be from the ill posture of the woman, let her be placed otherwise, in a posture more suitable and convenient for her; also if it proceed from the indisposition of the womb, as from its oblique situation, &c. it must be remedied, as well as it can, by placing her body accordingly; or, if it be a vicious conformation, having the neck too hard, too callous, and too strait, it must be anointed with oils and ointments, as before directed. If the membranes be so strong as that the waters do not break in due time, they may be broken with the fingers, if the midwife be first well assured that the child is forward in the passage, or else, by breaking the waters too soon, the child may remain in danger of remaining dry a long time; to supply which defect, you may moisten the parts with fomentations, decoctions, and emollient oils: which yet is not half so well as when nature does her work in her own time, with the ordinary slime and water. These membranes sometimes do press forth with the waters three or four fingers’ breadth out of the body before the child, resembling a bladder full of water; but there is then no great danger to break them, if they be not already broken; for when the case is so, the child is always in readiness to follow, being in the passage; but let the midwife be very careful not to pull it with her hand, lest the after-burden be thereby loosened before its time, for it adheres thereto very strongly. If the navel-string happen to come first, it must presently be put in again, and kept so, if possible, or otherwise the woman must be immediately delivered. But if the after-burden should come first, it must not be put up again by any means; for the infant having no further occasion for it, it would be but an obstacle if it were put up; in this case it must be cut off, having tied the navel-string, and afterwards draw forth the child with all the speed that may be, lest it be suffocated.

Sect. V. Of Women labouring with a dead Child.

When the difficulty of labour arises from a dead child, it is a case of great danger to the mother, and great care ought to be taken therein; but before any thing be done, the midwife ought to be well assured the child is dead indeed, which may be known by these signs.

1. The breast suddenly slacks, or falls flat, or bags down. 2. A great coldness, possesses the abdomen of the mother, especially about the navel. 3. Her urine is thick, and a filthy stinking settles at the bottom. 4. No motion of the child can be perceived; for the trial whereof, let the midwife put her hand in warm water, and lay it upon the abdomen; for that, if it is alive, will make it stir. 5. She is very subject to dream of dead men, and be affrighted therewith. 6. She has extravagant longings to eat such things as are contrary to nature. 7. Her breath stinks, though not used so to do. 8. When she turns herself in bed, the child sways that way like a lump of lead.

These things being carefully observed, the midwife may make a judgment whether the child be alive or dead, especially if the woman take the following prescription: “Take half a pint of white wine and burn it, and add thereto half an ounce of cinnamon, but no other spice whatever; and when she has drank it, if her travailing pains come upon her the child is certainly dead; but if not, the child may possibly be either weak or sick, but not dead; this will bring her pains upon her, if it be dead, and will refresh the child, if it be living; for cinnamon refresheth and strengtheneth the child.”

Now, if upon trial, it be found that the child is dead, let the mother do all she can to forward the delivery, because a dead child can be nowise helpful therein. It will be necessary, therefore, that she make some comfortable things to prevent her fainting, by reason of the putrid vapours ascending from the dead child. And in order to her delivery, let her take the following herbs boiled in white wine, (or at least as many of them as you can get), viz. dittany, betony, pennyroyal, sage, featherfew, centuary, ivy leaves, and berries. Let her also take sweet basil, in powder, and half a drachm at a time, in white wine; let her privities be also anointed with the juice of the garden-tansey. Or take the tansey in the summer, when it can be most plentifully had, and before it runs up to the flower, and having bruised it well, boil it in oil till the juice of it be consumed. If you set it in the sun, after you have mixed it with oil, it will be more effectual. This an industrious midwife, who would be prepared against all events, ought to have always by her. As to the manner of her delivery, the same methods must be used as are mentioned in the section of natural labour. And here again I cannot but commend the stone ætites, held near the privities, whose magnetic virtue renders it exceedingly necessary on this occasion, for it draws the child any way, with the same facility that the loadstone draws iron.

Let the midwife also make a strong decoction of hyssop with water, and let the woman drink it very hot, and it will in a little time bring away the dead child.

If, as soon as she is delivered of the dead child, you are in doubt that part of the after-birth is left behind in the body (for in such cases as these, many times, it rots, and comes away piecemeal), let her continue drinking the same decoction till her body be cleansed.

A decoction made of the herb muster-wort, used as you did the decoction of hyssop, works the same effect. Let the midwife also take roots of pollodum, and stamp them well; warm them a little, and bind them on the soles of her feet, and it will soon bring away the child, either dead or alive.

The following medicines likewise are such as stir up the expulsive faculty; but in this case they must be stronger, because the motion of the child ceaseth.