An address to British females on the moral management of pregnancy and labour, and some cursory observations on medical deportment

by William Cooke

And in cases happening without any cognizable incident, analogy justifies the inference of moral agency, as its predominance in producing congestion, and in deranging action, in other parts is perceptible.[5] It is not intended to deny, that mind is often affected consecutively; and in these cases, there is a pernicious reflected action on the body.

In the management of these cases, especially when they may be deemed habitual, moral treatment is in the highest degree momentous. It is an indispensable pre-requisite, that not only the judgment, but the candor of the practitioner be fully appreciated, before perfect acquiescence can be commanded in precautionary measures. Sacrifices of great domestic interest must often be required.

It may be necessary to enjoin an almost constant observance of the horizontal posture; almost total seclusion from social intercourse, at least such intercourse as may disturb the circulation; and even of separating, for a considerable time, from conjugal association. And these measures will never be fully and perseveringly adopted, but when the mind is satisfied that the advice results from knowledge, and when the progress is watched by the assiduities of kindness.

Frequent recurrences of discharge and pain, threatening immediate miscarriage, certainly should not discourage. We have frequently seen pregnancy go on to its completion, notwithstanding these occurrences; but a slight deviation from the precepts we have enjoined may undo all that the efforts of weeks or months had accomplished. When once the womb has admitted of a full developement, the change has often been most salutary. The period of suckling—the lengthened period of freedom from pregnancy, (which suckling will probably secure), conduces greatly to restore the constitution, and to enable it to sustain future pregnancies without inconvenience. In these protracted cases, occasional interposition of medicine will be useful; but if a protracted course of medicine be needful, it should be assimilated as much as is practicable with domestic preparations, except in some anomalous instances.

In the allusions we have made to medical character, let it not be inferred that the slightest reflection on the Physicians of Her Royal Highness is designed. Writers in some of the public papers have cruelly animadverted on the conduct of one of them, at least, in this momentous event; and the only apology which occurs to us is, that their censures were the illegitimate though too often fertile offspring of vehement sorrow. Had the influence of these remarks been limited to the gentlemen whom more or less they were intended to reprehend, they would have been comparatively unimportant; but they are scattered through the kingdom, and, without the slightest authority, tend to alloy unmingled and consecrated grief. To cherish the most latent doubt that the illustrious Princess did not derive the utmost aid from human experience, will heighten and pervert the general lamentation; and were it possible the surviving Prince could be accessible to such a feeling, how would it embitter future years, which, with undissembled sincerity, we hope he will survive, in useful and happy life!

There are documents, however, before the public, from which unfavourable inferences have been deduced; and our observations will be impotent, unless the legitimate tendency of these documents be traced.

It must be conceded, that interested as we were in the life of Her Royal Highness, and as we ever have been, and continue to be, in the life of our truly revered but afflicted Monarch, the brevity of official communication creates disappointment; but are we justified in propagating the opinion, that what is withheld is necessarily unfavourable?

We have been informed, that a respectful solicitation, presented to one of the Physicians, to publish the Princess’s case, has been declined; and the prudence of his decision is very perceptible.

It would demand an extraordinary coincidence of rare qualities to communicate the full result of ocular and tangible observation. To designate a disease is by no means difficult; but to describe on paper all the distinctions of an experienced eye, and all the erudition of habituated touch, and to impart to them the full energy of the original source of demonstration, would require a power of delineation which is unattainable. However explicit, therefore, an attempt might be to detail so affecting a case as this, it is impossible the contumelious should not find something to censure, and the wrangler something to dispute; and a fountain of interminable and painful controversy might be opened.

It seems ostensible, that the honor of attending Her Royal Highness devolved on Sir Richard Croft by voluntary and personal choice; and however deeply and mournfully he may review the fall of so illustrious a personage beneath his own eye, it cannot but ever be a source of grateful remembrance, that he was the subject of such distinction. There would be the utmost inconsistency in assigning to patronage an election like this. Dr. Croft has long occupied an eminent rank as an accoucheur; and more unequivocal testimony to his qualification could not be rendered, than that the most clamorous for public investigation have paid to his talents the meed of praise.