Chapter I: Introduction: AND

ADVICE TO THE LADIES,

POINTING OUT

_The DANGERS attending BACKENING their MILK the first four or five Weeks after Delivery._

To the PUBLIC.

I have very long been convinced of the many dangerous Consequences which attend the depraved Custom of employing Men-midwives unnecessarily—and have been for some Years intending from Month to Month to write my Ideas on that Subject, in order to combat the very destructive Practice, and endeavour to awaken the slumbering good Sense of the Nation. But when I reflected on the great Difficulty of conquering Prejudice—considered how generally the Opinion had been adopted that “Men were the most proper Attendants on the Labours of Women,” I confess the Task appeared too arduous—and I was discouraged.

I knew, that _no_ Arguments, _even if an Angel was to descend from Heaven to utter them_, could persuade the Ladies _to be satisfied_ with Midwives of _their own_ Sex, _after the fine Polish_ had been _once_ RUB’D OFF which _modesty ought_ to have _work’d up_ to such a _bright_ Pitch of _high finish’d_ Excellence, as _not_ to have been capable of admitting the impure stain within the glossy smoothness of its beautiful enamel!—I knew, that, assisted by the greatest Part of the Faculty (whose _INTEREST, as well as PLEASURE_ would be at STAKE) they would leave _no means_ untried—they would call in _every fallacious_ art to their aid, _to continue THE DECEPTION_, by _ridiculing_ Arguments which they _could not confute_—and that _un_married Ladies, through _an Opinion_ of the _Virtue of their Friends_, and swayed, and _kept in Countenance_, by _the prevalent_ Custom of the Times, would naturally _fall into the Stream_, and _not_ be undeceived until _too far hurried by the Current_ to be _afterwards_ able to recede.—On the other Hand, I likewise knew that our young Men _of Fashion_ had _long ago_ resolved _to bid Adieu TO THINKING_. Leaving _that troublesome_ Employment _to others_, they were intent on pursuing the far nobler Gratifications _of Sense_—endeavouring to bury in a round of _trifling_ Dissipations, _every_ Sentiment meriting the Attention of _reasonable_ Beings that an Attempt to work on _such_ Minds would be Absurdity in the extreme,—for, that, even _if they were convinced_ of the two uncontrovertable Truths I wish to establish, by being satisfied that Men were _not_ so safe as Women, and that Men-midwives polluted the Minds of their Wives, and rendered them easy Preys to Seduction, yet these Sentiments would have had _no_ Weight _with them_, because they married without Love, Religion, Principle—_the only_ Ingredients capable of forming _national_ Happiness. _Impure_ in their _Souls, debauch’d_ in their _Persons_, Libertinism opened _the only Avenue_ which could present them with a Prospect of Enjoyments _adapted to their_ Sensations—_their_ Joys were independent of their Wive’s Society—their Healths consequently were only _politely_ wish’d for—and they would of course readily _risk_ their Wive’s Purity being contaminated, rather than _be disappointed_ in the Pleasure of seducing the Wives _of their acquaintance_, through the _preparatory_ Assistance of the _Men_-midwives. The Happiness of our gay young Men _not_ being centered within the narrow Circle of Home, _the Virtue_ of their Wives is not in the least essential, has no Weight, _when ballanced_ with _the Advantages_ they derive from the too _general_ Prostitution of the Sex. They _extract Balm_ from _the Vices_ of _Other_ Women, which has sovereign Efficacy _in healing_ any Wounds—_alleviating_ any smarts, which they may receive, or feel, from the infidelity of _their own_ Wives—whom they never treated as their _rational Companions_, whose Affections they were desirous of fixing irremoveably,—but as _necessary_ Beings to do the Honours of their Tables—furnish Heirs—and save their Estates from being encumbered with the Payment of the Fortunes of their younger Brothers and Sisters. The only View on _one_ side, is _Money_—on the _other_, _Quality_—_each_ having attain’d the _only_ Object _they aim’d at in Marriage_,—each, without any fundamental Principle of Goodness, to restrain their Pursuits within the Bounds of Virtue, they throw off the Mask of Decency—and riot in Vice!—Our young Men think the Scriptures fit only to impose on Weakness. The Injunctions of the Gospel interfere with their Enjoyments—and having never believed it’s sacred Truths—or endeavoured to follow it’s amiable Precepts, they never experienced the serene Tranquillity arising from the delightful Possession of an approving Conscience. At the best, _forgetful_ even of the Existence of a God—and laughing at the idle supposition of a future state, they give the Reins without Controul to all their Appetites and Passions—check’d by nothing but what _they term HONOUR_. But _THEIR Honour_ is comprised, in—_punishing the Man with MURDER who dares to doubt_ their veracity, or fail in Respect to their Dignity—and in paying their Debts _to SHARPERS_, instead of rewarding the Industry of their Tradesmen, by giving them—_their own Property_. _THEIR Honour_ does not restrain them from defiling the Beds _of their Friends_—_BREAKING Promises_ to _WORTHY Dependants_—or _betraying_ the Interests and Honour of their Country for _base Wages of Iniquity_, though committed with Confidence to their Charge, _yet sacrificed_ without Remorse, for their _private_ Emolument. _THEIR Honour_ enforces _no single Virtue_!—AWAY WITH SUCH HONOUR!

I next consider’d the number of _well-disposed_ Men, who _through Prejudice_ might _neglect_; or through Indolence, or Weakness of Understanding, be blind to the Force of my Arguments, and of course remain unconvinced by them—and these Obstacles, united, appeared too formidable to be surmounted by any weak Effort I could make through the Channel of a News Paper. At last however I took Courage and submitted my Sentiments to the Consideration of the Public, in the Gazetteer of the 28th of March.

I had not, at that time, any Intention of writing another Letter,—but deriving Hopes from the favourable Impression my first seem’d to have made on the Minds of the Considerate—and having heard weight laid on _the Men’s Knowledge of Anatomy_ as a Reason why _they_ should _be safer_ than Women, I wrote the second Letter to remove _that specious_, but _mistaken_ Idea—and having _known_ some, and heard of _many_ other young Men Midwives, who really _are ignorant_ of that Knowledge of Anatomy which is _their only_ Recommendation _to INFATUATED Husbands_;—and a Man Midwife, under the Signature of “Old Chiron,” having endeavoured to abuse the World with the most scandalous misrepresentations, and _gross Fallacies_, my last Letter appeared to expose the Danger of employing raw young Men—or believing such _interested Deceivers_.

I am quite indifferent about the Offence which my Letters have given _the Ladies of Fashion_, and their _darling_ Doctors—_their “sweet Men.”_ They are conscious my Letters convey only _a very faint_ Sketch of their _immodest, obscene practices_. They are _too bad_ to be _exactly_ described without using Language very unfit for the Inspection of virtuous Women!—I place dreadful Rocks in their View, to warn them from a Course on which their Purity would be irretrievably wreck’d: and surely those Parents entertain _strange_ Notions of _Virtue_, who carefully keep my Letters out of the way of their Daughters, through what _they imagine to be_ “Delicacy!”—they would rather, in short, have them _polluted in future—past redemption_—than instructed by my friendly Admonitions, how to avoid the Path to Vice!—the modest, amiable, worthy, _sensible_ Part of the Community, I am confident, will read my Pamphlet with Candour—approve of the Sentiments contain’d in it—and recommend it to the Perusal of others. I shall view the Censures, and Displeasure of _the vicious_, and the _dissipated_, as the highest Eulogiums;—as Praise—which will convey _the most genial warmth_ to my Heart—and, I trust, afford me a pleasing Retrospect in my _latest_ Hours!—

My Letters having succeeded beyond my most sanguine Expectation, I am now encouraged to attack _another_ prevailing Custom among the Fair—that of _not_ giving suck to their Infants, at least during the first five or six weeks.

I shall wave considering _the Propriety_ of a Mother’s giving suck through a Sense of the _incumbent Duty_ she _owes_ her child.—Though the Custom of backening the Milk is _unnatural_, dangerous, and too often _fatal_, I shall lay no stress on the former, but rest it entirely on the latter—for in _such_ an Age as the present, in which our fine Ladies have few Ideas of any Religion—are not capable of receiving Pleasure from _domestick_ Employments—would infinitely rather CONVERSE with _any Men_ than their _Husbands_—leave their Children to be instructed, or _neglected_ by Servants, and fly abroad, with eager Impatience _to game away_ their Husbands Fortunes, and receive the _criminal_ Addresses of _their profligate_ Admirers, at the Assembly, the Masquerade, or more _commodious Apartments_ of _the Coterie_—laughing at the Censures of _the few_ who have still some Regard to Decorum—and despising the Belief of the perpetual Presence of a Being who is Witness to all their _secret vicious Deformities_—in _such_ times it would be Folly to mention the Dangers they expose their Infants to, from diseased Milk, want of a tender Mother’s Care—or dream of asking them how they will answer to the Almighty for _not_ having afforded them the Nourishment He kindly provided for their Support?—I shall therefore only shew the Absurdity and _danger_ of this Custom, as far as it regards the Health of _the Mother_.

And here I must endeavour to give my Readers some Idea of that part of the human Body which is concern’d in the formation, and absorbtion of the Milk, in order for their understanding the Force of my arguments.

Our Bodies are constantly, when in Health, receiving Repairs in all their Parts, from millions of the smallest, most minute Arteries. Every Solid, and every Juice, is form’d out of, and secreted from, Blood. Those noxious Parts of the Blood which are not proper for these different, _opposite_ Uses, are thrown off by insensible Perspiration. When, through various Causes, that Perspiration is obstructed, the acrid Matter which ought to have gone off, is absorb’d by the lymphatick Vessels, and returns into the Blood—brings on Fevers, Gout, Rheumatism, &c. &c.

The Lymphaticks, are numberless Vessels, which pass through spungy Glands. These fine Tubes have a vast number of Valves, which prevent the Lymph, (or Liquor) which runs through them from going _a contrary_ Direction from that intended for it. These fine Vessels are dispersed over every Part of our Bodies. The Point of a needle could not be applied to a Spot, under the Skin, where the Mouth of a lymphatic Vessel did not open to imbibe whatever is put in contact with it. These minute Branches run into other Branches, so form larger Vessels, till at last they all unite in a general Reservoir, where the Lymph which they contained, mixes with the Chyle, (the fine Part of our Food, which is fit to be converted into Blood) conducted there by the Lacteals, (the Lacteals resemble the Lymphaticks—they open into the Stomach, and Bowels—they imbibe nothing but from _our Food_) the Chyle, and Lymph, thus mix’d, run up within the trunk of a large Vessel called the thoracic Duct, on the inside of the back Bone, which is incessantly emptying it’s Liquor into a Vein under the left Collar Bone, where it mixes with the Blood, is immediately convey’d into the vena Cava, which conducts it, with the returning Blood from the rest of the Body, (Lungs excepted) into the right Auricle of the Heart—it thence is drove by the contraction of the Auricle, into the right Ventricle of the Heart—by it’s contraction, into the Pulmonary Artery—from thence through the whole Lungs, where the Blood receives a Change from being impregnated with something received from the Air every Inspiration. The Blood thus changed, is collected from the Lungs into the Pulmonary Veins, and conducted into the left Auricle of the Heart; which drives it into the left Ventricle; which forces it into a great Artery, the Aorta—which rushes it over every other Part of the Body.

The lymphatic Vessels prevent our Blood depending _solely_ on our Food for supply, and by means of them we can subsist some time merely on the Produce of our own Bodies. All these lymphatic Vessels are closely accompanied by Arteries—whose Pulsations assist the motion of the Lymph to it’s Reservoir:⸺Consequently the quicker and stronger they beat, the faster the Lymph is hurried into the Blood. Hence the Reason why Fevers occasion so speedy a wasting of the Flesh—hence Hectics bring on Consumptions—hence People in Fevers can subsist long with little Food,—The lymphaticks then supplying the Blood too abundantly from our own Juices.

The Author of Nature has ordered an extraordinary Quantity of Blood to be prepared for the Child’s Food. Arteries run into the Glands of the Breasts, and in passing through them, the Blood, by a most wonderful Change, is converted into Milk!⸺by a Change, which nothing but Custom prevents our viewing as a Miracle!

The admired Toast of the Town cannot endure the Trouble of nursing. It would confine her too much at home—it has too vulgar an appearance—it is not warranted by _the Example_ of the first Circle—the Milk must _therefore_ be backen’d.—It is denied Liberty to discharge itself by the Out-lett Providence _intended for it_—the Child, whose Constitution _it was calculated for_, is not suffered to have it’s Due. What becomes of the Milk?

It is absorb’d by the lymphatic Vessels, _contrary_ to the _original_ Intention of Nature—and convey’d back into the Blood, in the manner I have before described.—What is the Consequence?—The blood Vessels become _not only highly over-charged_ with Blood, but that Blood is thus rendered of an improper Consistence. A Fever ensues!—This Fever comes on when the woman is _ill able to bear_ it’s Shock!—_How often_ is this Fever _fatal_!

The most fortunate Circumstance that can happen, is, when the Milk finds _ANOTHER out-lett_. Probably _otherwise_ there may be a formation of Matter somewhere—there is danger _that_ Matter may fly to some capital Part.

If the Woman is young, healthy, strong, it is most probable the Milk will _not_ be absorb’d _quick enough_. The Blood will _furnish_ Milk _faster_ than the lymphatick Vessels can imbibe it, and convey it back again. The Breasts are painfully distended—they inflame.

_When too late_—it is then resolved they shall be suck’d.

During the time of Pregnancy a small quantity of Milk is lodged in the Milk Vessels of the Breasts. This Milk, when the nine Months are expired, is thick—clogs the Vessels. If the Woman never gave suck, the Pores through which the Milk ought to issue to the Child, are not open enough—they require therefore _to be clear’d_, by the _old_ Milk being suck’d off, _the very day of the Delivery_, and to empty the Milk Vessels of what must otherwise clog them. Some woman ought to suck this off therefore _as soon as possible_. If the Child is put to the Breast _in Twelve, or Sixteen Hours_ after it’s Birth, it will suck _greedily_—if delay’d three or four Days, it is twenty to one the Child will not attempt it for a long time.

When therefore _the Necessity_ of the Case has overcome every Resolution form’d for the Woman’s _not_ giving suck, and her Child is put to her Breast, it is in vain!—the Child will not touch the Breast!—_other_ Children—or women attempt to ease the poor Woman of her Load of Milk—this Resource likewise fails! the thick Milk has clog’d the Vessels—the N-pp-es, owing to the hard Distension of the Breasts, has shrunk into them—and, besides, their Pores have never been open’d—never been clear’d—no endeavours avail! the distress’d Woman, after having been sadly fatigued, exhausted, finds herself disappointed of Relief!—dreadful Symptoms soon appear! she _too probably_ falls a sacrifice to a ridiculous—senseless—not to say a sinful deviation _from the Path of Nature_!—how many fine young Women have lately died—and go off every Year, from this Cause!

But “_particular_ Women have not Constitutions strong enough to bear giving suck. Certainly there are some Women whom it might hurt.” Granted. Let such particular Women give suck _only_ for the first _four_, _five_ or _six Weeks_. If those Women _then_ really find themselves too delicate for the _longer_ continuance of such a Drain, they then _may safely_ by degrees leave off giving suck—they have sufficiently recover’d Strength to venture throwing the Milk gently back into the Blood. The most delicately form’d Woman existing should _not_ dream of suffering a single Drop of the Milk which Nature _intended for Evacuation_, to return into the Blood, untill the Constitution is re-established—and enabled to bear discharging itself of the Superfluities, without encountering the Dangers which _demonstrably_ attend a contrary Practice. If a Woman is too delicate to bear _continuing to suckle_ her Infant, surely she is _too delicate_ to endure the flying in the Face of Nature, and _risking_ the Fever—if she is healthy and strong, the more incumbent her duty is, to nourish her Child—her danger too equal. In _every_ View, the salutary Consequences attending Mothers discharging their Duty to their Children in this point, are so obvious, so glaring, that _to me_ it is matter of doubt whether those who fail in it are most to be condemn’d and despised for _their want of natural Affection_—or pitied and ridiculed _for their Folly_.

These are my Ideas on this interesting Subject. Let those Women who _obstinately_ persevere in a Resolution to deny their Infants their natural Food—(and in whose Judgements my Arguments have appear’d deficient in Weight) stand the Trial, and risk the Consequence. I most sincerely hope the Success may answer their Wishes!

I now refer my Readers to the following Letters. I can assert, _with conscious Truth_ that my Sentiments on the _preceding_, and _following_ Subjects, have been the offspring of an Heart warm’d by a Love for my fellow-Creatures—ever most ardently solicitous for their Welfare and Happiness, here and hereafter.

I cannot expect _to reclaim_ any Woman who has _already used_ a _Man_, for Reasons I gave at the beginning of this Introduction, and because, by quitting him, she would _tacitly_ acknowledge the Truth of my Assertions—and because none but those possess’d of the most exalted Qualities of the Head and Heart, can have _greatness_ enough _to confess_ they have been in an Error of _such_ a Nature.

I am not without hopes however, of _opening the Eyes_ of _sensible_ Men—and unmarried Women, who are _at present_ modest, and _wish_ to _remain so_—and preventing the _former from advising_, and the _latter from falling into_ the scandalous Custom of employing _Men_-Midwifes, which _I know_ to be _ERRONEOUS as to it’s PRETENDED SAFETY_—_FATALLY dangerous_ to the VIRTUE—and _CERTAINLY destructive_ of the MODESTY[1] of my fair Countrywomen.—They may believe me when I assure them that NO PURITY can withstand the _rude_ Shock of _such_ Intrusions—_the whitest_ Ermine is _most_ liable to have it’s Beauties sullied!

If I should be happy enough to hear in a few Years that I have given the least Check to this most abandon’d of _vicious_ Practices, the Consciousness of having done a most signal Service to the Community, will implant genuine Pleasure—substantial Satisfaction in the Breast of

the Public’s
most obedient
humble Servant,

THE AUTHOR.

[1] I make a great Distinction _between Modesty_, and _Virtue_. A Woman _may_ be _virtuous_, _without_ being _Modest_—but it is _impossible_ to be _modest_, without being _virtuous_. Modesty is _the guard_ of Virtue—but it _is possible_ a _cold_ Constitution _may_ preserve _Virtue_, even _after_ every Trace of _Modesty_ has been obliterated.

THE Danger and Immodesty, _&c._