Chapter III: THE most deplorable Condition of all is when, after all Pains

and _Labours_ suffered in vain, the MOTHER herself expires, without bringing forth her _Child_; as it too often happens, that after a long continued and miserable _Torment_, the BIRTH is not a Jot advanced, whereby of course the wretched _Woman_ must undoubtedly _yield up the Ghost_ for want of effectual _Help_. I say for want of _Help_, because the _Help_ of such MIDWIVES as are ignorant of the various _Postures_ of the WOMB, and the _Method_ of correcting them; and of such as do not thorowly understand the TOUCH, but place all their Hopes in _Nature_ and _Divine Mercy_; is as nothing, and of no Effect upon this _critical Occasion_: Since the audacious _Ignorance_ of such Creatures serves only to tempt GOD and his _Providence_.

HAVING thus defin’d and laid down the fatal Inconveniences of this _Preternatural Situation_, I come now to shew People concern’d how to correct it and dispatch a happy _BIRTH_: In order to which, the _præliminary Articles_ are the _MIDWIFE’S_ indefatigable _Industry_, and accurate _Attention_ to the Circumstances of Things.

THEN supposing an _INFANT_ to be brought forth _HEAD foremost_; the _Woman_ is to be placed with the upper part of her Body a little elevated, the _MIDWIFE_ then finding (by the TOUCH) the _Orifice_ to be but moderately press’d upon the _Left OS PUBIS_, or _COXENDICIS_; in this _Case_, she is to be laid down full upon the _right Side_ a little obliquely, that the WOMB may fall back by its own Weight, and not relapse against those _Bones_.

NEXT after this I would endeavour to get my _right Hand-Fingers_ above the upper Border of the _Orifice_, and thereby remove it a little, and bring it down nearer the _Cavity_ of the PELVIS. To facilitate which _Work_, I would order some of the _By-Standing Women_ to raise her _right Side_ a little, which of Consequence raises the WOMB itself; and thus I would, by raising and letting it down by Degrees, move it _forwards_ into the _PELVIS_: However, always taking special Care, that the WOMB, together with the _Head_, do not slip down too far into the crooked _Sinus_ of the _OS SACRUM_, so as to stick there, (as has been already precaution’d in the preceding _Chapter_:) to prevent which unlucky _Accident_, I would advise to apply all possible Care and Pains in the Beginning, to sustain and keep up the _Orifice_, and to bare the _HEAD_ sufficiently before its Descent; observing also the same Management in point of the _Humours_, until the _Membrane_ breaks; which being broken, I would treat the _Head_ in Manner as aforesaid.

NOW tho’ the _HEAD_ in this _Posture_ offers itself as if it were _bent aside_, because of the _lateral Distorsion_ of the WOMB, I would first bring it to a right _Position_, and then manage it as if it had presented itself _directly_: And besides, the _HEAD_ being thus directed into the PELVIS, I would always take care that the _Woman’s Body_ be bent a little towards the _left Side_, that the CHILD may the more readily be carried down by its own _Weight_ into the _PELVIS_. But, in short, as to the farther Exclusion of the INFANT, and _After-Birth_, as well as the _Cleansing_ and _Contraction_ of the WOMB; These Things are to be perform’d, as directed by the foregoing _Chapter_.

HOWEVER, we will now state the _Case_, and suppose that the _Woman_ is spent and tired out with continual hard _Labour_, before the capable _MIDWIFE_ is sent for: Upon this _Condition_ the _BIRTH_ is to be hastened by all possible prudent Means. In order to which, I would (without Loss of Time) endeavour to _turn_ the _INFANT_, and extract it by the _Feet_; Because to direct it otherways into the PELVIS, would be too tedious upon this Juncture. For to bring it _Head foremost_, would create vehement _Pains_, which infallibly would expose _both Lives_ to extream Danger. But now, in fine, having thus at large insisted upon the various _Cases_ of _Preternatural Births_, arising from the four extream _oblique Situations_ of the WOMB; It remains yet still, that I also subjoin a few Words, upon such _Preternatural Cases_, as may proceed from the less _oblique Positions of the same Body_; and that briefly in manner following——

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.

IN short, I shall here only add, that if the _INFANT_ offers itself _well turn’d_, in this _less oblique_ WOMB; the _MIDWIFE_, having restored the WOMB to its right Place and natural _Posture_, will find nothing more to do, but to take Care to facilitate and enlarge the _Passage_, and receive the _CHILD_ tenderly with the _Head foremost_. Whereas in _Case_ the _INFANT_ presents itself _ill-turn’d_ in this WOMB, it is to be very circumspectly extracted by the Feet; as by and by will more amply appear from what ensues, _Viz._——

CHAP. XXIII.
_Of Preternatural BIRTHS, proceeding from complicated Causes, of both
the INFANT and the WOMB._

BY this sort of _BIRTHS_, I mean such as are _Preternatural_, both in respect of the _Situation_ of the _CHILD_, and of the WOMB. Which complicated _Preternatural BIRTH_ is (of all _others_) the most dangerous; because of an _Indefinity_ of Accidents and Difficulties with which it is always attended, according to the many various _Postures_ in which both the _INFANT_ and the WOMB are found: All which to enumerate here, and to guard particularly against them, as I have done in the preceeding _Cases_, would not only augment the _Bulk_ and _Charge_ of this _WORK_, but also be in some respect altogether _Needless_: Because if I was to content my self to treat this _Chapter_ in _general_ (without descending to _particular_) _TERMS_, I would not doubt but that the ingenious _Reader_ would even thence readily form a clear _IDEA_ of all such _BIRTHS_, from the many different _Cases_ already stated and discussed; which if thoroughly well understood, the Rest cannot but be easily comprehended.

HOWEVER, that I may not leave the weaker _Capacity_, or the doubtful _MIDWIFE_ to the Uncertainties of her own scrupulous _Judgement_, I shall propose and resolve some of the most difficult and dangerous _Cases_ belonging to this _preternatural Subject_, and _that_ as far as is really requisite, in manner following; _viz._——