Dr. Conquest's outlines of midwifery : intended as a text-book for students, and a book of reference for junior practitioners.

  • Conquest, Dr.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Conquest's outlines of midwifery : intended as a text-book for students, and a book of reference for junior practitioners. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    take place, but attention to these objects will gene- rally prevent it. Some intelligent men tbink that pressure on the perineum does harm, but that much benefit results from pressing back the head so as to secure its slow exit. The hand may perform the office of an in- clined plane, as the full relaxation and retraction of the perineum are the objects to be aimed at. [The perineum is most conveniently supported with the palm of the right hand, which should be covered with a napkin. The reflection of the skin between the thumb and forefinger should rest against the edge of the perineum. By this means, the left hand placed over the abdomen, will be at liberty to steady the uterus during the passage of the child. The support to the perineum should not be with- drawn until after the shoulders are born.—J. M. W.] In natural labour no other interference is justi- fiable, and too strong terms cannot be employed to reprobate the practice of hastening the birth of the body by dragging it forcibly by the head into the world. It should be left to be expelled by the un- aided contractions of the uterus. As soon as the child manifests unequivocal signs of life, a ligature, consisting either of a piece of tape or of a few threads, must be passed round the funis, about two inches distant from the umbilicus, and a second ligature at the distance of three inches from the first. The funis is then to be divided by a round- pointed pair of scissors at a point equidistant from each ligature, taking care that nothing but the funis be included in the incision. All this should be done