Copy 1, Volume 1
A treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / [William Smellie].
- William Smellie
- Date:
- 1779
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / [William Smellie]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
64/560 page 42
![dead, and extra&ed with crochets and hooks of various kinds; and if it could not be de¬ livered in that manner, on account of its ex¬ traordinary fize, or the narrownefs of the Pelvis, they difmembered and feparated the body with crooked and ftraight knives, and then extracted it piecemeal. Parceus was the firft that deviated from this pra&ice, and exprefsly orders the child to be turned and brought away by the feet, in all preternatural cafes. He fays, the moft na¬ tural cafe is that in which the child prefeats with the head, and is delivered immediately on the difcharge of the waters : it is more difficult when the Foetus comes by the feet, and ftill more fo, in the prefentation of the arm and legs together, the back, belly, arm alone, or any other unnatural pofition. He diredts us to bring away the Secundines im¬ mediately after the child is delivered: He re¬ tains the old notions relating to the difeafes and medicines; for the ancient theory was not altered till after the great Harvey found out the circulation of the blood. Cotemporary with him, was the above , mentioned 'Jacobus Rueff] who pradtifed at Franckfort, and in his writings recommends the method of the antients: A circumftance from which we learn, that the improvements had not then reached Germany* Indeed they were](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3052684x_0001_0064.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
