The art of midwifery reduced to principles: in which, are explained the most safe and established methods of practice, in each kind of delivery; with a summary history of the art: translated from the French original: to which is added an appendix by the translator; containing illustrative remarks on conception and pregnancy: and on those particulars, taught by Dr. Astruc, which vary from the methods adopted by the best accoucheurs here / [Jean Astruc].

Jean Astruc

Date:: 1767

Credit: The art of midwifery reduced to principles: in which, are explained the most safe and established methods of practice, in each kind of delivery; with a summary history of the art: translated from the French original: to which is added an appendix by the translator; containing illustrative remarks on conception and pregnancy: and on those particulars, taught by Dr. Astruc, which vary from the methods adopted by the best accoucheurs here / [Jean Astruc]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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i H I The fame want of opportunity of duly learning their art, which induced the faculty of medicine at Paris to eftablifh a courfe of ledtures for theimprovement of the mid wives of France, holds good, in an equal degree, as to thofe of Great Britain : many of whom have not more knowledge, nor better means of procuring it. For though there are fome books on this fubjedt in our language, from which, by a proper application, they might gain very material inftrudtion ; yet none of them fully come up to the notion of a work, calculated for the eafy and complete inform¬ ation of midwives, in the principles and practice of their art. Of the books of this kind already publiffied in English, the greateft part were not intended particularly for the ufe of women; but rather of men defigned to undertake the office, as accou- cbeurs, in difficult and hazardous cafes; and who are fuppofed to have previous learning and knowledge in anatomy and phyfiology. Thefe books were, therefore, written ia technical language 3 and explained the fub- ]edt by reafonings, deduced from the doc¬ trines of thefe branches of fcience; with¬ out a previous knowledge of which the contents were incomprehenfible, This ren¬ dered them abftrufe and unintelligible to women, wanting thefe preliminary qualifi¬ cations for reading them; while a minute detail of the inftruments and operations re-

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