A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected.

  • Burton, John, 1710-1771.
Date:
MDCCLIII. [1753]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to William Smellie, M.D., containing critical and practical remarks upon his Treatise on the theory and practice of midwifery / By John Burton, M.D. Wherein the various gross mistakes and dangerous methods of practice mentioned and recommended by that writer, are fully demonstrated. And generally corrected. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    183/274 (page 167)
    [ 1^7 ] * The Tnflrument and Fingers being fixed as above ^ directed, the Operator mufl: extrad the Child, pulling * with both Hands, one having hold of the Inftrumenc ‘ within the Vagin ?,with the Fingers againft the Skull, ‘ and the other having hold of the Handle of the Ex- ‘ traclor. Hence the followingAdvanrages are evident: ‘ For, hrft, this Inftrument being fixed in the Vertex, ‘ guides it dirtdly in the Centre of the Paffagesd Secondly, ‘ By pulling that Part, it makes the Head ‘ more oblong, and confequently of a lefTer Diameter, ‘ which you allow (f) to be an Advantaged Thirdly, ‘ If there be Occafion to p.-ll on« Side of , ^ the Plead more than the other, fo as to get it from ‘ under, either the proji-ding Part of the Savtum, or ‘ Os Pubis, it is eafily performed by drawing ,the ‘ Handle, in the firll Cafe, towards the Os Pubis; ‘ in the laft, towards the Perineum.’ Fourthly, ‘ The Structure of the Bra’n being broken, ‘ the Cerebrum is eafiiy fqueezed our through t' e Open* ‘ ing made with t'le Piercer, as the Boi;es are com- ‘ prefTed, and are at the fume time prevented from ‘ collapfing by the Exrradlor ; for the more they Up ‘ over, the more they hinder the Exit of the Brain ’ Fifthly, ‘ The Wings of the Inhrumcnt being fixed ‘ againft the ftrongeft Part of each Os B.egmatis,* ‘ the greateft Force may be exerted with lefs Danger, creteris panbus, than by any other Inftrumentbe« ‘ caufe nothing can yield, but the Operator may feel it ‘ with his Fingers *, and the Force is applied to a greater ‘ Surface for the. Wings do not pull with their Ends, ‘ bat' with their flat Sides, againft the Bones, whence ‘ the Extrador will not fo eafily flip as the Crochet, ‘ as ufed by you in the Cafe above-mentioned.’ Sixthly, ‘ The Danger of wounding the Patient, as ‘ with the Sciflars, Crochet, or other naked Inftra- ‘ ment, is avoided.’ {/) P. 261. M 4. Seventhly,