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.

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    be protruded towards the Apex; where, you tell us there is leafl: Refiftance, becaufe the Occiput and Fore¬ part of the Bottom of the Skull will not fo eafily give way ; whereby the Vertex will be lengthen’d: But in the latter Cafe^ after moll of the Brain is difeharged out of the Skull, the comprelTing Force as above, will make the Bones of the Cranium coliapfe^ without al^ ^ivays protruding'the Vertex in a narrow Pointy as there is no Reliftance from the Contents within. In your next Paragraph {w) ycu have not fliewn that Candour and Moderation which the Review Writer, III. commends you for; nor yet are you fo free from vain Exaggerations as he informs us. For you fay, ‘ Altho’ many People exclaim’d againfl: the ^ Crochets as dangerous Indruments, *from Ignorance^ ‘ want of Experienee^ or a worfe Principle ; yet I can * ajfure the Reader, that I never either tore or hurt ‘ the Parts of a Woman with that Inflrument. I have, ‘ indeed, feveral Times hurt my Hand by their giving ‘ way ; till I had Recourfe to the curve Kind, which ‘ in many Refpedls have the Advantage of the flreight; ‘ and I am perfuaded, if managed as above diredled, ‘ will never injure the Patient.’ Notwithllanding your Refledlion upon fome of the Faculty, without any other Caufe than that they differ from your Opinion, yet, you fee, I have ventured to attempt (and I hope with Succefs) to prove that the Ufe of the Crochet is attended with great Danger ; and have demonflrared, that there is a much fafer^ eafier^ and more expeditious Method., both for the Pa¬ tient and Operator, than with that dangerous and al- moll ufelefs Inflrument. You feem in part to be con¬ vinced and to acknowledge, that there are Dangers at¬ tending the Ufe of the Crotchets ; becaufe you own, (.y) ‘ that you feveral Ernes have hurt the Infide of ‘ your Hand by their giving wayWherefore they ought to be avoided. You likewife fay, ‘ Indeed [u] P. 89. (fic) P. 305. (.vj P. 306. ' N ‘ young