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]
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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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    Yon then proceed (r), ‘ But if it cannot be moved, * even by this Expedient, The Operator muft,* in the ninth Place, ‘ introduce the other Crochet along the ‘ other Side of the Head, and fixing it upon the Skull, * lock them together ; and, tenthly^ withdraw the * Hand that was introduced, and, laftly, extract it as * when delivering with a Forceps/ If one Side of the Crochet, affifted by one Hand, can extrafl the Head, even in a narrow Pelvis^ you muft fuppofe, in this laft Cafe, either that the Head muft be very large^ much qffified^ or the Pelvis muft he very narrow indeed; in all which Calfes, the Injuries to be done to the Woman by the Forceps or Crochets will be increafed ; of which you feem to be convinced, when you fay fj), ‘ If none of thefe Methods will fuc- ‘ ceed, on account of the Largenefts of the Head^ or the ‘ Narrownefs of the Pelvis, then the Flead muft be * opened/ Here again your Inftrucftions are very deficient; for you ftiould have given your Pupils Directions how to know when the Head is too large and the Pelvis too narrow *, which, in this Cafe, might be eafily found out, becaufe when the Hand is introduced into the Womb, the Operator, by following the Directions I have already given above f/), may eafily know whe¬ ther the Pelvis be too narrow or the Head he too large or too much offtfied, in all which Cafes the Head muft be opened ; whereby all the above-mentioned painful and dangerous Operations may be avoided. But even fuppofing the Knowledge of the Proportions of the Head and Pelvis could not be obtained, as the open¬ ing the Child’s Head and extradling it v/hen diminifhed, is fo much fafer, more expeditious, and lefs painful to the Mother, when properly done ; efpecially as it is, in the moft difficult Cafes, your dernier Refort, why did you not direct your Readers to follow the laft JVIethod ? (r) p. 368. (s) P. 369. [t] Sea. 18. When