Observations in midwifery : as also The country midwifes opusculum or vade mecum / by Percival Willughby (1596-1685); edited from the original MS. by Henry Blenkinsop, 1863.
- Percivall Willughby
- Date:
- 1863
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Observations in midwifery : as also The country midwifes opusculum or vade mecum / by Percival Willughby (1596-1685); edited from the original MS. by Henry Blenkinsop, 1863. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![her not endeavour to reduce the arme, but rather, by degrees, leasurely to slide up her anointed hand over the child's arme, and gently to force it upward. Tliis way wiU bring her hand to the infant's feet, or to the twist of the legs, so shee may easily obtain a foot, the which shee may bring down, holding it between her forefinger, and middle finger, in her hand griped, with her thumb laid over her fingers. After that shee hath brought it forth, let her hold it in a soft linen cloth, or put a fillet, with a slip knot, over the heele, whdest that shee fetcheth the otlier foot (if easy to bee found) or, if the woman's body bee not very narrow, let her draw gently by the foot, untiU the cbild is drawn nigh to the but- tocks. Then shee may see where the other foot resteth, which, without any striving, with her bended finger, placed in the hip of the child, by easy drawing, shee may bring it forth. Let the midwife joine the feet together, and, holding them in a soft, hnen cloth, let her draw leasurely, and the cMd's body wiU turne round, and the arme will go up with the shoulder, reducing itseh], beyond behef, or the expectation of many midwives. Afterward, when it is diwn to the loines, or to the breast, ob- serve whether the cliild's face bee turned toward the back of the woman. If it bee not, turn it, holding the body, between your hands, in a soft, Hnen cloth, that the face of the child may bee toward the back of the woman. The cMd will turn easily, without any danger to it, not at all troubling, or hurting the woman. Then let the midwife draw again gently, and leasurely, untiU it come nigh unto the neck, then let her shde up her anointed hand, be- tween OS coccygis (which is the rump bone, so called by midwives) and](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24751212_0114.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
