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
Catalogue details

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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    crochet. Aiid it was thought that this cliild was killed by the midwife's \aolent struglings. For the second child I sHd up my anointed hands, forthwith I brake the membranes; I quickly delivered her, drawing the cbld forth by the feet. When hee was born, hee had two teeth in liis lower jaw, wliite and long; his body was of a very swarthy, muddy colour. But after a small time hee became reddish, and well favoured, and cried very loudly. The mother and the child bee both hviag. In her weaknes I went foure times to see her, and shee com- plained very sadly to mee, how one of the midwives (that was a young woman) had afflicted her tlu-ough much pulling, and stretching her body. I saw tliis woman, with her cliild. They were both well, and in health. Mar; the 19, 1667—8. The two teeth, with which hee was bom, were tui-ned very black, all the rest were wliite, and the mother since hath told me that hee hath cast these two teeth. And I find by experience, That as soon as the first child is born, if that the membranes bee not broken, that it wiU bee the best way fortliAvith to break them, and speedily to deliver the woman of the other child by the feet, whilest that the passage is open, and much chlated; the longer it is deferred, the more will the woman sutter through tlie closing, and swelling, that usually foUoweth those places. March the first, ] 667, I was called to Ocbrook, to Ehzabeth the wife of Thomas Holland. I found two midwives witli her, shee had