Copy 1

A general treatise of midwifery ... illustrated with upwards of four hundred curious observations and reflexions concerning that art / Written originally in French by La Motte ... And translated into English by Thomas Tomkyns, surgeon.

  • Mauquest de La Motte, Guillaume, 1655-1737.
Date:
1746
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A general treatise of midwifery ... illustrated with upwards of four hundred curious observations and reflexions concerning that art / Written originally in French by La Motte ... And translated into English by Thomas Tomkyns, surgeon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/570 (page 7)
    on whom it has been performed, and who have recovered from it, fufficiently warranting the poffibility of it. Thofe that ufe the hands unfkilfully, and entirely ignorant of what they are about, are no lefs to blame than thofe who ufe the crotchet. I have met with fuch fcenes,' the very remembrance of which fills me with hor¬ ror 5 feveral women periling with floodings, brought on by the rough ufage they have un¬ dergone ; others fo lacerated and tore, that the very inteftines have made their way out thro’ the 'vagina; fometimes the placenta has been left whole, or in part, with the uterus inverted; children maimed and half extracted; in fome the head, in fome the arms or legs tore off; in others the whole body, and the head left behind. I can neverthelefs affirm, that I was never induced out of a wrong policy, to for- fake one fingle woman in thefe deplorable conditions; but by my application and labour, have faved feveral of them, who muff other- wife have perifhed miferably. What principles I have laid down in my general rules, I have carefully kept to in my obfervations 5 another method would confound the young furgeon, putting him at a ftand, which road to take. I have always conformed myfelf to nature, which fometimes by a fudden happy change, brings to good iffue a labour that was but juft before defperate ; the contrary too often hap¬ pens, and a labour that gave the beft profpedt a 4 in.