Midwifery and the Diseases of Women
9781465685544
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
The Art of Midwifery in Ancient and Modern Times—To what extent may the Perils of Childbirth be Lessened? Midwifery is the art of aiding women in childbirth. In some mode—rude, simple, or complex—it has been practiced in all ages of the world. According to the records of medicine, however, the great mass of the human family has been born and brought up without the aid of the so-called obstetrical science of modern times. The ruder nations anciently, as well as the savage nations in later times, appear to have exhibited, practically at least, a much greater confidence in the prophylactic and healing powers of nature than we see among the more civilized and enlightened portions of our race. But let us, for a little, glance at midwifery as it has existed at different periods of the world. We read in the Book of Genesis, chapter thirty-fifth, that as Jacob and Rachel were journeying from Bethel, Rachel travailed, and had a hard labor. “And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, Fear not, thou shalt bear this son also. “And it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. “And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.” In the twenty-fifth chapter of Genesis, Moses informs us that Rebekah, who had been barren, conceived, being the wife of Isaac. “And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. “And the first was born red, all over like a hairy garment: and they called his name Esau. “And after that his brother was born, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel: and his name was called Jacob.” The birth in this case appears to have been a natural one, in which the children followed each other in quick succession. We read also in the thirty-eighth chapter of Genesis, the case of Tamar, who bore twins, being attended by a midwife. “And it came to pass, in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. “And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. “And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. “And afterward came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.” Some have supposed that this was a case of spontaneous evolution of the fetus, a thing which has been known to occur in modern practice, proving that nature sometimes works in a very wonderful manner in these circumstances. It is certainly a very singular fact for the hand of one child to recede after coming into the world, and the other child to be born first. The Hebrew women, when in captivity, had, as we read, two midwifes, Shiphrah and Puah. These were commanded by Pharaoh, that when they did the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, if a son should be born, they should kill him. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but saved the male children alive. The period of suckling appears to have been prolonged, in Bible times, to a much greater length than it is in modern times. In the Apocrypha, the woman says to the son, “I, who gave thee suck three years.” Profane writers, prior to the time of Hippocrates, give little account of the art of midwifery; and from the time in which the Father of Medicine lived, down to a comparatively recent date, little was said or known concerning it as an art. Dr. Francis informs us, that toward the latter part of the sixteenth century, a Dr. Raynald published in England a work, the first of the kind that had appeared in that country, which he called the “Garden of Lying-in Women and Midwives.”
