De practyk der vroed'meesters en vroed'vrouwen, Of de wyse van een vrouw' te helpen in haar kindbaren. Be...

and will be subject to many judgments: For some will perhaps claim that various things are recounted that are impossible, and consequently false and untruthful. To these, we point to the report of the Author, where he says that he has written nothing but what he has truly done, and that he was still in a position to be able to do it, should the opportunity arise: and which those who follow this method can also confirm.

Others will easily say, "Are these new and unusual things that are dealt with in this treatise? These are things that are done daily, and even by Midwives." To this, the answer serves: that such only confirms this method all the more. And such persons, given the various occurrences, will still be able to draw some benefit from it and be strengthened in their experience. But others, whom experience has not yet brought so far, will be able to learn the manner of procedure from this; and at the same time judge whether the Midwives are indeed capable in various cases of bringing the delivery to a good end, and whether or not the hand of a

capable and prudent man is sometimes required.

To a third sort who might ask, When and in what circumstances must a midwife send for help and request assistance?, the renowned and in this art very experienced Huyg Chamberlen, Medical Doctor and widely celebrated Man-Midwife in London, has already answered before this, in his preface to the book of Diseases of Pregnant Women, etc., described in French by Mr. F. Mauriceau, which he considered worth the effort to translate into the English language for the benefit of the English nation; where he speaks as follows:

The most important thing that they (namely the midwives) can learn from this (understand the treatise of Mauriceau) is to understand very distinctly what is actually their work, what the limits of it are, and when it is necessary and time to send for help; by which many women and children could be saved, who now perish for lack of timely aid.

Our Author (Mauriceau) sets the right time for natural birth when the water breaks; and that the time that follows for the child may be considered to have been too slow for nature to complete her work: This is certainly (says Chamberlen) a great truth;