It is acknowledged that the books on the art of delivery are already increased to a considerable number, and that some of them are well-written, wherein it appears that it has been much improved of late years; yet, as the following sheets are written on a plan of more extensive use than any of them, we presume that this may serve as a sufficient apology for the present small publication [...].
The conception in the womb in the first month, resembling as it were a young frog, there appearing at that time a large head with a small trunk, etc, before all the parts of the human body are distinctly formed, is called an embryo.
When a woman has gone three or four months with child, it being then about the bigness of a large goose egg and its parts all formed, it is called a foetus; about which time nearly a quarter of the neck of the womb is stretched equal to its bottom, and the child, though complete as to parts, yet is not as to degree, ‘till about four or five months more growth.
The womb from conception, has a softish substance, of a red flesh-like colour fixed to its inside, called the womb-cake, daily growing greater and greater, ‘till about the ninth month, when it arrives at its greatest size; being then about six fingers breadth wide, and about one finger’s breadth thick in the middle, but thicker and thinner towards its edge.
This book is one of the earliest dated volumes in the rare book collection at the George Marshall Medical Museum. Dated 1765, it contains chapters on the female anatomy and of natural and unnatural births.
Traditionally, midwives delivered all babies. Like barber-surgeons, they had no formal education, but instead gained experience by working with experienced practitioners. They worked alone, travelling to each expectant mother's home, and stopping in the house after the birth. Midwives had a legal responsibility to witness births. As women, they were only allowed to deliver so-called natural births, and if there was any kind of unusual activity they would have to call for a doctor or surgeon to assist.
After thousands of years of women-only births, during the 1700s male midwives began to appear, selling themselves as a safer option for ladies in childbirth. These men were medical graduates with anatomical training who used forceps for difficult births. Upper- and middle-class women switched to male midwives until the 1800s, where successful efforts were made to improve training for females (improvement in public health policies also helped).
This book, dated 1765 contains chapters on the female anatomy and of natural and unnatural births and hoped to provide "Full and plain directions for the management and delivery of child-bearing women in the different cases, and the cure of the several diseases incident to them and newborn children, in the safest manner, and according to the best improvements."