The Province of Midwives in the Practice of their Art / Instructing them in the timely knowledge of such difficulties as require the assistance of Men, for the preservation of Mother and Child; very necessary for the perusal of all the sex interested in the subject, and interspersed with some New and Useful Observations.

HIS ought to be put in Practice, as soon as, from the Symptoms given in the Third Chapter, it is reasonable to expect the Birth approaching; and a Child-bearing Person would be very much her own Enemy to refuse the only Means of giving a true Information of her Case, and the Knowledge how to do her the most effectual Service.

The Midwife, having her Nails well pared, and very smooth, and her Fingers anointed with Oil or Lard, must introduce the two fore Fingers of either Hand into the Passage or Neck of the Womb, as far as its inward Orifice, directing them with a gentle and easy Motion, somewhat upwards, as it were with a Tendency through the Passage towards the Navel; in this Search she will find the internal Orifice, joining the Passage or Neck of the Womb more or less open, relaxed, and thinner than usual; and cautiously protruding her Fingers farther, she may possibly touch the Crown of the Child’s Head; she will easily, by the Sutures, or Opening between the Bones of the Skull, distinguish the Crown: Keeping her Fingers in this Situation, during the Beginning, and Continuance of strong Pains, she will observe the Waters contain’d in the Membranes including the Child, and After-birth forming within the inward Orifice, as if something like a Bladder blown, or distended with Water, presented to the Touch, dilating the Orifice with each Throw; these Appearances presage a speedy and easy Birth.