When the child has been thus brought forth, if it be healthy lay it
aside, and let the midwife attend to the patient by drawing out the
afterbirth; and this she may do by wagging and stirring it up and down,
and afterwards drawing it out gently. And if the work be difficult, let
the woman hold salt in her hands, close them tightly and breathe hard
into them, and by that she will know whether the membranes are broken or
not. It may also be known by making her strain or vomit; by putting her
fingers down her throat, or by straining or moving her lower parts, but
let all be done immediately. If this should fail, let her take a draught
of elder water, or the yolk of a new laid egg, and smell a piece of
asafoetida, especially if she is troubled with a windy colic. If she
happen to take cold, it is a great obstruction to the afterbirth; in
such cases the midwife ought to chafe the woman's stomach gently, so as
to break, not only the wind, but also to force the secundine to come
down. But if these should prove ineffectual, the midwife must insert her
hand into the orifice of the womb and draw it out gently.
Having thus discussed common births, or such as are generally easy, I
shall now give directions in cases of extremity.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XVI
_What ought to be done in cases of extremity, especially in women
who, in labour, are attacked by a flux of blood, convulsions and
fits of wind.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146