of comparison by our own experience, of the inward effect of any sudden occurrence happening or unexpected important communication made, to ourselves, some

cases.

idea may be conceived of the effect of a man's presence, together with his assiduities, upon a woman of sensitive delicacy; nor can it cause any surprise that a moving cause of danger is ascribed to even the mere presence of a man in some Who then would wilfully incur danger in the saving consolation that the man whose presence caused it was at hand to avert it by his skill? As reasonably might we swallow liquid poison! in order that we might experience the efficacious agency of the stomach-pump; that useful invention of Mr. Jukes. Far more rational and prudent are those who avoid alike the "bane and antidote." Final conclusions however may be withheld until further considerations shall have been weighed, as presented in the following chapters.

CHAPTER III.

"How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost,

"Naturam expellas furcâ, tamen usque recurret."

THERE is something peculiarly incongruous and paradoxical in the tripartite term of "Man-mid-Wife!" but without attempting to define the compound double-gendered appellation of the practitioner, this treatise proceeds in explaining the dangers which in various shapes attend his practice, beyond the danger of his mere presence alluded to in the previous chapter.

The professional work to which reference has already been and frequently will be made, gives direction to practi

tioners in the following words :-" Also in lingering cases, when the woman is weak, the head large, or the pelvis narrow, you may assist the delivery by gently stretching both the os externum and internum with your fingers, in time of the pain, which will increase the same,. as well as dilate; but this is only to be done when absolutely necessary and with caution, for fear of inflaming and lacerating the parts." Now this direction supposes the presence of all, or some, or one of four symptomatic impediments to a free and usual labour:-1st, a lingering case; 2ndly, the woman weak; 3rdly, the head large; or 4thly, the pelvis narrow, and digitation in time of the pains is directed, but with caution for fear of inflaming and lacerating the parts, and that therefore digitation should not be resorted to only when absolutely neces

sary.

There cannot be a doubt that digitation, as directed, will dilate the passage for

the time, but it admits of as little doubt that it also inflames the parts in a greater or less degree, and, insomuch, absolutely indisposes those parts for the necessary eventual distension; and thus, in the result, counteracts the very purpose, the only purpose, for which digitation is supposed to be useful. The abuse of this practice, whether such abuse has proceeded from want of knowledge or from vice, has caused many women to lose their lives. What folly is it then to run such a risk, when, by supporting with broth, rest, and laudanum, and exercising patience, the lingering labour would be found to be kindly intended to dilate, by gentle and natural degrees, parts that could not be more suddenly and violently distended without hazard. Nature, in truth (and it would be to libel nature to suppose otherwise), never intended that women should be thus teased and fiddled with, inducing counteracting feelings, as noticed in the last chapter, while she is

disposing in her own way every thing by due degrees towards the accomplishment of the wonderful act which she knows best how to perform. Every pain, every throe, has its office, and interference but retards its effect; or at any rate men are every way improper on such occasions, as will be abundantly shewn in the course of this dissertation when it comes to be explained what the act of digitation is; but a woman without any impropriety may fulfil such direction, if it became necessary that she should do so; also the dangers of inflammation and of laceration would not be so great, for a woman knows by experience the tenderness and sensibility of the parts; she has too a sympathy, a kindred, a feminine fellowfeeling for her sex, of which a man by his very sex is incapable. A woman is therefore as naturally qualified for the office as a man is naturally unfit for the performances which are required; inasmuch too as the hands of women are in