Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

QVEST. XXXII. Whether in a desperate byrth the Caesarian Section be to be attempted.

ARistotle in his seauenth Booke de Natura Animalium, sayeth that among all * 1.1 creatures a womans trauell is most laborious and difficult, as wel because she leadeth a soft and sedentary life, as for that a mans Brain is the largest and so his head great, especially as long as he is in his mothers womb; now the head * 1.2 vseth to come forward in the birth. This birth as sayeth Galen in the eight Chapter of his fifteenth Booke de vsu partium, exceedeth all admiration; for the mouth or orifice of the wombe, which all the time of the gestation is so closed that a needles poynt cannot passe into it; in the birth is so enlarged that the Infant yssueth out thererat.

But there are many obstacles which intercept the passage of the Infant by the orifice and * 1.3 necke of the wombe; as the thicknesse and magnitude of the Infant, or naturall straytnesse of the inward orifice and of the neck; a distortion, inslamation, some tumor against nature, a fleshy Caruncle, a scarre, or the faulty confirmation of the share-bones. For oftentimes in the inner part of the share-bone there is a sharp processe which intercludeth the passage of the Infant vnto the birth blace, and then there is no hope that the woman can be deliue∣red: Wherefore either the Infant must perish or the mother, or both together. In this so * 1.4 hard and desperate an extremity, the question is what may be attempted? wee answere. If the mother be dead and the childe yet liuing, then presently without any delay the wombe of the mother must be ript open. And those children that are thus taken foorth are called Caesares, or Caesones from the cutting of the mothers wombe, from whence the Caesars had their names. After this manner as Pliny reporteth in the ninth Chapter of the seauenth Booke of his Naturall History, was Scipio Affricanus the elder, Iulius Caesar and Manilius borne.

But if the mother be yet aliue and the Infant by no other meanes can safely bee brought

foorth the same section or opening of the wombe may bee administred; for common ex∣perience and the authority of antient Physitians doe assure vs that the wounds of the mus∣cles * 1.5 of the lower belly and of the Peritonaeum or rim are not mortall.

Hippocrates in the third Section of his sixt booke Epidemiωn, commaundeth vs to cutte our Dropsie patients instantly: now this Section for the Dropsie is a wounding of the E∣pigastrium or lower belly and the Peritonaeum: as for the wombe it selfe Paulus Aegineta tea∣cheth vs that the wounds thereof are not mortall. It appeareth vnto vs saith he that though the whole Matrix bee taken away, the woman will ordinarily suruiue.

Concerning this Caesarian section, Franciscus Rossetus the French Kings Physitian hath * 1.6 set foorth an elegant Booke so beautified with Histories and abounding with good argu∣ments, that wee should abuse our time and your patience to transcribe them in this place: wherefore wee remitte those who desire further satisfaction heerein to that learned Au∣thour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why the birth of man is most difficult.
• * 1.2

  A miracle of Nature in the birth.
• * 1.3

  What things hinder the outgate of the infant.
• * 1.4

  The wombe must be pre∣sently opned if the mother be dead.
• * 1.5

  Though the mother liue, yet this secti∣on may be attempted. Hippocrates. Paulus.
• * 1.6

  Franciscus. Rosset.