The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. XVII. How a Midwife ought to govern her self, in case a Wo∣man be to be Delivered of two Children.

TAE Travel of a Woman bringing forth two Infants is more tedious, and it many times hap∣pens that one of the Children comes forth very well,

and the other comes forth very hardly; and this is cer∣tain, that that which comes forth first, is always the strongest having the power to go before the other, and to break the membranes that enveloped it. And oft∣times while the first is born, the other remains behind, wrapt in such membranes as the former was, so that it remains a good space behind the other, sometimes two hours, and yet it hath been very well born. Now knowing, that that which came first was the strongest, it would not be amiss to assist the other in coming forth, by breaking the Membranes that contain the waters; and, if that fail, by giving strong Clysters to excite the pain; which were it not many times done, the Child would never be able to endure the pain of coming into the World, by reason of its extraordinary weakness; which is so great sometimes, that the bone of the Forehead is divided, and separated down to the nose; although the Infant being born, it joyns toge∣ther again, and the Infant does very well: Which if it happen, you must have a great care to bind some kind of soft pillow upon the place, that the air may not en∣ter in. If the second Child come forth ill, you must not delay to break the Membranes, and to draw the Infant gently out by the feet: For (having used all its endeavours to come forth) to keep it there, or to pro∣long the Travel any longer, is more dangerous than profitable; sometimes two come so suddenly the one af∣ter the other, that there seems to be but one Delivery of both, there being but a little Membrane that sepa∣rates them; In this case, holding the first, you must cut the Navel-string, and bind it about, and tye it a∣bout the Hip, while they draw forth the other Infant, which by a longer stay would be much weakned.