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DR. But, Mrs. Eutrapelia, what if the In∣fant come out hastily with one hand, and the other hand down towards the side, and the feet stretched out streight into the womb, according to this figure; How will you re∣ceive it.
Mid. May it please you, Sir, I am not at all to receive it so, nor to suffer it to proceed farther toward the birth; but must bring her to the bed, where her head must lye lower than her buttocks; then I must swathe her belly gently, that the Infant may fall back a∣gain into the womb: but if it fall not back of its own accord, I must put in my hand, and press back the shoulders, and must reduce the the arm that hanged out to the side, that it may be disposed of to a natural from in the Womb, and so may come forth easily.
Dr. Very well Mrs. Eutrapelia, this is your way; but now give me leave I pray you to give you my method in this case; when an Infant therefore presents only one or both hands to the birth, or an arme sometimes out to the Elbow, and many times to the shoulder, it is of the worst and most dangerous postures a child can come in, as well for its self as its mother; by reason of the violence the mid∣wife is forced to use both to the one and the other, in searching for the feet, which are very far off, by which I would always, in these cases, have it turn'd and drawn forth; the which to do will often make the midwife sweat in the midst of winter, because of the difficulty in this labor more then all the rest, though some other of them are indeed more dangerous for the Infant, as when it presents
the belly, and the Navil string comes forth, but it is not so painful for the Midwife, be∣cause the feet of the Infant, being near the passage, are not so hard to be found, as when it comes with a hand forward, for then they are high, and at the very bottom sometimes of the womb; where the midwife must seek them to turn it and draw it forth as I shall now direct.
When therefore it presents with one hand only, or a whole arm first it must by no means be pulled forth by that part, for it will be sooner separated and rent from the body then so brought forth; by reason a child is pluck'd obliquely and a cross-way; where∣fore having placed the woman as is requisite, the midwife must put back the Infants hand or arm, into the womb again: some Mid∣wives dip in cold water, or wash it with a wet cloth, saying that the Infant will presently draw it in, if it be living; but it is usually so prest and ingag'd in the passage, that this bad posture, that it hath not liberty enough to draw back its hands so easily, being once come forth; wherefore the midwife must guide them back with her own, which she must afterwards slide into the womb, under the child's brest and belly so far till she finds the feet, which she must gently pull towards her, to turn it and draw it forth by them as
before I directed; always remembring to act with as little violence as may be, which is much more easy, sure and safe then to busy ones self in putting it to a natural situation.
As soon therefore as she hath turn'd the child to the feet, if she hath hold but of one, she must search for the other, that so she may bring it to the first, when holding them both she must govern herself afterwards in bring∣ing the child into the World, as we directed you before when the child comes with its feet foremost.
But if the Arm be far advanced almost to the shoulder, and so big and sweld as it will be if it be along while forth, that it cannot at all, or with out great difficulty be put back, then she herself, or a Chirurgion being im∣mediately sent for, if the child be certainly dead, must twist the arm twice or thrice a∣bout, till it be wholly seperated from the body, which it will easily be by reason of its tender∣ness, and that just in the joint of the shoulder with the shoulder blade; but be sure the child be dead; elce what an horrible spectacle will it be to bring, as some have done, a poor child yet living into the World after the arm hath been cut off?