Title: The danger and immodesty of the present too general custom of unnecessarily employing men-midwives.
Author: Anonymous
Language: English
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THE PRESENT TOO GENERAL CUSTOM OF UNNECESSARILY EMPLOYING
MEN-MIDWIVES. ***



                                   THE
                           DANGER AND IMMODESTY
                                    OF
                   _The Present too general Custom of_
                         UNNECESSARILY EMPLOYING
                              MEN-MIDWIVES.

                                  BEING
                 The Letters which lately appeared under
                             the Signature of
                              A MAN-MIDWIFE.

                                 WITH AN
                              INTRODUCTION,
                         A TREATISE ON THE MILK,
                                  AND AN
                                APPENDIX.

                             WITH CORRECTIONS
                              By the AUTHOR.

                                 LONDON:
        Printed for J. WILKIE, No. 71, in St. Paul’s Church-Yard;
               and F. BLYTH, John’s Coffee-House, Cornhill.
                                MDCCLXXII.



AN

INTRODUCTION

AND

ADVICE TO THE LADIES,

POINTING OUT

_The DANGERS attending BACKENING their MILK the first four or five Weeks
after Delivery._


To the PUBLIC.

I have very long been convinced of the many dangerous Consequences which
attend the depraved Custom of employing Men-midwives unnecessarily—and
have been for some Years intending from Month to Month to write my Ideas
on that Subject, in order to combat the very destructive Practice, and
endeavour to awaken the slumbering good Sense of the Nation. But when I
reflected on the great Difficulty of conquering Prejudice—considered how
generally the Opinion had been adopted that “Men were the most proper
Attendants on the Labours of Women,” I confess the Task appeared too
arduous—and I was discouraged.

I knew, that _no_ Arguments, _even if an Angel was to descend from
Heaven to utter them_, could persuade the Ladies _to be satisfied_ with
Midwives of _their own_ Sex, _after the fine Polish_ had been _once_
RUB’D OFF which _modesty ought_ to have _work’d up_ to such a _bright_
Pitch of _high finish’d_ Excellence, as _not_ to have been capable of
admitting the impure stain within the glossy smoothness of its beautiful
enamel!—I knew, that, assisted by the greatest Part of the Faculty (whose
_INTEREST, as well as PLEASURE_ would be at STAKE) they would leave _no
means_ untried—they would call in _every fallacious_ art to their aid,
_to continue THE DECEPTION_, by _ridiculing_ Arguments which they _could
not confute_—and that _un_married Ladies, through _an Opinion_ of the
_Virtue of their Friends_, and swayed, and _kept in Countenance_, by
_the prevalent_ Custom of the Times, would naturally _fall into the
Stream_, and _not_ be undeceived until _too far hurried by the Current_
to be _afterwards_ able to recede.—On the other Hand, I likewise knew
that our young Men _of Fashion_ had _long ago_ resolved _to bid Adieu TO
THINKING_. Leaving _that troublesome_ Employment _to others_, they were
intent on pursuing the far nobler Gratifications _of Sense_—endeavouring
to bury in a round of _trifling_ Dissipations, _every_ Sentiment meriting
the Attention of _reasonable_ Beings that an Attempt to work on _such_
Minds would be Absurdity in the extreme,—for, that, even _if they were
convinced_ of the two uncontrovertable Truths I wish to establish,
by being satisfied that Men were _not_ so safe as Women, and that
Men-midwives polluted the Minds of their Wives, and rendered them easy
Preys to Seduction, yet these Sentiments would have had _no_ Weight
_with them_, because they married without Love, Religion, Principle—_the
only_ Ingredients capable of forming _national_ Happiness. _Impure_ in
their _Souls, debauch’d_ in their _Persons_, Libertinism opened _the
only Avenue_ which could present them with a Prospect of Enjoyments
_adapted to their_ Sensations—_their_ Joys were independent of their
Wive’s Society—their Healths consequently were only _politely_ wish’d
for—and they would of course readily _risk_ their Wive’s Purity being
contaminated, rather than _be disappointed_ in the Pleasure of seducing
the Wives _of their acquaintance_, through the _preparatory_ Assistance
of the _Men_-midwives. The Happiness of our gay young Men _not_ being
centered within the narrow Circle of Home, _the Virtue_ of their Wives
is not in the least essential, has no Weight, _when ballanced_ with
_the Advantages_ they derive from the too _general_ Prostitution of the
Sex. They _extract Balm_ from _the Vices_ of _Other_ Women, which has
sovereign Efficacy _in healing_ any Wounds—_alleviating_ any smarts,
which they may receive, or feel, from the infidelity of _their own_
Wives—whom they never treated as their _rational Companions_, whose
Affections they were desirous of fixing irremoveably,—but as _necessary_
Beings to do the Honours of their Tables—furnish Heirs—and save their
Estates from being encumbered with the Payment of the Fortunes of their
younger Brothers and Sisters. The only View on _one_ side, is _Money_—on
the _other_, _Quality_—_each_ having attain’d the _only_ Object _they
aim’d at in Marriage_,—each, without any fundamental Principle of
Goodness, to restrain their Pursuits within the Bounds of Virtue, they
throw off the Mask of Decency—and riot in Vice!—Our young Men think
the Scriptures fit only to impose on Weakness. The Injunctions of the
Gospel interfere with their Enjoyments—and having never believed it’s
sacred Truths—or endeavoured to follow it’s amiable Precepts, they
never experienced the serene Tranquillity arising from the delightful
Possession of an approving Conscience. At the best, _forgetful_ even of
the Existence of a God—and laughing at the idle supposition of a future
state, they give the Reins without Controul to all their Appetites and
Passions—check’d by nothing but what _they term HONOUR_. But _THEIR
Honour_ is comprised, in—_punishing the Man with MURDER who dares to
doubt_ their veracity, or fail in Respect to their Dignity—and in paying
their Debts _to SHARPERS_, instead of rewarding the Industry of their
Tradesmen, by giving them—_their own Property_. _THEIR Honour_ does
not restrain them from defiling the Beds _of their Friends_—_BREAKING
Promises_ to _WORTHY Dependants_—or _betraying_ the Interests and Honour
of their Country for _base Wages of Iniquity_, though committed with
Confidence to their Charge, _yet sacrificed_ without Remorse, for their
_private_ Emolument. _THEIR Honour_ enforces _no single Virtue_!—AWAY
WITH SUCH HONOUR!

I next consider’d the number of _well-disposed_ Men, who _through
Prejudice_ might _neglect_; or through Indolence, or Weakness of
Understanding, be blind to the Force of my Arguments, and of course
remain unconvinced by them—and these Obstacles, united, appeared too
formidable to be surmounted by any weak Effort I could make through the
Channel of a News Paper. At last however I took Courage and submitted my
Sentiments to the Consideration of the Public, in the Gazetteer of the
28th of March.

I had not, at that time, any Intention of writing another Letter,—but
deriving Hopes from the favourable Impression my first seem’d to have
made on the Minds of the Considerate—and having heard weight laid on _the
Men’s Knowledge of Anatomy_ as a Reason why _they_ should _be safer_
than Women, I wrote the second Letter to remove _that specious_, but
_mistaken_ Idea—and having _known_ some, and heard of _many_ other young
Men Midwives, who really _are ignorant_ of that Knowledge of Anatomy
which is _their only_ Recommendation _to INFATUATED Husbands_;—and a
Man Midwife, under the Signature of “Old Chiron,” having endeavoured to
abuse the World with the most scandalous misrepresentations, and _gross
Fallacies_, my last Letter appeared to expose the Danger of employing raw
young Men—or believing such _interested Deceivers_.

I am quite indifferent about the Offence which my Letters have given _the
Ladies of Fashion_, and their _darling_ Doctors—_their “sweet Men.”_
They are conscious my Letters convey only _a very faint_ Sketch of
their _immodest, obscene practices_. They are _too bad_ to be _exactly_
described without using Language very unfit for the Inspection of
virtuous Women!—I place dreadful Rocks in their View, to warn them from a
Course on which their Purity would be irretrievably wreck’d: and surely
those Parents entertain _strange_ Notions of _Virtue_, who carefully keep
my Letters out of the way of their Daughters, through what _they imagine
to be_ “Delicacy!”—they would rather, in short, have them _polluted in
future—past redemption_—than instructed by my friendly Admonitions,
how to avoid the Path to Vice!—the modest, amiable, worthy, _sensible_
Part of the Community, I am confident, will read my Pamphlet with
Candour—approve of the Sentiments contain’d in it—and recommend it to the
Perusal of others. I shall view the Censures, and Displeasure of _the
vicious_, and the _dissipated_, as the highest Eulogiums;—as Praise—which
will convey _the most genial warmth_ to my Heart—and, I trust, afford me
a pleasing Retrospect in my _latest_ Hours!—

My Letters having succeeded beyond my most sanguine Expectation, I am now
encouraged to attack _another_ prevailing Custom among the Fair—that of
_not_ giving suck to their Infants, at least during the first five or six
weeks.

I shall wave considering _the Propriety_ of a Mother’s giving suck
through a Sense of the _incumbent Duty_ she _owes_ her child.—Though the
Custom of backening the Milk is _unnatural_, dangerous, and too often
_fatal_, I shall lay no stress on the former, but rest it entirely on
the latter—for in _such_ an Age as the present, in which our fine Ladies
have few Ideas of any Religion—are not capable of receiving Pleasure
from _domestick_ Employments—would infinitely rather CONVERSE with _any
Men_ than their _Husbands_—leave their Children to be instructed, or
_neglected_ by Servants, and fly abroad, with eager Impatience _to game
away_ their Husbands Fortunes, and receive the _criminal_ Addresses of
_their profligate_ Admirers, at the Assembly, the Masquerade, or more
_commodious Apartments_ of _the Coterie_—laughing at the Censures of _the
few_ who have still some Regard to Decorum—and despising the Belief of
the perpetual Presence of a Being who is Witness to all their _secret
vicious Deformities_—in _such_ times it would be Folly to mention the
Dangers they expose their Infants to, from diseased Milk, want of a
tender Mother’s Care—or dream of asking them how they will answer to
the Almighty for _not_ having afforded them the Nourishment He kindly
provided for their Support?—I shall therefore only shew the Absurdity and
_danger_ of this Custom, as far as it regards the Health of _the Mother_.

And here I must endeavour to give my Readers some Idea of that part of
the human Body which is concern’d in the formation, and absorbtion of
the Milk, in order for their understanding the Force of my arguments.

Our Bodies are constantly, when in Health, receiving Repairs in all
their Parts, from millions of the smallest, most minute Arteries. Every
Solid, and every Juice, is form’d out of, and secreted from, Blood. Those
noxious Parts of the Blood which are not proper for these different,
_opposite_ Uses, are thrown off by insensible Perspiration. When, through
various Causes, that Perspiration is obstructed, the acrid Matter which
ought to have gone off, is absorb’d by the lymphatick Vessels, and
returns into the Blood—brings on Fevers, Gout, Rheumatism, &c. &c.

The Lymphaticks, are numberless Vessels, which pass through spungy
Glands. These fine Tubes have a vast number of Valves, which prevent
the Lymph, (or Liquor) which runs through them from going _a contrary_
Direction from that intended for it. These fine Vessels are dispersed
over every Part of our Bodies. The Point of a needle could not be applied
to a Spot, under the Skin, where the Mouth of a lymphatic Vessel did not
open to imbibe whatever is put in contact with it. These minute Branches
run into other Branches, so form larger Vessels, till at last they all
unite in a general Reservoir, where the Lymph which they contained, mixes
with the Chyle, (the fine Part of our Food, which is fit to be converted
into Blood) conducted there by the Lacteals, (the Lacteals resemble the
Lymphaticks—they open into the Stomach, and Bowels—they imbibe nothing
but from _our Food_) the Chyle, and Lymph, thus mix’d, run up within the
trunk of a large Vessel called the thoracic Duct, on the inside of the
back Bone, which is incessantly emptying it’s Liquor into a Vein under
the left Collar Bone, where it mixes with the Blood, is immediately
convey’d into the vena Cava, which conducts it, with the returning Blood
from the rest of the Body, (Lungs excepted) into the right Auricle of
the Heart—it thence is drove by the contraction of the Auricle, into the
right Ventricle of the Heart—by it’s contraction, into the Pulmonary
Artery—from thence through the whole Lungs, where the Blood receives a
Change from being impregnated with something received from the Air every
Inspiration. The Blood thus changed, is collected from the Lungs into the
Pulmonary Veins, and conducted into the left Auricle of the Heart; which
drives it into the left Ventricle; which forces it into a great Artery,
the Aorta—which rushes it over every other Part of the Body.

The lymphatic Vessels prevent our Blood depending _solely_ on our Food
for supply, and by means of them we can subsist some time merely on
the Produce of our own Bodies. All these lymphatic Vessels are closely
accompanied by Arteries—whose Pulsations assist the motion of the Lymph
to it’s Reservoir:⸺Consequently the quicker and stronger they beat,
the faster the Lymph is hurried into the Blood. Hence the Reason why
Fevers occasion so speedy a wasting of the Flesh—hence Hectics bring
on Consumptions—hence People in Fevers can subsist long with little
Food,—The lymphaticks then supplying the Blood too abundantly from our
own Juices.

The Author of Nature has ordered an extraordinary Quantity of Blood to
be prepared for the Child’s Food. Arteries run into the Glands of the
Breasts, and in passing through them, the Blood, by a most wonderful
Change, is converted into Milk!⸺by a Change, which nothing but Custom
prevents our viewing as a Miracle!

The admired Toast of the Town cannot endure the Trouble of nursing. It
would confine her too much at home—it has too vulgar an appearance—it
is not warranted by _the Example_ of the first Circle—the Milk must
_therefore_ be backen’d.—It is denied Liberty to discharge itself by the
Out-lett Providence _intended for it_—the Child, whose Constitution _it
was calculated for_, is not suffered to have it’s Due. What becomes of
the Milk?

It is absorb’d by the lymphatic Vessels, _contrary_ to the _original_
Intention of Nature—and convey’d back into the Blood, in the manner
I have before described.—What is the Consequence?—The blood Vessels
become _not only highly over-charged_ with Blood, but that Blood is thus
rendered of an improper Consistence. A Fever ensues!—This Fever comes
on when the woman is _ill able to bear_ it’s Shock!—_How often_ is this
Fever _fatal_!

The most fortunate Circumstance that can happen, is, when the Milk finds
_ANOTHER out-lett_. Probably _otherwise_ there may be a formation of
Matter somewhere—there is danger _that_ Matter may fly to some capital
Part.

If the Woman is young, healthy, strong, it is most probable the Milk will
_not_ be absorb’d _quick enough_. The Blood will _furnish_ Milk _faster_
than the lymphatick Vessels can imbibe it, and convey it back again. The
Breasts are painfully distended—they inflame.

_When too late_—it is then resolved they shall be suck’d.

During the time of Pregnancy a small quantity of Milk is lodged in
the Milk Vessels of the Breasts. This Milk, when the nine Months are
expired, is thick—clogs the Vessels. If the Woman never gave suck, the
Pores through which the Milk ought to issue to the Child, are not open
enough—they require therefore _to be clear’d_, by the _old_ Milk being
suck’d off, _the very day of the Delivery_, and to empty the Milk Vessels
of what must otherwise clog them. Some woman ought to suck this off
therefore _as soon as possible_. If the Child is put to the Breast _in
Twelve, or Sixteen Hours_ after it’s Birth, it will suck _greedily_—if
delay’d three or four Days, it is twenty to one the Child will not
attempt it for a long time.

When therefore _the Necessity_ of the Case has overcome every Resolution
form’d for the Woman’s _not_ giving suck, and her Child is put to her
Breast, it is in vain!—the Child will not touch the Breast!—_other_
Children—or women attempt to ease the poor Woman of her Load of Milk—this
Resource likewise fails! the thick Milk has clog’d the Vessels—the
N-pp-es, owing to the hard Distension of the Breasts, has shrunk into
them—and, besides, their Pores have never been open’d—never been
clear’d—no endeavours avail! the distress’d Woman, after having been
sadly fatigued, exhausted, finds herself disappointed of Relief!—dreadful
Symptoms soon appear! she _too probably_ falls a sacrifice to a
ridiculous—senseless—not to say a sinful deviation _from the Path of
Nature_!—how many fine young Women have lately died—and go off every
Year, from this Cause!

But “_particular_ Women have not Constitutions strong enough to bear
giving suck. Certainly there are some Women whom it might hurt.” Granted.
Let such particular Women give suck _only_ for the first _four_, _five_
or _six Weeks_. If those Women _then_ really find themselves too delicate
for the _longer_ continuance of such a Drain, they then _may safely_
by degrees leave off giving suck—they have sufficiently recover’d
Strength to venture throwing the Milk gently back into the Blood. The
most delicately form’d Woman existing should _not_ dream of suffering a
single Drop of the Milk which Nature _intended for Evacuation_, to return
into the Blood, untill the Constitution is re-established—and enabled to
bear discharging itself of the Superfluities, without encountering the
Dangers which _demonstrably_ attend a contrary Practice. If a Woman is
too delicate to bear _continuing to suckle_ her Infant, surely she is
_too delicate_ to endure the flying in the Face of Nature, and _risking_
the Fever—if she is healthy and strong, the more incumbent her duty is,
to nourish her Child—her danger too equal. In _every_ View, the salutary
Consequences attending Mothers discharging their Duty to their Children
in this point, are so obvious, so glaring, that _to me_ it is matter of
doubt whether those who fail in it are most to be condemn’d and despised
for _their want of natural Affection_—or pitied and ridiculed _for their
Folly_.

These are my Ideas on this interesting Subject. Let those Women who
_obstinately_ persevere in a Resolution to deny their Infants their
natural Food—(and in whose Judgements my Arguments have appear’d
deficient in Weight) stand the Trial, and risk the Consequence. I most
sincerely hope the Success may answer their Wishes!

I now refer my Readers to the following Letters. I can assert, _with
conscious Truth_ that my Sentiments on the _preceding_, and _following_
Subjects, have been the offspring of an Heart warm’d by a Love for my
fellow-Creatures—ever most ardently solicitous for their Welfare and
Happiness, here and hereafter.

I cannot expect _to reclaim_ any Woman who has _already used_ a _Man_,
for Reasons I gave at the beginning of this Introduction, and because,
by quitting him, she would _tacitly_ acknowledge the Truth of my
Assertions—and because none but those possess’d of the most exalted
Qualities of the Head and Heart, can have _greatness_ enough _to confess_
they have been in an Error of _such_ a Nature.

I am not without hopes however, of _opening the Eyes_ of _sensible_
Men—and unmarried Women, who are _at present_ modest, and _wish_ to
_remain so_—and preventing the _former from advising_, and the _latter
from falling into_ the scandalous Custom of employing _Men_-Midwifes,
which _I know_ to be _ERRONEOUS as to it’s PRETENDED SAFETY_—_FATALLY
dangerous_ to the VIRTUE—and _CERTAINLY destructive_ of the MODESTY[1]
of my fair Countrywomen.—They may believe me when I assure them that NO
PURITY can withstand the _rude_ Shock of _such_ Intrusions—_the whitest_
Ermine is _most_ liable to have it’s Beauties sullied!

If I should be happy enough to hear in a few Years that I have given
the least Check to this most abandon’d of _vicious_ Practices, the
Consciousness of having done a most signal Service to the Community, will
implant genuine Pleasure—substantial Satisfaction in the Breast of

                               the Public’s
                              most obedient
                             humble Servant,

                                                               THE AUTHOR.

[1] I make a great Distinction _between Modesty_, and _Virtue_. A Woman
_may_ be _virtuous_, _without_ being _Modest_—but it is _impossible_
to be _modest_, without being _virtuous_. Modesty is _the guard_ of
Virtue—but it _is possible_ a _cold_ Constitution _may_ preserve
_Virtue_, even _after_ every Trace of _Modesty_ has been obliterated.



THE Danger and Immodesty, _&c._



LETTER I.


In times, when every winter brings scenes of prostitution from the
privacy of darkness into the public light of day; when our ladies of
quality, and women of fashion, instead of being as remarkable for their
virtue, as for their beauty, openly cast aside every sense of shame, and
barefacedly encourage the addresses of men, who, avowedly, can have no
intention but to involve them in guilt; it is the duty of every honest
man to endeavour to trace the evil _to its source_, in order that, by
pointing out _the foul spring_ which corrupts the stream, _the fountain
may be cleared_, and the contagion which rages from it, lessened, if not
entirely removed.

Boarding schools are, beyond doubt, seminaries, where the minds of girls
are early polluted. Let the mistress of the school be ever so virtuous,
prudent, and attentive, the vicious girls (and some such there always
must be among a number) will find sufficient opportunities to taint the
tender minds of unsuspecting innocence. Nothing can be more destructive
than bad example; and, unfortunately, the human mind is too ready to
copy those which are vicious—and _the vicious_ are more importunate and
solicitous _to corrupt_, than _the virtuous_ are to gain proselytes to
goodness.

Though I believe _the first seeds of vice_ are imbibed at a boarding
school, yet I _by no means_ look on that education as the great cause of
these frequent adulteries. If principles of virtue have been inculcated
in infancy, they may yet, with proper care, bud out afresh under good
culture—and flourish under the influence of good advice, when those
noxious weeds are choaked up, which were planted by bad examples, but
which may wither on the cause being removed.

_It is to the almost universal custom of EMPLOYING MEN-MIDWIVES, that I
attribute the frequent ADULTERIES which disgrace our country._

_Ignorance_ has spread this _shameless_ custom. Ignorance leads people
to suppose men _safer_ than women—Ignorance of _what_ the _Men_-midwives
_do_, leads modest women _at first_ to submit to employ men; and _it is
ignorance_ which leads husbands [who love their wives] to recommend, nay
even sometimes force them on their wives. They know not what stripes they
are preparing for themselves—they know not that they are removing the
corner stone on which the virtue of their wives is founded—and all this
on _a mistaken_ principle—_the idea that men are safest_.

The Almighty, through kindness to his creatures, has so ordered the
labours of women, that even the honest part of the Men-midwife tribe
confess, that, in thirty years practice, a person might probably never
meet _with a single case_ where a good woman might not have done the
business. This confession was made to me by an eminent man-midwife,
after a practice of thirty-six years. How else would the world have
been peopled? The men have _but lately_ come into fashion. In praise of
_Scotland_ and _Ireland_ be it spoken, _the women of those countries are
still too modest to employ them_. What is the consequence? _Adulteries_
happen _very seldom in those countries_; and every farm-house swarms
with strong, healthy, _well-limbed_ children. If Men-midwives were
requisite to bring children into the world, what would become of the
wilds of America—the plains of Africa? Even the _Hottentot women_ are too
modest to employ men—they leave that abandoned custom _to our English
ladies_—yet they are so fruitful they furnish slaves to the globe. It
is a notorious fact, that more children have been lost since women were
so scandalously indecent as to employ men, than for ages before that
practice became so general. Women have _a tenderness of feeling for their
own sex_ in labour, which _it is impossible men can ever equal them in_.
By _having felt_ the pains, and the anxieties attending child-birth,
they know how to sympathize in a woman’s sufferings. _Their_ feelings,
therefore, are _natural_. They lead them to be patient—they prompt them
_to allow nature to do her own_ peculiar work. They never dream of having
recourse to force—the _barbarous, bloody crotchet_ never stained _their_
hands with _murder_. There _never really_ can be occasion for a male
operator, but when a deed must be done which my soul shudders at the idea
of, and which I shall not mention—but thanks to God, such instances do
not occur in a century!—To my knowledge, a lady was twice delivered in
different parts of the country of England, by common women-midwives, and
both those cases were _as unnatural_ and difficult as it is well possible
to imagine—she and the children did well—if she had employed men, it is
more than probable, _the children, at least_, would have expired under
the crotchet—or been maimed by the forceps!

And how should this be otherwise! a long _un-impassioned_ practice,
_early_ commenced, and _calmly_ pursued, is absolutely requisite to give
men _by art_, what women attain _by nature_.—Dr. Hunter, very wisely,
very justly has said, that “Labour is nature’s work.”—Nature _ought to be
suffered_ nine hundred and ninety-nine times out of a thousand, _to do
her own work_. All the knowledge _young_ men can possibly obtain, must be
from _dead_ bodies—for is it in common sense to suppose, that a young lad
can explore the secret recesses of Venus, so as to be _physically_ well
acquainted with those parts in _living_ females? No—fires must quickly
be raised, which unavoidably will confuse all his discerning _reasoning_
faculties—and _ART must instantly be lost in NATURE_. Dr. Hunter, indeed,
and one or two men besides, _may perhaps_, by the help of _cold_
constitutions, and dint of very long practice, do their business _nearly
as well_ as women—by leaving all _to nature_—but, if my life and fortune
here, and salvation hereafter, depended on the life of any pregnant
woman, and that of her infant, I would stake all I held valuable on her
being attended by any old woman midwife in England, in preference to any
man in the world. Whoever reads Nihel’s Midwifery, will be satisfied of
this truth, that _women are infinitely safer than men_.

Who can wonder at the profligacy of the times, when it is known that even
women of character soon become so callous to the bashfulness which ought
to characterize their sex (from being habituated to the familiarities
of their Men-midwives) that they will not scruple informing a male
visitor, without even blushing, “I was not very well for some days in
the country—so I came to town on purpose to be satisfied by Dr. ⸺ that
I was in a good way—_the dear man_ has told me that _the child lies
right_—and I am perfectly easy.” Monstrous! that a lady can pretend to
any degree of modesty, and yet, _not content_ with having _a strange_ man
attending her _for hours_ when in labour (most of that time intimately
acquainted with _every_ part) she can, without any compunction, send for
a man, and admit him without reserve _to the most unbounded_ liberties,
at a time too, when she is _as able_ to walk, and _do every other act_
of life, as if she was not pregnant! Pray let me ask her ladyship, _how_
did “_The dear man_,”—“_sweet Dr. ⸺_,” _find out_ how the child lay?—By
means _sufficient to taint the purity_, and _fully the chastity_, of
any woman breathing!—I will boldly affirm, that, whoever admits a man
to those _licentious_ freedoms, cannot pretend to answer for what _may_
be the consequences. If _the last_ circumstance does not take place, it
must be owing, either to an extraordinary insensibility in the man, or
to the woman’s not suiting his taste, having such choice of beauties to
visit. Suppose, for argument’s sake, that the fictitious Goddess of
Chastity, Diana herself, was on earth, and employed me to satisfy her
doubts, during the months of pregnancy prior to labour—and her mind of
course, at first, free from the smallest tincture of guilty ideas—yet, if
I chose it, I could _so bewilder her reason_, that she should _lose sight
of every principle of virtue_—and not _be able_ to refuse me whatever I
chose to desire.—When a man is in free possession of the Citadel, and all
the out-works surrendered at discretion, it is then too late to attempt
guarding the town from plunder.

But supposing these advantages are not always taken (_which I dare say
they are not_) it cannot be denied _with truth_ these visitations from
Men-midwives, remove in a great measure, the horror of those intrusions
on the advanced posts of virtue, which are its greatest safeguards—and
serve _to prepare the way_ for the addresses of gay young men, who make
it their business to seduce married women into the paths of infamy.

If any lady, desirous of exculpating herself from my censure, pleads
that “she never admits a Man-midwife _to familiarities_ but when _in
actual labour_”—I answer, that, even _in actual_ labour—_a woman has many
intervals of ease_, for many minutes together quite free from pain—_in
those intervals_, her mind _cannot_ maintain _its spotless whiteness_—_in
those_ intervals she cannot but _be conscious_, that the _DOCTOR is
infringing on the HUSBAND_.

But I believe there are very few women who confine the Doctor’s
familiarities to the times of real labour. Lady ⸺, Mrs. ⸺, acquiesce in
whatever he thinks right during all the months of pregnancy—and must
he not be _MORE than man_, or LESS THAN MAN, who, _roving luxuriously_
through all the _hidden_ charms of beauty, can help being inflamed by
passion?—and, _if inflamed by passion_, he may proceed ON CERTAINTIES
... he has an _UNERRING tell-tale under his inspection_, which gives him
_an INFALLIBLE cue, when he may safely_ throw aside the mask, fearless of
any repulse.

Shew some sense of modesty, ye Duchesses, Countesses, &c. &c. and
those inferior women, whom _ye have debauched_ by your bad examples,
will again imitate ye, in forsaking these Scandalous practices. Blush,
ye women of fashion, to own that any man, besides your husbands, _is
admitted to liberties with your persons_. No longer talk of “_dear_
Doctor Hunter,” “_angelic_ Doctor—” “_enchanting_ Doctor—.” ... For my
own part, if I was a married man, I declare it would be _a matter of the
utmost indifference_ to me, whether my wife had spent the night _in a
bagnio_—or an hour of the forenoon locked up with a man-midwife in her
dressing room.—Let this _shameless_ custom be abolished, and then virtue
will fly back again to our metropolis, with all her train of _genuine
self-approving pleasures_—and England be _once more_ as much famed for
the chastity, as for the beauty of its women.

Adieu, Mr. Printer—you have received this letter from a sincere admirer
of female modesty: Without it “beauty _ceases being lovely_, or wit
being engaging.” Whoever possesses it cannot be enough esteemed and
regarded—whoever is deficient in it cannot be sufficiently despised and
slighted. Ye _English_ fair, _it ought_ to be your characteristic! _but
while your fathers, husbands, and brothers are unprincipled, corrupted
senators_—you think you have a right to deviate from _your point of
honour_, since _they shew you the example in their’s_.

To conclude—_true modesty is incompatible with the idea of employing_

                                                         A MAN MIDWIFE[2].

[2] Except when those _very rare instances_ occur, which do not happen
once in two thousand labours.



LETTER II.


The favourable reception my last letter met with from the public, leads
me to hope our married men will seriously reflect on the dangers which
attend the employing Men-midwives to attend their wives, except in cases
where there is the most urgent necessity for the interference of art. I
flatter myself it will not be difficult to convince _sensible_, _modest_
women of two undeniable truths, which nothing but prejudice, or vice, can
render them blind to the force of:—First, that Men-midwives are not so
safe as women;—and secondly, that it is absolutely impossible to permit
men to take the unbounded freedoms which Men-midwives _falsely pretend
are necessary_, without throwing themselves entirely at their mercy, and,
at all events, being polluted by their needless invasion.

The Men-midwives and their friends, have wisely chose to be silent.
They are conscious my assertions cannot be denied with any shadow of
truth, they therefore prudently have declined the combat. If they had
attempted controverting my arguments, they must have discovered the sandy
foundations on which they have established the idea of _their being
the proper_ attendants on the labours of women. Objections which they
cannot remove,—dangers which they cannot dissipate,—and impurities which
no varnish can conceal, they wish to avoid mentioning; fearful lest an
attempt to answer my letter, should display to the world the weakness and
insufficiency of their defence, and stimulate abler pens than mine to
continue the subject too long for their interest. They vainly imagine my
letter will soon be forgotten, and be consigned to oblivion amongst waste
paper. But they are mistaken,—this letter shall accompany it annually to
the press, to remind my fair countrywomen of the inestimable value of
chastity,—and to warn them from those practices which pave the way to the
most flagrant breach of it;—and I am not without hope that I shall be
joined by the friends of virtue, and assisted in the arduous talk I have
undertaken. What undertaking can be more difficult to succeed in, than an
endeavour to reform the manners of a vicious age? Yet, encouraged by the
consciousness of the rectitude of my intentions, and of the sincerity of
my wishes to repair the foundations of matrimonial happiness, I freely
offer my sentiments to the world,—let the candid weigh them in the scale
of common-sense,—and either adopt, or disregard them, as they appear to
tend to the benefit, or prejudice of mankind. The consequence of their
decision will principally affect themselves,—it will not reach to me.

The Men-midwives are sensible, that, when they urge their knowledge in
anatomy as a reason for their being safer than women, they mean to take
advantage of _the ignorance_ of mankind. Where _very rare_, _particular_
circumstances occur, undoubtedly the knowledge of anatomy becomes then
absolutely necessary to direct the operator in the means requisite to
save the woman’s life. In that distressed, unhappy, deplorable situation,
no modesty can possibly be violated. The poor afflicted woman, is, _if
sensible_, so taken up with anxious thoughts, and torturing pains, that
she is _not conscious_ of the transaction—and the Royal Exchange, when
crouded, might be spectators, without attracting her attention, or
interrupting her fears. It is quite different in _a very large majority_
of labours. The woman has many intervals of ease,—she does not apprehend
there is any peculiar danger in her case:—her mind, while free from
pain, is at liberty calmly to attend to whatever is done. There is not
above one labour in a thousand where there is any occasion for the
knowledge of anatomy. I insist that _except in those very extraordinary
cases_, a knowledge of anatomy leads Men-midwives frequently to do great
mischief. _It makes them impatient._ They _know how_ to bring on the
labour pains,—they _know how to force the birth_. From _this DESTRUCTIVE
KNOWLEDGE_, numbers of children are demolished,—numbers of women are
thrown into fevers by _lacerations_ and _inflammations_, which might
have the worst consequences, and which never would have happened _if
the knowledge of anatomy_ had not _tempted men_ to have recourse _to
ART within the proper boundaries of NATURE’S empire_. For this reason,
if I was a married man, I would not employ _even a woman_ who had been
bred under a Man-midwife. Her _knowing the parts ANATOMICALLY_, and
_understanding the USE of INSTRUMENTS_, and pursuing the _teizing_,
_fiddling_ customs of the men who had instructed her, instead of
recommending her to me, would be a sufficient cause to prevent my
employing her.

_THE ONLY SAFE KNOWLEDGE for a midwife to possess_, is, _that which is
taught by EXPERIENCE_. Whenever it _ceases_ being possible for nature,
with such assistance, to do her work, _then_, and _then only_, art ought
to be called in with instruments to aid.—Yet our young women are not
ashamed _premeditately to resolve_ on employing men, though there are
such a multitude of chances _against_ the supposition of a dead child—or
that there will be occasion for the destruction of her infant to save her
own life. It is for this wanton use of men, that I wish I had abilities
to expose their want of modesty in colours striking enough to hold out
our women to the universal ridicule of the world, and draw down on them
the contempt and indignation of the virtuous.

Is it not laughable to hear of a _modest_ woman sending for _a man_
to inform her _whether or not she is with child_, and _how far
gone_?—Heavens! _a little patience_ would soon have cleared up that
matter, and the most skilful man may be mistaken, _even allowing the
supposition_ (which is _NOT probable_) THAT HE MAY BE QUITE COOL, and
_experience NO FLUTTERING sensations to confuse his mind during THE
SERIOUS investigation_. Why cannot the lady _allow a few months_ to
elapse? Her doubts would then have been removed, without any _male_
intrusions, _without SCANDALOUS VIOLATIONS of MODESTY_—without, what I
term, SHAMEFUL POLLUTIONS OF HER PERSON.

What must Men-midwives think of those ladies, who send for them to be
inspected on such trifling occasions? _What can they avoid thinking?_
Must they not conclude, that those ladies are restrained from adultery
_NOT by any principle_ of virtue, but by a dread of the consequences;
and, since they can admit no man to familiarities but their Man-midwife
(who is the _priviledged father confessor of England_) without losing
their reputations, they are resolved to be _as immodest_, without losing
their characters, as the depraved, profligate custom of the world can
authorize them? Men-midwives entertain each other with curious recitals
of their adventures among the fair:—Surely those women cannot justly be
pitied, who thus by their folly, or vice, furnish subjects _first_ for
their sensual _ideas_, and _afterwards_ for their mirth.

I have been a good deal amused by hearing my letter commented on in
different companies, where the author was far from being suspected
to be present. The Men-midwives, and the ladies who receive pleasure
from employing them, never can forgive me for having exposed their
conduct. All they can however say against me, is, that I am “_very
indelicate_;”—that “_it is a shame such papers should appear_.”—Let them
be informed, Mr. Printer, that IF I AM “INDELICATE,” it is _because
THEY ARE IMMODEST_. Where _the bone_ is _corrupted_, the flesh must be
removed, and _the foul parts laid bare_, in order to be _scraped_, and
_purified_—_desperate disorders require desperate remedies_. _The “shame”
does not consist IN WHAT I WRITE but IN WHAT THEY DO_.—_Let them QUIT
THEIR PRACTICE, I will most readily throw aside my pen._

I should be sorry to entertain so bad an opinion of the generality of my
fair countrywomen, as to suppose them hardened by the depraved custom
of the times, beyond a possibility of being roused to a sense of danger
for themselves and infants, and to a sense of virtue. Doctor Hunter
is, beyond dispute, _the best Man_-midwife in the world—yet, let the
advocates for the _indiscriminate_ use of men lay their hands on their
hearts, and answer me ingenuously this question—Suppose any _three_ of
the _best_ Midwives in London had lost _in their lives, the same number_
of women of fashion _Doctor Hunter_ has lost _within these two or three
years_,[3] would they not have exclaimed loudly, and _taken advantage_
of those deaths _to prove the danger of employing women_? All England
would have rung of their mismanagement—and the women would have been
ruined!—There are women in London who have laid several thousands, and
yet never lost either a mother or an infant.

Though the abandoned custom exculpates ladies in the estimation of a
dissipated world, yet I recommend to their confederation _how their
thoughts, during the visits_ of Men-midwives, will stand the test of the
penetrating eye of their Creator.

I hope to live to see the day, when innate modesty will be the
characteristic of English women; and _of course_, when a lady will not be
more publickly branded with infamy for the most barefaced prostitution,
than for the effrontery which _will then_ be necessary to enable a woman
wantonly to employ

                                                            A MAN-MIDWIFE.

[3] I would by no means be understood to insinuate the most distant
reflection on Dr. Hunter’s management. I have not the smallest idea
that any of those deaths were in consequence of the least fault in his
execution of his business. I only mentioned them to shew that misfortunes
_may happen_ with the most able Man-midwife; and therefore that it is
cruel to name one or two accidents as proof of a woman’s being unsafe,
since they will happen to the first man in the whole world. I look on Dr.
Hunter as a most skilful anatomist; able physician; experienced, tender,
patient Man-midwife. If it was left to me to call any man to the labour
of a woman in imminent danger, and whose life was linked in mine, Dr.
Hunter is the man I would send for without a moment’s hesitation, his
skill, but, above all, his experience, AGE, and INFIRMITIES, render him
the ONLY man proper to be allowed _to take liberties_ with married women.
Yet _any woman of experience_, in my opinion, is _infinitely safer_ than
even Dr. Hunter, _except in very extraordinary cases_.



LETTER III.


In my two last letters, I believe I satisfied those _who are open to
conviction_, that _even the best_ Men-midwives are _not so safe_ as
women,—and that the custom is destructive of modesty, and affords those
Men-midwives _who chuse it_, finer seraglios than are in the possession
of the most luxuriant Monarchs of the East.

There are bad consequences attending the practice which I have not
mentioned. It is productive of danger, and of many evils, even when
followed by the most eminent men in London;—who can fix limits then
to its pernicious consequences, when a set of _raw, unskillful young_
men are turned loose through this town—round its skirts—and over the
whole kingdom, and are received by the credulous multitude with no
other recommendation than the words over the door of “⸺, _Surgeon and
Man-midwife_?” Boys think themselves qualified for Men-midwives, by
having attended one or two courses of lectures under Doctor Hunter,—or,
perhaps, without having heard any lectures at all, or ever having seen a
subject anatomized, start from behind an apothecary’s counter—and begin
their career, murdering of infants without mercy; and with impunity
laying the foundation for cancers, and the most dreadful diseases in
women;—not to mention the chance of their ruining the peace of families,
by introducing vice and discord, where health and harmony might otherwise
have gladdened their serene dwellings.—They know enough of the ways
requisite to use force;⸺they have heard female Midwives blamed for
allowing tedious labours;⸺they think they will be deemed expert, in
proportion _to the quickness_ with which they bring the child into the
world,—and the mischiefs they of course give rise to are innumerable! It
is not in the nature of things possible that _a young man_, ever so well
qualified _by study_, can be _a safe_ Midwife—how dreadful then must the
situations be of those poor women who are in the hands of the numberless
men who practice that business throughout England!⸺The people ignorantly
take for granted _THAT THE SEX constitutes knowledge—insures safety_!
The truth is, _THE SEX alone is sufficient_ to render ANY KNOWLEDGE
destructive in _general_ practice. If the men _must be introduced_ into
_the privacies_ of women, I would earnestly recommend it as _THE MOST
ESSENTIAL qualification_ requisite TO PREPARE them for the study, that
they submit to having their _VOICES made delicate_.

And here I should have finished my letter, and the subject, if I had not
seen an Essay in the Gazetteer of the 17th, signed “Old Chiron,” which I
cannot avoid making some remarks on, before I conclude.

The author of it uses tolerable language, and probably could write
pretty well on any other subject. He has done as much as could have
been attempted in order _to continue_ the delusive error which blinds
mankind. He knew he had _not Truth_ on his side—he has therefore
_put words together, without argument_⸺he has boldly denied, what it
is impossible to disprove⸺he has _as_ boldly _asserted WHAT NEVER
HAPPENED_—and then _laughed-off_ facts, trusting _by ridicule_ to conceal
their existence. The pen of _Junius_ could not defend the women who use
men.

I believe _the thinking_ part of the world will join with me in opinion,
that he would have shewn more wisdom if he had remained silent. A bad
defence does harm to any cause—and _the more able_ the defender appears
in his stile and language, the worse it is for his cause when he
convinces his readers, that even _his abilities_ cannot do it service.
The more this subject is investigated, the more prejudicial it will be
to his profession.[4] A practice, _adopted_, and _continued through a
jumblement_ of IGNORANCE and VICE, can only be favoured by suffering _an
impenetrable_ shade _to veil_ actions _fit only for darkness_.

Old Chiron has been drove so hard as to have been forced to assert that
the female Midwives always “_cram_ their patients with cordials⸺_keeping
them intoxicated during the time they are in labour_”—and that they
act like infernal fiends, “_driving_ poor women _up and down stairs,
notwithstanding their SHRIEKS_, and _shaking them so violently_ as
often to bring on convulsion fits, on pretence of hastening their
labours⸺laughing at their cries⸺and breaking wretched jests upon the
contortions of the women, whose torments would make a feeling man shudder
at the sight.”⸺I believe that it is not possible any one can be _so
sillily credulous_ as to have faith in these most _shocking, unnatural,
improbable, horrid_ recitals! Is it possible even _if such a brute_ in
an human shame found an entry into an house, that the poor lying-in
woman could _be able_ to be forced “_up and down stairs_?”⸺and _allow
herself_ to be _shook_? If _she_ was ignorant enough, and foolish enough
to consent, _would her relations_⸺_her friends_⸺anxiously attending her,
_likewise be so ignorant_ as not to know _such_ treatment was highly
improper, as well as _cruel beyond cannibal brutality_? And this too
_in England_! where bearing of children is not so very _uncommon_, so
very _extraordinary_ a circumstance, as that a Midwife could find means
to persuade people into such dreadful absurdities!—The idea _is too
ridiculous_! I have seen among my near relations, many women in labour,
as long as it was decent for a man to be present; and declare I have
always seen their Midwives treat them with the utmost tenderness. I have
enquired of several ladies of my acquaintance, each of whom has bore
many children, and always employed women, and they have all declared
they never even _heard_ of any thing in the _most distant_ manner
resembling such treatment, as this _interested_ author has abused his
talents by relating. To vouch falsehoods, and for _the most malignant_
purposes, needs no comment. Perhaps some diabolical wretch may have
behaved in this manner⸺but is that ground enough to erect defamations
on, against the whole sex? If _such_ proof was to be admitted decisive,
I could severely retaliate on him _such_ proceedings of men, as would
melt an heart of adamant! and I could bring demonstrable evidence
to confirm the authenticity of my relations—but I have already been
called “_indelicate_”—and if I was to write the horrors my pen could
unfold—delineate facts, painting _the indecencies_, and _barbarities_
of men _whom I could name_, I should _indeed be indelicate_. What must
then the _ACTS have been, which NO LANGUAGE can convey a description
of, without offending the virtuous_, and _shocking_ the _humane_! yet
I should look on myself as very culpable if I had instanced these men
_as standards_ for the whole profession to be judged by. I gave the
preference _to women, NOT because all men WERE BRUTES_, but because _the
greatest Saint_ on earth, _IF a MAN in health_, could not answer for his
principles being proof against the _irresistible temptations arising_
from being _freely indulged_ in _the most luxurious_ liberties with all
_the feminine_ beauties of lovely women,—and because their knowledge of
anatomy, and their _INSTRUMENTS being ready at hand_, too often _tempt_
them to use _force_, and do mischief in parts of the most _exquisite_
sensibility, which _no_ art, _no_ care, _no_ remedy, can _ever_ after
repair; where, if _nature_ had been allowed to do her office, she would
have been _a safe_ operator, and all would have ended happily; and let
any impartial person decide _whether a man_, who knows every method of
forcing the birth, _or a woman_, who is conscious of being _unacquainted_
with THAT DANGEROUS KNOWLEDGE, _are MOST LIKELY to alter the COURSE OF
NATURE, by interfering_, where she ought to be THE SOLE actor?⸺It is an
indisputable fact, that women have such a peculiar sympathy for females
big with young, that ninety-nine out of an hundred carry it to such an
excess as to be anxious about _brutes_ in that situation. I have often
heard ladies uneasy about mares they have seen with foal, and bitches
with whelp. It is _an instinct_ implanted, and interwoven with their
natures _by the Great Source_ of all things, for the wisest purposes.
Those _who have felt_ the agonies of child birth, surely must be able
to sympathize _more feelingly_ than men who can only form an idea of
them by theory. Women must be allowed to have more tenderness in their
natures than men⸺so that _in every view_ we cannot contest the point
of sensibility with them. Yet this author asserts women are improper
for Midwives because they are _most_ inhuman—because they drive their
fellow-creatures up and down stairs—and shake them into convulsion fits!
did old Chiron write ironically? or did he mean to betray the cause of
the male-practitioners, by asserting fictitious nonsense, which carries
falsehood on it’s face?⸺Let any one _view the forceps_, and then judge
_whether_ it is _a GENTLE INSTRUMENT? it speaks it’s office!_—Let any
one _view the crotchet_, crooked scissars, &c. sharp knives to be sure
are instruments fit to be trusted in every hand! they pursue _healing_
measures! they never commit _murder_!

The writer was pleased to confine himself to what I said of the Hottentot
women, because the heat of their climate was adapted to his purpose. I
mentioned likewise “the wilds of America,” and the kingdoms of Scotland
and Ireland. I fancy those countries are cold enough in winter.

He has quoted the practice of the Athenians as an example for our women.
Though _Heathen virtues_ are great reproaches _on Christian vices_ (I
should have said, on the vices of people who are only _Christians in
name_, by outwardly professing what their lives are daily contradicting)
yet I should imagine _no Heathen impurities_ ought to be admitted
patterns against Christian virtues.—Our surgeons are better anatomists
than the Athenians were; but I am afraid the Athenian men were better
Christians, though they lived before the birth of our Saviour.

“But the women of quality _do so fall in love_ with their Doctors.”—I
beg he will excuse me,—I _never_ supposed they FELL IN LOVE with THEIR
MALE INSPECTOR. _The sensations_ which _Men-midwives_ give rise to,
_deserve not_ the name which distinguishes _that NOBLE passion OF THE
SOUL_.—_LOVE, allies us to our Divine Original, elevates our ideas to
Heaven, and makes us emulous of worthy actions_! It’s signification
is _scandalously perverted_, when used to describe _the impure_
gratifications of sense, which degrade us _below the brutes_!—_Love_,
and _Virtue_, are _inseparable_. Love never inspires the human heart,
but when _that heart is in pursuit of virtue_; when _vicious_ purposes
_pollute_ the mind, _it’s end_ is _lust_.

“Has there ever been related an instance of so unnatural a connexion?”
_Many_ where _it has been attempted_—_several_ where it has _succeeded_.
Any person may buy the trial of Doctor Morley, where they will see that
he was _convicted_, and _fined a thousand pounds_, for seducing Mrs.
Biker. The poor woman accused the Doctor on her death-bed, and told
the whole transaction. The Doctor pleaded to his friends “_the strength
of the temptation, the frailty of nature_; and the impossibility of
any man’s _resisting such powerful charms_.” He quitted his business;
_the ladies_, however, _approved his conduct_,—it _RECOMMENDED him TO
THEIR FAVOUR_, and _he was more employed than ever_! Doctor ⸺ was forced
to feign madness to escape the rage of an injured husband, for having
frightened his wife to death! She happened to be _a virtuous_, though
_NOT a MODEST_, woman!—Count STRUENZY too was a Man-midwife.—Would he
ever have dared to lift his eye, or breathe his infamous passion to a ⸺,
if he had not been encouraged and _familiarized_ by the freedoms admitted
by the profession of a Man-midwife? Certainly no. Whoever reads the
news-papers of three years back, will find many paragraphs informing us
of prosecutions of Men-midwives for crim. con.

“A man _never_ seen by them _but in their distress_, is sure most
unlikely to become an object _of their desire_; nor can the ladies,
however lovely in the bloom of health, be supposed _capable of retaining_
their attractions _in the hour of agony_.”—The writer knows that neither
of these assertions are matters of fact. In regard to the first, _many
women_ see their Men-midwives _in perfect health, to be informed if they
are with child? How far gone?_ “Whether the child lies right?” and on
many other PRETENCES.—Men and women, on _such trying_ occasions, _must
give way to NATURE—there is no possibility of withstanding it_.—As to
women’s _not_ being “_attractingly lovely_ when in labour,”—there he
likewise must have been sensible that he erred from truth. Those pains
_rather add_ to beauty; and though, _during the continuance of racking
tortures, neither_ party can attend to any thing but the pains felt on
one side, and the compassion which a good man must sympathize in on the
other; yet _in the intervals_ (many there _always_ are, and _generally_
they are _long intervals_) _no uneasiness on either side_ leaves the
minds _of both_ at liberty to entertain _other IDEAS_.

“And if he” (the Man-midwife) “is at all to answer for their conduct, is,
I think, only to be reckoned with _FOR RECOVERING THEM so early_, and _SO
PUTTING IT IN THEIR POWER TO go abroad_ and _COQUET IT the sooner_.”—The
author is pleased to be _facetious with the ladies_! I do not at all
wonder that _those men_ who have _such foundation_ for censuring their
conduct, _presume thus_ to ridicule them for their eagerness to visit,
in order to _receive the homage_ of their _criminal admirers_! I should
have thought, however, that the subject was not of a nature which could
authorize such indecent raillery. It verifies the old proverb, “_too much
familiarity breeds contempt_.”

As to the assertion, that “the faculty employ men to their own wives”—I
know very many instances to the contrary—and even _if this was
otherwise_, it would be by no means conclusive. Men who have _such
choice_ of fine women _to take the most licentious liberties_ with,
most probably cannot remain long faithful to their own wives—they may
therefore easily be supposed soon to become so indifferent about them,
as to be very ready to suffer their own brethren to lay them, _by way
of KEEPING UP THE FARCE_, and _blinding the world_. I take for granted
however they permit _no private examinations_. They are too much in the
secret.

The gentleman concludes with telling us a story of Dr. Ford’s having
attended a poor woman for three days and nights, who had been ill used
by a woman.⸺What then?—It only proves that Dr. Ford _is not destitute of
humanity_, and _that there is ONE_ woman _who interfered with nature_,
and _of course did mischief_.—I know he “is a favourite with many women
of distinction”—but _those ladies BEST know HOW he has recommended
himself to their favour_. Neither Dr. Ford, nor Dr. Hunter, can presume
to affirm, that they never take the most intimate freedoms with ladies,
when there is no chance for labour.⸺Indeed, the ladies make no secret
of it—they now can submit to those examinations on the morning of an
assembly, tell their company of it at dinner, and go to a tavern to
supper!

And now, Mr. Printer, allow me _to take my leave of you, and the public
on this theme_.—The unprejudiced will be convinced—at least it was
this flattering, this most pleasing hope, that stimulated me to write
on this subject.—I can have no sinister views—the conduct of the world
will not interfere with my happiness—for I never will marry any woman,
unless I know her sentiments correspond with mine. The public are now in
possession of all I can think on the subject—The good sense of the people
of England will decide how far my hints may conduce to their domestic
happiness.—I leave _to other pens_ to proceed on it, _in answer to any
writer who may enter the lists against me_. Whoever wishes to know my
sentiments may review these three letters. I should be an hypocrite, if
I attempted to conceal, that, as I took up my pen _for the benefit of
the community_, so I shall be _most highly gratified_, if I hereafter
find my time has been employed to purpose, in _opening the eyes of the
thoughtless_, _informing the ignorant_, and _warning the virtuous_. I
despair of shaming the immodest!

While I live, I shall think NO WOMAN MODEST who employs

                                                            A MAN-MIDWIFE.

[4] I take for granted, Old Chiron is a Man-midwife.



APPENDIX.


As I do not wish to bewilder the Judgments of my Readers, but to convince
their Understandings,—and as I have, throughout my Letters, laid so much
Weight on the Dangers which attend hurrying the Labours of Women, I
cannot dismiss this Pamphlet into the World without endeavouring _clearly
to demonstrate_ the Utility of allowing Nature _to adhere strictly_ to
_her own_ Period for accomplishing the Birth.

Men, who have _not_ been _accustomed to thinking_;—but whose Lives have
been spent in the various Occupations, or dissipated Pleasures of the
World, by having been habituated daily to view the common round which
Providence takes in the natural Events of Life, never felt their Wonder
and Admiration excited by considering them in the Manner which is
incumbent on reasonable, intelligent Beings. Those, on the other Hand,
whose only _real_ Enjoyments proceed from a delightful Indulgement of
the Soul in Contemplations on the astonishing Works of God, _divest_
themselves of _that Familiarity to them_ which the hourly Evidence of
their Senses would otherwise have obscured—and render’d Matter for no
rational Reflection.

Thus we are blind to the surprizing _progressive_ Change, which enlarges
a new born Infant, to the size of Manhood! or a small Seed, to a large
Tree!—If an Infant, _the day after its Birth_, was to walk round the
Town, in compleat symmetry of Person, and six Feet high, would not
the Miracle forcibly strike the Minds of the most thoughtless of our
Species?—The difference is made only _by Custom_. Twenty Hours, and
Twenty Years, are exactly the same in the Sight of God!—_My_ Amazement
is excited by seeing the Change wrought _in twenty Years_, to the full
in _as high a degree_, as the _same Sight_, in twenty _Hours_, would
raise the Astonishment of an embroidered Maccaroni at Carlisle House,
or, of an infinitely _more_ rational, esteemable Being; a poor, ignorant
Labourer in the Fields!

The Work of Nature, _in Labour_, is one of it’s most extraordinary
Acts!—Untill the Parts are _in some degree prepared_ by the miraculous
Change effected in them _by the Labour Pains_, the Child could no more
enter the World than it could fly into the Clouds!—Untill the Parts are
_properly_ prepared, the Child cannot appear without _the most obvious_
Danger.

Every Pain has it’s Office,—it lubricates—it dilates. Where these Pains
are _not_ violent—are _not_ quick in their Return—but are lingering,
and tedious, they _plainly_ indicate that _the Woman requires great
Preparation_—Nature is _gradually_, and by _the most gentle_ Means,
forwarding _the Distension_—and if left _to herself_, will _not_ bring on
the Birth till every thing _is accommodated to her Purpose_.

Men Midwives, seldom wait for Nature’s Moment. Women are objected to,
because they are tedious—Men are extolled for their quickness. If
Doctor ⸺ has two or three pregnant Ladies waiting, from whom he expects
handsome Payments, he will _take Merit_ from hastening the Birth—and if
any Accident happens from his Impatience, his Reputation is too well
establish’d to suffer in the Eyes of Mankind—and the Misfortune is
attributed to some of the common Casualties attending Labour, when it
derived it’s Source _solely_ from the Doctor’s having brought the Child
forward, _unnaturally_, before the Parts were pre-disposed, by a proper
distension, for it’s Reception, and Passage. I fear two Ladies died
lately owing to this very Practice. The Parts inflamed—the Inflammation
spread by Sympathy—the Bowels mortified. If these Ladies had lain-in in
the Country, and had employ’d common, plain Women, who pretended to no
Knowledge but what they derived from Experience, it is a Million to one
that the Ladies would now have been alive and well.

The Men-midwives not only give rise to Inflammations by bringing the
Child before the Woman has felt _half the number of Pains_ which Nature
intended _to predispose_ the Parts—but likewise by _their abominable
Dilatations_. Can any Practice be more repugnant to common Sense,
than that of irritating the exquisitely sensitive nervous Fibres
of those Parts, by way of preparing them for Distension? The Men
absolutely _counteract_ the very end they pretend to have in view, by
Dilatation!—Friction must irritate—irritation must inflame—Inflammation
must _contract_. It is no Wonder if Parts so nicely constructed—highly
irritated for (perhaps) Hours, should inflame after the Birth, and be
productive of the most dreadful Consequences!—Yet their _Officiousness_
recommends them to the Ladies!—I really cannot find Words to inform my
Readers of every Circumstance I wish to relate. I start Hints—and leave
them to pursue the Subject by an exertion of their own Reason.

I have now entirely done with all which relates to the Danger Women and
Children run through _officious_, shameful _Impatience_. I have only
to recommend one serious Reflection to those Husbands who think their
Happiness would be interrupted by detecting any Infidelity in their
Wives. I beg they will consider _the Advantages_ they give Men-midwives,
in allowing them so many _favourable_ Opportunities of _extolling the
personal_ Charms of the Ladies, _whose Beauties_ lie open to their
_most curious_ Researches. No Men can possibly have _such critical_
Opportunities for engratiating themselves with the Fair. _Flattery,
CRITICALLY applied_ to Women, has strange Effects. They can _accompany_
their Flattery with _irresistible_ Persuasives. The sacred Names of
Religion and Honour _may_ be made _Subservient_ to their Purposes. The
more they are pretended to be prized in their Estimation, the more _they
may be urged in proof_ of the _bewitching_ Allurements, and _forcible_
Power of those hidden Beauties, which have obliterated every Remonstrance
of Virtue, and stifled every Check of Conscience. The poor Woman’s
_Pity_ is excited, when she views the strongest Principles of her “dear
Man” overcome by _her_ Charms—she can only blame _herself_ for possessing
_such provoking Temptations_—she is blinded by the Assistance of
Nature—_her own Vanity_ turns Advocate for the Doctor, and acquits him of
Villainy _during the Empire of Passion_; though the _return_ of Reason,
_when too late_! discovers the Artifices which have accomplish’d her Ruin!

                                                               THE AUTHOR.

I hope Doctor Hunter will pardon _the latter_ part of the Reference,
at the bottom of my second Letter. I fear I misrepresented him in
attributing Infirmities to his share which I am inform’d he never yet has
experienced. His _Abilities_ are great—and if a Man _must_ be employ’d,
I think he may be called in with as much safety as any Man of his
Profession.

☞ _As this Pamphlet recommends the employing of Women, the Publishers
have taken some Pains to procure a List of those who are eminent in their
Profession—and on the best information recommend the following Midwives
to those Ladies who have too much Modesty to employ Men—and who are
convinced by the preceding Pages that the Men are not so safe as Women._

    Mrs. Nihell             _Hay Market_

    Mrs. Brooke           } _Cross Key Court, Little Britain_
    Mrs. Stephens         }
    Mrs. Lee              }

    Mrs. Harris             _Mould Makers Row, St. Martin’s Le Grand_

    Mrs. Reynard          } _Bartholomew Close_
    Mrs. Forrest          }

    Mrs. Smith            } _Cow Lane, Snow-Hill_
    Mrs. Page             }

    Mrs. Phillips           _Garlick Hill_

    Mrs. Andrews            _Bush Lane, Cannon Street_

    Mrs. Longbottom         _Near Guy’s Hospital_

    Mrs. Richardson         _Westminster_

    Mrs. Souden             _Ratcliff Row, Old Street_

    Mrs. Hall               _Bunhill Row, Ditto_

    Mrs. Barnet           } _Somerset Street, White-Chapel_
    Mrs. Larkin           }

    Mrs. Blunt              _Swallow Str. Golden Sq._

    Mrs. Lyttelton,         _Amen-Corner, Paternoster Row_


FINIS.



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