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Questions to ask these pages:
1.
What qualifications did Smellie say were required of a good midwife?
2. According to the author,
what should be the relationship between a female midwife and an "accoucheur,"
or man-midwife?
Questions to ask the book:
1. According to Smellie,
what were the qualifications of a good accoucheur?
Find out in the Archive
2. What were the
tasks of men and what were the tasks of women in Smellie's ideal birth?
Find out in the Archive
Reading Help |
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Title Page |
Page
448 |
page
449 |
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Of the
MIDWIFE. |
449 |
| herself difficulted,
candidly have recourse to their assistance: on
the other hand, this confidence ought to be encouraged by the
man, who, when called, instead of openly condemning her method
of practice, (even though it should be erroneous) ought to make
allowance for the weakness of the sex, and rectify what is amiss,
without exposing her mistakes. This conduct will as effectually
conduce to the welfare of the patient, and operate as a silent
rebuke upon the conviction of the midwife; who finding herself
treated so tenderly, will be more apt to call for necessary
assistance on future occasions, and to consider the accoucheur
as a man of honour, and a real friend. These gentle methods
will prevent that mutual calumny and abuse which too often prevail
among the male and female practitioners, and redound to the
advantage of both: for, no accoucheur is so perfect, but that
he may err sometimes; and on such occasions, he must expect
to meet with retaliation from those midwives whom he may have
roughly used. |
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SECT. |
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