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CHAPTER XII

_Further Directions to Midwives, teaching them what they ought to
do, and what to avoid._


Since the duties of a midwife have such a great influence on the
well-doing or the contrary of both women and children, in the first
place, she must be diligent in gaining all such knowledge as may be
useful to her in her practice, and never to think herself so perfect,
but that it may be possible for her to add to her knowledge by study and
experience. She should, however, never try any experiments unless she
has tried them, or knows that they can do no harm; practising them
neither upon rich nor poor, but freely saying what she knows, and never
prescribing any medicines which will procure abortion, even though
requested; for this is wicked in the highest degree, and may be termed
murder. If she be sent for to people whom she does not know, let her be
very cautious before she goes, lest by attending an infectious woman,
she runs the danger of injuring others, as sometimes happens. Neither
must she make her dwelling a receiving-house for big-bellied women to
discharge their load, lest it get her a bad name and she by such means
loses her practice.

In attending on women, if the birth happens to be difficult, she must