A Treatise on the Art of Midwifery

Setting Forth Various Abuses Therein, Especially as to the Practice With Instruments.

Nihell

A Treatise on the Art of Midwifery: Setting Forth Various Abuses Therein, Especially as to the Practice With Instruments is a seminal 18th-century work by Elizabeth Nihell, a pioneering English midwife and outspoken critic of the increasing medicalization of childbirth. First published in 1760, the book offers a comprehensive and impassioned critique of contemporary obstetric practices, particularly the growing reliance on male practitioners and the use of surgical instruments such as forceps during labor and delivery. Drawing on her extensive experience as a practicing midwife in both France and England, Nihell exposes the dangers and abuses associated with these interventions, arguing that they often result in unnecessary harm to both mothers and infants. The treatise is both a practical manual and a polemic, blending detailed descriptions of midwifery techniques with sharp social commentary. Nihell champions the skills and knowledge of traditional female midwives, emphasizing the importance of natural childbirth and the value of hands-on care. She warns against the encroachment of male surgeons into the field, whom she accuses of prioritizing profit and prestige over the well-being of their patients. Throughout the text, Nihell provides vivid case studies and personal anecdotes to illustrate the risks posed by unskilled or overzealous use of instruments, and she calls for a return to more humane and patient-centered approaches to childbirth. A Treatise on the Art of Midwifery is not only a vital historical document but also a passionate defense of women's expertise and autonomy in reproductive health. It offers readers a fascinating glimpse into the debates and controversies that shaped the evolution of obstetrics, and it remains a powerful testament to the enduring importance of advocacy, compassion, and respect in the care of mothers and babies.

Table of contents

• A TREATISE ON THE ART of MIDWIFERY. SETTING FORTH Various Abuses therein, Especially as to the Practice with Instruments: THE WHOLE Serving to put all Rational Inquirers in a fair Way of very safely forming their own Judgement upon the Question; Which it is best to employ, In Cases of Pregnancy and Lying-in, A MAN-MIDWIFE; OR, A MIDWIFE.