As the Study of Physick has differ’d in every Age, according to the prevailing Opinions and Ambiguous Determinations of Philosophers, so the Practice of Midwifery has also varied, according to the Judicious Experiments and successful Operations of Professors; until of late Years, by the many happy Discoveries and strict Inquiries made into the Secrets of Nature, and Natural Causes, these Healing and obstetricious Arts are so much improv’d and advanc’d, that, they now seem to be arriv’d at their very Height of Perfection: Insomuch that both the one and the other stand this Day upon as sure a Foundation, and as certain Principles, as most other Sciences do, which notwithstanding are not exempted from the Fate of Casualties.

THE Case then being so, it becomes all Men of Ingenuity and Integrity, to be also Communicative of such Things, as may tend to the Welfare of their Neighbours and to the Common Good of Mankind; since according to the Excellent Poet,

THIS was the Principle of the Ancients, who, as they discover’d the Natural Debility of the Female Sex, and that Women were not only Subject to all Diseases in common with Men, but also obnoxious to a vast many Distempers peculiarly singular to themselves, were first mov’d to write particular Books, and respective Treatises, upon these Heads: The most wise and divine Hippocrates, first breaking the Ice, after him Diocles, next Aetius, and at last many others; For the more Learned and Ingenious that any one found himself in his respective Age, the more readily he exercis’d himself in these difficult Points.

BUT now a-days Women may well complain, and cry out with Soranus, “O malÈ Occupatum virorum Genus, occidimur nos, non Morimur: Et ab illis, qui inter vos peritissimi existimantur, perperam curatÆ, vos vero de qualibet vel levissima vestrarum Affectionum, Libros ex Libris facientes, Bibliothecas voluminibus oneratas, de Nostris inter ea diris ac difficillimis Cruciatibus, nulla vel exigua, & ea quidem satis oscitanter mentione fact”: That Men, in short, study their own Good, and take more Care of Themselves than of the Women.

BECAUSE then there are so many Faults and Defects in this part of Physick; in that the Antients, by reason of their precise Gravity, rendred their Works either obscure, or at least difficult to be understood: As some of the more modern Authors have, treated them but Partially and Defectively in most respects; others but transiently and indifferently, or as if they were otherways employ’d: Some again darkly and briefly; others so confusedly and prolixly, that we may justly say to them, as the Lacedemonians did to the Samian Legats of old; “Prioris orationis vestrÆ partis sumus obliti, postremam ob primÆ oblivionem non intelleximus”: We have forgot the Beginning of your Discourse, and for that reason, cannot understand the latter Part.

THESE being the Reasons of this Undertaking, I shall trouble you with no farther Apologies in its behalf, save only that I thought it my Duty, notwithstanding the Considerable Charge and immense Labour, not only so far to endeavour to imitate my Predecessors, but also to deserve well of Humane Kind, and particularly of English Women: First by collecting these things, which I have found clearly written by the most approved Authors, together with what I have conceiv’d to be true and Rational by my own painful Study, frequent Speculation, and assiduous Practice; and Secondly by publishing this Praxis and Analysis of Women’s Distempers, as they are accurately, tho’ succinctly comprehended in this small Volume: Yet not so briefly neither, but that most Things are consider’d and explain’d for removing Obscurity; nor so prolixly, that any Head is swell’d with Trifles or empty Words: And that not only in our vernacular Tongue, but also in a certain middle Style, adapted to the Capacity of the meanest Reader; so that if it be possible, where the Flowers are thinnest Sown, there the Fruit may appear the thickest; Because I have all along consider’d this to be no Work of Eloquence, but of Midwifery, or Physick, or both together, if you please, in which I have studied the common Good, but no vain Glory.

IN composing the Work, I have follow’d such Methods as seem’d to me the most conducive towards its Use and Design, and insisted only upon such Topicks, as can be most serviceable to the World, and absolutely necessary in the Practice of either of these Arts; without touching upon any of the pompous Superfluities, with which Physick, as well as other Professions, is now a-days over-run and embarrass’d: The one I apprehended to concern my Integrity, and the other only an empty Applause. But that you may be at no Loss in conceiving the Regularity of my Method, because of the variety of Subjects to be met with, I shall here delineate or draw out the Lines of the Work, and give you some distant Idea of it, if possible, by a general Hint upon every Part or Section of the Book, Viz.

IN the first Part, I have explain’d the History of the Formation and Animation of Man, together with the Maturation, Nutrition, and Position of the Infant in the Womb; to which I have subjoin’d the Anatomical Account of the Membranes and Waters, as well as of the After-Birth and Navel-String. I have likewise in this place previously set forth the Dignity and Excellency of Man, together with the Faculties of our Souls, and the Qualities of our Bodies; And, having initiated the whole with the Natural Proofs of a God, and a short Dissertation upon Nature, I hope none will take that amiss, because my Belief in the one, and the small Knowledge I have acquir’d of the other, are to be my Guide throughout the Course of my Life, as well as my Directory in the present Performance.

IN the Second Part, I have not only explain’d the Natural Philosophy of the Maiden-State, and set forth the Passions, as well as the Diseases familiar to Virgins; but also defin’d the Power of Imagination, and added the Natural Reasons for the various Likenesses of Children.

IN the Third, I have expounded the Mystery of Conception, together with its Diagnostick Signs: I have directed the Regimen of the Pregnant Woman, and particularly set forth the various Symptoms of the Months of Gestation, together with the Acute Diseases incident to her in that Time. I have in the same place insisted at Large upon Miscarriage, and explain’d at length the Mystical Theory of Birth in general.

IN the Fourth Section, I have defin’d the Art of Midwifery, and the Contemplation of its Theoretical, as well as its Practical Knowledge: And, that Women practising this Art, may not mistake me in what is said or recommended to them, I have also addressed my self to Men professing the same Science; and, with all imaginable Impartiality, told them both their Faults and their Duties, however without any intended particular Reflection. To which I have subjoin’d a compleat Anatomical Description of the Parts of Generation proper to Women; together with the Natural History of the Matrix and its amazing Faculties.

IN the Fifth, I have ingenuously laid open the whole Mystery of Midwifery, as to all Sorts of Births, whether Natural or Preternatural, and faithfully laid down the Fundamental Principles and most certain Rules of this Profession; and that not only according to the best Notions of my own Application and Study, or the real Dictates of my proper Practice and Experience; but also according to the most ingenious Precepts and infallible Maxims of the ablest and most polite Professors of this excellent Art, and that also according to its newest and latest Improvements: And in these Cases, I have neither fear’d the Invectives of the Æmulous Zoilus, nor regarded the Snarlings of the reprehensive Momus: For Wise Men are not any longer to be entertained with Ænigmas, since God hath said, Fiat Lux.

IN the Sixth Part, I have not only prescrib’d the due Regimen, and provided for the Safety and happy Recovery of the Child-Bed-Woman, but also taken a suitable and corresponding Care of her Babe; As I have farther instilled particularly upon the various Disasters incident to both Mother and Child, in their respective tender Conditions of Child-Bed and Infancy.

IN the Seventh, I have dilucidated the Philosophical History of all the different Sorts of Preternatural Conceptions as well as Births; and insisted at large upon the Theme of Women’s Sterility or Barrenness.

IN the Eighth and last Section, I have not only defin’d the Widow-State, as far as it concern’d my Purpose, but also diligently pursued the Subject-Matter, and traced down the Particulars of their common Grievances.

THESE, I say, are the general Heads of the Work, which are all again sub-divided into their proper respective Particulars; and consequently every general Head or Section assign’d its own relative Chapters, for the singular Benefit and more easy Comprehension of the Reader. And these Chapters consisting of 130 in Number, I have, with respect to every singular Distemper mentioned in them, First, defin’d the Nature of the Disease; Secondly, accounted for its Causes; Thirdly, I have given the Diagnostick Signs or Symptoms; Fourthly, the Prognosticks or Degrees of Danger; to which I have Fifthly and lastly added the Method of Prevention in many Cases, and That of Cure in All: So that there is almost not one Disease which can affect the Woman from her Birth to her Death, in Child, Maiden, Wife, or Widow-hood, whose Essence, Species, Differences, Causes, Signs, and Prognosticks, we have not sufficiently clear’d up.

ALL these Things I have endeavour’d to be most particular in, to the end that any Woman, who reads, so as to be conversant with this Book, may know before She sends for her Physician, not only her Distemper, but also the Danger, with which she is threatned upon every Sickly occasion. And in these Things I flatter my self that this Work will prove Acceptable, where such a Number of Diseases and Symptoms are set forth in so clear a Light, that any Person, making use of their Eyes and Reason only, without being any ways vers’d in the Practice of Physick, or Midwifery, may evidently see, perceive, and by Experience find, every individual Case to answer these Ends, and the whole to correspond exactly with its Title and Contents.

BUT upon the whole, if here and there a brief Philosophical way of Reasoning has crept in, I would have you consider, that it could not be avoided; because the Proofs relating to Natural Things are sometimes taken from very minute Instruments; And that the Design of such an Interspersion, is only to assist your Understanding, and conduct your Thoughts through the Work. However in such Cases the Reader may go on, or pass by what does not suit with his Taste, as he pleases. Again if here and there, I have retain’d a Term of Art, which the common Reader may call a hard Word, I declare it is out of no Design to amuse any one, but out of mere Necessity, since otherways I should have been ridiculously singular, and far less understood: In the mean time I have taken what Care I could to explain the most, or at least the most requisite of These, insomuch that whatever Words or Sentences of this Kind are not fully interpreted, you may slip over, without losing any thing Material of the Purport of the Matter, such Things concerning the Practitioner more than the common Reader.

HOWEVER yet, if the Measures I have pursued in handling this uncultivated Subject, should not appear so exactly Methodical as some of you may expect, I shall only say for Excuse, that, as it belongs to hard Labour to cut out new Paths and Ways thro’ Woods and Desarts, and where Guides are wanting, to find out the shortest Cut; so it is only by frequent Travelling, that such Roads can become smooth and easy, however exactly plan’d. Again farther, I would have you also to consider the Difficulty of the Task, to contract Much in a Little; to omit Nothing which ought to be animadverted; to join Perspicuity with Brevity; and after all, finally to reduce the whole to the certain Precepts of Art.

I have incessantly perus’d the vast Volumes of others, Ancients as well as Moderns; and whatever may be found there variously dispers’d, over-strain’d, or collected profusely, without either Order, or Coherence, you’ll find here manifestly disposed, and neatly contracted in this small Work. I have sever’d the Grain from the Chaff, winnowed the Seeds from the Husks, and purged the Gold from the Ore, to the end that I might again successfully Sow what I have thus laboriously reaped; and digest all Things into such an easy and clear Method, that you’ll be at no Loss here for what you want, but may turn to it at once, whatever the Case may be; you’ll read nothing twice, nor will you fall into any Trifles, which might either confuse, or detain you.

BUT that I may not be misconstrued or misrepresented here, give me Leave to affirm that the Design of this Work, is not to reprehend or find Fault, with any former Writer’s Performance; but only to render these Things, which others have either treated negligently, or indifferently, confusedly, or obscurely, the more Clear and Evident.

THIS, candid Reader, being the Design as well as the Reason of my Undertaking, according to the Fruit you receive by it, Pray, repress the Minds of the Invidious; and according to the Judgment you make of its Worth, let it stand or fall in your Esteem. Not that I am so vain in the interim to imagine, that the Work can stand upon the Foot of its own Merit; and far less can I expect that it will escape the ordinary Fate of Censure: No, I shall take it well, considering its Imperfections, if it undergoes no worse Fate, than what is common to Books; especially considering that it is no ways set off with a great Figure, under the splendid appearance and modish Trappings of flourishing Hypotheses, so common among our Modern Writers.

THERE are many Things altogether New in our Midwifery, which I would have none rashly to stumble at, tho’ I know that New Opinions are always suspected and generally opposed, merely because they are not already Common: But as I am not in any respect to press my Notion of Things upon the Belief of others, so I desire not to establish any Maxims of mine in other Peoples Opinions, farther than they think fit. I know the Relish of the Understanding, is often as different as that of the Palate; Hence it is that some Men condemn, what others approve; and some despise what others admire: Yea such is the Uncertainty of Men’s Judgments, concerning the Excellency of Things, that no Nut of Learning was ever yet open’d, whose Contents were allowed by all to be pure Kernel: And no more has any Truth been yet discover’d, either in Physick or Midwifery, which has not been question’d, and the Detector exclaim’d against as a pedantick Innovator: But all that I shall say to these Things is, that, as Antiquity will never protect an Error in Judgment, so Novelty shall never prejudice me against Truth, whether of my own or other People’s Invention.

UPON the whole, I would in fine recommend my self to the candid Reader’s Benevolent and Charitable Opinion, and if in any particular Point or Respect (because we are but Men) I may not have had the Happiness to please, or to give Satisfaction, Pray impute it not to Sloth or Idleness, but to Peregrination and Travelling; in which it may be well suppos’d that Studies are too often interrupted. Remember also that of Pliny, “haud ullo in genere veniam Justiorem esse, si modÒ mirum non est, Hominem Genitum non omnia Humana novisse.” For as none of us can do all Things, nor is sufficient for All; so it is Natural for Man to fall, to err, and to be deceiv’d: And as we see some Blemishes in the most beautiful Bodies, so there is nothing altogether Perfect, among the Works of Men.

From my House, in New-Bond-street, over against Benn’s-Coffee-House, near Hannover-Square. 1724.