The Province of Midwives in the Practice of their Art Instructing them in the timely knowledge of such difficulties as require the assistance of Men, for the preservation of Mother and Child; very necessary for the perusal of all the sex interested in the subject, and interspersed with some New and Useful Observations.

CHAPTER VIII.

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_Difficulties occasion’d by the_ Navel-String.

The _Navel-string_, by a Variety of Convolutions, sometimes obstructs the Birth, for being shortned, by its Contortions about the Neck, or any Part of the Body, the _Labour_ will become _unnatural_, by Reason tho’ the Pains are _strong_, the _Navel-string_, by its _shortness_, will pull the Child back with each Pain; and here an unskilful Management may break the String, and occasion a dangerous Flooding; but as the Woman’s Pains will prove _ineffectual_, notwithstanding their Strength and Force, the Midwife will, by this Means, find the Case out of her Province; I mean, where the _Navel-string_ is very much _abbreviated_.

If the _Navel-string_ comes forward before the Child’s Head, it will seldom remain, when put backward by the Hand; therefore, if the Midwife has any Regard for the Life of the Child, she ought to call for Assistance, before the Birth is further advanc’d, or it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to save the Infant; and she would probably be foil’d for want of sufficient Strength, had she Skill to save it.