ed
upon.

A midwife is the most necessary and honourable office, being indeed a
helper of nature; which therefore makes it necessary for her to be well
acquainted with all the operations of nature in the work of generation,
and instruments with which she works. For she that knows not the
operations of nature, nor with what tool she works, must needs be at a
loss how to assist therein. And seeing the instruments of operation,
both in men and women, are those things by which mankind is produced, it
is very necessary that all midwives should be well acquainted with them,
that they may better understand their business, and assist nature, as
there shall be occasion.

The first thing then necessary as introductory to this treatise, is an
anatomical description of the several parts of generation both in men
and women; but as in the former part of this work I have treated at
large upon these subjects, being desirous to avoid tautology, I shall
not here repeat anything of what was then said, but refer the reader
thereto, as a necessary introduction to what follows. And though I shall
be necessitated to speak plainly so that I may be understood, yet I
shall do it with that modesty that none shall have need to blush unless
it be from something in themselves, rather than from what they shall
find here; having the motto of the royal garter for my defence, which
is:--"Honi soit qui mal y pense,"--"Evil be to him that evil thinks."

* * * * *

A

GUIDE TO CHILDBEARING

WOMEN

* * * * *

BOOK I

CHAPTER I

SECTION I.--_Of the Womb._

In this chapter I am to treat of the womb, which the Latins call
_matrix_. Its parts are two; the mouth of the womb and the bottom of it.
The mouth is an orifice at the entrance into it, which may be dilated
and shut together like a purse; for though in the act of copulation it
is big enough to receive the glans of the yard, yet after conception, it
is so close and shut, that it will not admit the point of a bodkin to
enter; and yet again, at the time of a woman's delivery, it is opened to
such an extraordinary degree, that the child passeth through it into the
world; at which time this orifice wholly disappears, and the womb seems
to have but one great cavity from the bottom to the entrance of the
neck. When a woman is not with child, it is a little oblong, and of
substance very thick and close; but when she is wit