womb is open enough to admit the midwife's
or operator's hand into it, or else by anointing the passage with oil or
hog's grease, to endeavour to dilate it by degrees, using her fingers to
this purpose, spreading them one from the other, after they are together
entered, and continue to do so until they be sufficiently dilated, then
taking care that her nails be well pared, no rings on her fingers and
her hands well anointed with oil or fresh butter, and the woman placed
in the manner directed in the former section, let her gently introduce
her hand into the entrance of the womb, where finding the child's feet,
let her draw it forth in the manner I shall presently direct; only let
her first see whether it presents one foot or both, and if but one foot,
she ought to consider whether it be the right foot or the left, and also
in what fashion it comes; for by that means she will soon come to know
where to find the other, which as soon as she knows and finds, let her
draw it forth with the other; but of this she must be specially careful,
viz., that the second be not the foot of another child; for if so, it
may be of the utmost consequence, for she may sooner split both mother
and child, than draw them forth. But this may be easily prevented if she
but slide the hand up by the first leg and thigh to the waist, and there
finding both thighs joined together, and descending from one and the
same body. And this is also the best means to find the other foot, when
it comes but with one.

As soon as the midwife has found both the child's feet, she may draw
them forth, and holding them together, may bring them little by little
in this manner, taking afterwards hold of the arms and thighs, as soon
as she can come at them, drawing them so till the hips come forth. While
this is doing, let her observe to wrap the parts in a single cloth, so
that her hands being always greasy slide not in the infant's body, which
is very slippery, because of the vicious humours which are all over it;
which being done, she may take hold under the hips, so as to draw it
forth to the beginning of the breast; and let her on both sides with her
hand bring down the child's hand along its body, which she may easily
find; and then let her take care that the belly and face of the child be
downwards; for if they should be upwards, there would be the same danger
of its being stopped by the chin, over the share-bone, and therefore, if
it be not so she must turn it