Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. ; Professor of midwifery in the university, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

  • Hamilton, Alexander, 1739-1802.
Date:
MDCCXC [1790]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the theory and practice of midwifery / by Alexander Hamilton, M.D. F.R.S. Edin. ; Professor of midwifery in the university, and member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    date, fo deformed and protruded, as to render that bone quite ftraight, and from the fame daufe often convex inftead of concave. The caufes of narrow pelvifes are chiefly ricketty affections in infancy , alfo external violence \ fuch as fractures and diflocation of the bones, &c. The bones alfo become foftened by difeafe in the adult Rate ; and are then liable to narrownefs and diftor- tion, wen in women who have formerly had eafy labours*; but fuch cafes are rare. If the pelvis fhould not meafure above two inches and a half from pubes to facrum, and not above three laterally, it would be impoffible to fave the child at full growth, in any other manner than by enlarging the capacity of the pelvis by an incifion of the fymphyfis pubes. It is often extremely difficult to difcover a narrow pelvis, efpecially if the narrownefs be confined to the brim. We may fufpe& the distortion, from the make and lhape of the woman. The direction in which the fpine is diftorted frequently determines it. But the pelvis is not always affected by a morbid cur- vature of the fpine : if that extend, however, to the lumber vertebrae, the pelvis very fe'.dom efcapes : though the moft certain and infallible diaerioftic is the diftortion of the inferior extremities along with a twitted fpine. Worn en who are well proportioned in the * fide Vol. V. of the London Medical Obiervations and In- quiries, cafe of Caef. Op. by Dr Cooper.