A text-book of practical obstetrics / by Egbert H. Grandin ... with the collaboration of George W. Jarman.

  • Grandin, Egbert H. (Egbert Henry), 1855-
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A text-book of practical obstetrics / by Egbert H. Grandin ... with the collaboration of George W. Jarman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    rises from his study confused by the wealth of statistics which, it has been well said, can be made to prove anything. The student, then, grounded in the facts and after practical ex- emplification of these facts, is surely better qualified for actual practice than he who is constantly endeavoring to make fact accord with theory. To-day the major part of obstetric practice is founded on fact Where divergent views obtain, the weight of authority is on the one or the other side: at least, it is safe to teach that which commends itself to the majority of teachers, even though in a very short time further experience may cause a modification in the teaching. The general practitioner, amidst the activities of his calling, when in search of information, wishes to secure it without the loss of time en- tailed in searching through a mass of theory and statistics. His per- sonal experience will teach him if the statement he reads in the work he consults is valid, or, in case he lacks such experience, knowing that the given statement commends itself to the majority of clinical teach- ers, he will not hesitate to test it. On such grounds the present work has been prepared. It aims at being a guide to practice. It is clinical in its teaching. It is direct in its statement wherever facts warrant such directness. Such should be the aim of all clinical teaching. Anatomical and embryological and pathological data are alone inserted when essential. Whenever there appears ground for difference of opinion as to fact, that which preponderates is given, even though liable to change. The results which are daily secured in general surgery through resort to timely operation are obtainable in obstetrics if the same principle be held in view. As regards obstetric surgery, its key-note is election. This section, further, being written from a teaching l>asi>. is necessarily imbued with the personality of the authors, and is. there- fore, not burdened with literature references and statistical data. The latter have alone been introduced, when necessary, in order to assist in the elucidation of some disputed point. The illustrations have been prepared and selected with the special end in view of teaching graphically. The works of Barnes. Charpentier, Lusk, Cazeaux, and Oscar Schaeffer, in particular, have furnished many of the wood-cuts, and the authors hereby express their obli- gation. The photographic plates have been prepared from nature under the personal supervision of the authors, and fidelity to nature has been the aim rather than attempt at artistic effect. It has not been deemed advisable to insert the numerous wood-cuts which from