Lectures on Obstetrics

On the flyleaf: "De Arte Obstetricandi." The bottom of the leaf, which may have contained the writer's name, has been cut away. The manuscript is the work of two writers; folios 1-30 are written by the same hand as MS.MSL.113, in the middle of a sentence, the text is continued by another hand to the end. The contents are as follows:- Lecture 1, Rise and Progress of Obstetrics (fo. 1-2); Authors (fo. 3-9); Structure and form of the pelvis (fo. 10-14); 2, De Partibus Generationis (fo. 14-24); 3, The Gravid Uterus (fo. 25-34); Of Conception and Touching (fo. 35-38); 4, Diseases of Pregnancy (fo. 39-53); 5, Theory of Labour (fo. 55-61); Management of Natural Labour (fo. 62-69); 6, Introduction to Touching (fo. 70-72); 7, [Clinical demonstration] fo. 73); 8, The Use of Forceps (fo. 74-76); General Rules for the Application of Forceps (fo. 76-81); 9, Fontinelle Presentation (fo. 82-87); 10, Praeternatural Labour (fo. 88-91); 11, Premature Births (fo. 92-97); 12, The same, continued (fo. 98-102); 12, On Turns (fo. 103-106); 13, On the Narrow Pelvis (fo. 107-114); 14, Diseases after Delivery (fo. 115-121); 16, The same, continued (fo. 122-127); 17, The same, continued fo. 128-130); 18, The Management of Children (fo. 131-133). The terminal sentence read as follows: "As to Men Midwives your behaviour to one another I need not say any thing about; doubting not but in all respects you will behave to one another like Gentlemen, and in all things as much as in your Power, Keep up the Dignity of your profession."

Mid 18th century - late 18th century

133 folios Folio. 32.5 × 20 cm. Original vellum binding, rebacked.

There is no name or date, but the lecturer is probably Thomas Young (cf. MS.MSL.105). Professor Helen King, however, points out (Oct 2005), that it is not Young, and text much more similar to that of Colin Mackenzie, in MS.3392, for example in claiming that Hippocrates was the first man-midwife.

Described in: Warren R. Dawson, Manuscripta medica. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the Library of the Medical Society of London (London, 1932).