Dr. Kinglake on obstetric practice, in reply to Dr. Merriman.

  • Kinglake, Robert, 1765-1842.
Date:
[1816]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Kinglake on obstetric practice, in reply to Dr. Merriman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    natural presentations, untoward labours, and the comparative successes of male and female practitioners, I shall advise a reference to the clear data of Dr. Merriinan, for which I have to express myself under an obligation ; and conclude this epistle with a few remarks on those unfounded charges against the whole body of male practitioners. Dr. King-lake says, that “ were the ordinary practice of midwifery to be confined to women, much less would be heard of preternatural labours, laborious and inefficient efforts for natural parturition, and of resorting to manual and in- strumental aid. Undisturbed nature would then proceed slowly, safely, and efficiently.” “ No violence would have been in any way added,” &c. &c. &,c. throughout the para- graph. Can such calumnious language be uttered decently by any man, much more by a searcher after philosophical truths ? or can one sit stoically and read strong insinuations thrown out against gentlemen of creating preternatural la- bours; of increasing the sufferings of a fellow-creature, and the weaker sex, by adding “ violence’' to pain; and thereby dealing out misery, “disease,” “mutilation,” and “de- formity”? But this is not the worst; he has really asserted that “ the skilful, the instrumental accoucheur” has (“ when no symptoms of imminent danger on the part of the mother have arisen”) “ bored the foetal head,” and taken away the life of a child unnecessarily ! ! That a person of Dr. King- lake’s acknowledged ability and eminent station should have advocated the cause he has, and especially with so much apparent rancour, must be a source of regret to scientific men, as it will most assuredly draw down censure and disgust from the whole medical world. April 13th, 1816. Lb\ ■For the London Medical and Physical Journal. Dr. King lake on Obstetric Practice, in Reply to l)r. Merriman. AT'OUR correspondent, Dr. Merriman, has reserved his J- comments on my observations on obstetric practice until he imagined that he could wield them with pedagogal severity, fie has kept aloof until he fancied he could combat my opinion with all tl\e crushing authority of an introductory lecture on the indispensable necessity of maii- midwilery practice. Many of his pupils will probably recog- nize, if not word for word, quotation for quotation, at least the general form and import of that gentleman’s solemn commendation of his favourate occupation, in the philippic