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6ii TtiE SIClv MAN^S COMPANION ^ * 



that early period of creation, this important buai* 

 neas \yas wholly confined in the hands of the wo- 

 men; an acquisition most devoutly to be wished 

 for at the present time; as we are woli aware, 

 that to a womau in the hour of travail, a female 

 friend and midwife would he far more acceptable 

 than a strange and unskilled Doctor whom she 

 bad not before heard tell of, ^or this reason 

 connected with many others, which a few mo- 

 inents reflection will teach almost every person, 

 and which we have not in this place, room to ex- 

 plain, wo do -most sincerely desire that the 

 whole business of midwifery be restored to the 

 hands ei the women, the rightful attendants, 

 from ><^hom it has been wrested by a merciless 

 and inexperienced association of thoughtles;? 

 phvSicians, who like the most of their predeces- 

 30/S, think of but little else than an attempt to 

 mieve the helpless and suffering females by 

 force, and in manv cases this is attempted with 

 sjuch unskilful means, that the suffering; infant 

 Ms completely destroyed, whilst the mother is on 

 the brink of the grave. From this unnatural 

 and unnecessary mode of practice, amoR;i: what 

 is commonly called the regular physicians-, may 

 be iraced the miserable and debilitated state of 

 many women, who after an operation of the 

 kind, are frequently unable to stan4l on their feet 

 for weeks and months, many of whom^ perhaps, 

 Tjever recover their strength again. This my 



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