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ation, and proceeds slowly but not timidly in it, he can hardly 
fail to succeed. Hurry in any operation, is a very common sign — 
both of want of information and of fear. ol oak oe aie 
Many times, when the pains have died away without expelling the 
hild, and although the pelvis is sufficiently capacious for its passage, 
sower of Nature seem to be insufficient for the effort, I have 
‘seen the delivery effected almost instantaueously by stopping the 
‘breath of the woman with the hand, or a gag, and producing a 
gartial strangulation. The struggle and commotion thus created 
= Feiiever failed, in my knowledge, of expelling the child. This 
-will appear a harsh method—but in an extremity the means must 
be adequate to the end. The breathing, however, must not be 
_ stopped over a minute, lest it be beyond recovery ; and as soon as 
_ the head appears, it should be desisted from ; taking care to use re- 
oratives, as in fainting, to revive the woman. 
er OF PRETERNATURAL LABORS. 
Pe presentation of children at the time of birth may be of three 
_ Kinds, viz. 1. With the head. 2. With the breech, or lower extre= 
mities. 3. With the shoulder, or upper extremities. 
Presentations of the first kind are called natural ; those of the se- 
cond and third kind, preternatural. 9 
_ The signs of preternatural presentations are very uncertain, and 
_ cannot be determined till we are able to feel the presenting part. 
_ We may then form our judgment. by the following marks: The 
__ head may be distinguished by its rounduess, firmness, and bulk ; the 
breech may be known by the bulk, the cleft between the buttocks, 
and by the parts of generation. The foot by its length, by the heel, 
‘tness of the toes, and the want of a thumb ; and the hand by 
ss, by the thumb, and the length of the fingers. gig 
Tn the 
ie 
first order of preternatural presentations are included, the 
breech, one hip, the knee, and one or both Jegs. Such labors are 
not to be interrupted, but allowed to proceed as if the presentation - 
were natural ; unless the necessity of giving assistance should arisé 
from some circumstance independent of the presentation. By acting 
-0n this principle, when the breech of the child is expelled by the 
pains, the parts are sufficiently distended to allow the body and head. — 
follow without any danger from delay ; whereas, if the feet were 
ight down in the beginning of labor, the difficulty with which it 
Would be expelled or could be extracted, increasing as it advanced; 
__ the child would probably die before the woman was delivered, and 
___ she would be in danger of suffering mischief. ee 
= ae bors, the child, unless it be small, will not unfrequently - 
bo en the breech or-lower extremities present; but 
t labors, they will usually be born living, if no other 
rard circumstance occurs. Injuries of the presenting part will 
Sometimes occur, particularly of the penis and scrotum ; but these, 
although alarming, will be soon recovered by a soothing treatment. 
_ Should there be reason to think the child dead, or the power: 
€ mother insufficient to expel it, we must then giv ‘s 
