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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



organization. It is believed all the midwives in 

 Cheran were interviewed by the staff. Most of 

 them are elderly women past childbearing age. 

 Some 4 or 5 years before the study, all of the 

 midwives apparently had received instruction 

 from a doctor called in by the priest. This is 

 reflected to some extent in the methods used, 

 particularly in some efforts at asepsis and the 

 use of antiseptics. The following biographical 

 data were secured from the midwives, the indi- 

 viduals being referred to by number. 



No. 1. About 55 years of age; 4 years' 

 experience. Formerly was a curer. No one in 

 her family had been a midwife; she entered the 

 profession "by accident" and "knew how" by 

 the grace of the Holy Virgin. 



No. 2. Age unknowTi, but has had 20 years' 

 experience. Her mother was a midwife and 

 urged her to become one also. She became a 

 midwife because her small business was not 

 enough to keep her alive. She had been 

 married and had one daughter in 6 years of 

 marriage, apparently taking up midwifery after 

 loss of her husband. 



No. 3. About 55 years of age, 4 years' 

 experience. Learned by observing a grand- 

 mother who was a midwife. Other "grand- 

 parents" also tried to teach her. She believes, 

 in addition, she possesses a special "virtue" 

 for such work. Before becoming a midwife 

 she was a curer, devoting herself especially to 

 women who suffered abdominal pains from 

 overwork, using massage. She still does cur- 

 ing, but since her husband died, 5 years before, 

 has been a midwife. She likes the work. She 

 says the Virgin of Monserrato is the patroness 

 of the midwives. 



No. 4. New to the profession. Has attended 

 only two births; one of the patients accused 

 her at the court of causing swelling of the 

 organs because of inexperience and refused to 

 pay her fee. 



No. 5. Has been midwife 5 years. No 

 further data. 



No. 6. Has been a midwife 30 years. Was 

 assistant to another midwife for a long time. 

 One day a child was being born dead ; the sub- 

 ject took cotton and put a medicine she knew on 

 the head of the mother and the child was born 

 successfully. There was a quarrel, but finally 

 the midwife, who was very old, began to teach 



her; "but God gave me the power to know 

 medicines to aid births." Is from Nahautzen. 

 Is scornful of the local midwives, and is some- 

 times called into consultation in cases of difficult 

 births. 



For other midwives, no personal data were 

 secured. 



Midwives receive a fee for each prenatal 

 visit, as has been mentioned. For their aid at 

 births, they receive from $1.50 to $2.50. One 

 midwife charges $2 for a first birth, subsequent 

 charges being $1.50. Sometimes the parents 

 cannot pay even the $1.50, according to the 

 midwives, or do not pay for some time. Quar- 

 rels may result from failure to pay. 



According to some midwives, if there is time, 

 the midwife goes to church before the delivery, 

 saying prayers to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Our 

 Lady of Monserrato, and Santo Roberto, asking 

 help. Others say this is not done because there 

 is never time. Another carries with her a 

 picture of Santa Rita de Imposible and says a 

 prayer to her just before the delivery. Mid- 

 wives do not bathe in advance, but some are 

 careful to wash their hands in tepid water and 

 rub them with rafino, considered an antiseptic, 

 before the delivery. The midwife should not 

 smoke or drink alcohol before the delivery. 

 Midwives usually have as helper the mother or 

 mother-in-law of the patient. 



One midwife thought the mother should stay 

 in bed for 1 to 3 days before the delivery, but 

 others did not think so. Before going to bed, 

 a prayer to the Virgin is said by some mothers, 

 promising to bring the child up correctly. 

 Midwives also differed on the delivery position. 

 One said the position is always flat in bed, the 

 others said a kneeling position is common. 

 One midwife said both positions are used 

 "according to circumstances." The mother 

 decides the position, not the midwife. If the 

 birth is in kneeling position, the patient may 

 hold on to the metate in the position assumed in 

 grinding maize. Alternatively, two loops of 

 rope may be suspended from a house beam by 

 which the mother supports herself. Sometimes 

 the husband is seated on a low chair and sup- 

 ports the patient's shoulders, applying pressure 

 to the sides of the abdomen with his knees. 

 Normally, however, men are not present. 



