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All the skill of the physicians who had been summoned proved futile; the lady was at the point of death; at last, in sheer despair, they summoned a midwife of great repute among the peasantry, but whose practice did not include the gentry.
There are many postures in which women are delivered; some sitting in a chair, supported by others, or resting on the bed; some again upon their knees and resting on their arms; but the safest and most commodious way, is in the bed, and then the midwife ought to observe the following rules: Let her lay the woman upon her back, with her head a little raised by means of a pillow, with similar supports for her loins and buttocks, which latter should also be raised, for if she lies low, she cannot be delivered so easily.
On the same day, October 18th, the midwife gave me the following certificate, which I still possess: It was worded as follows: "We, J. B. Dorival, Councillor to the King, Commissary of the Chatelet, formerly Superintendent of Police in the City of Paris, do certify that there has been taken to the Hospital for Children a male infant, appearing to be one day old, brought from the Faubourg St.
I heard a great deal of conversation in the dressing-room adjoining mine, while performing my own toilet, and presently Mr. opened my room-door, ushering in a dirty fat good-humoured looking old negress, saying, 'The midwife, Rose, wants to make your acquaintance. 'Oh massa! shrieked out the old creature in a paroxysm of admiration, 'where you get this lilly alablaster baby! For a moment I looked round to see if she was speaking of my baby; but no, my dear, this superlative apostrophe was elicited by the fairness of my skin so much for degrees of comparison.
Petersburg." Professor Meigs, 1854. "I arrived at that certainty in the matter, that I could venture to foretell what women would be affected with the disease, upon hearing by what midwife they were to be delivered, or by what nurse they were to be attended, during their lying-in; and, almost in every instance, my prediction was verified." Gordon, 1795.
That she had an object in desiring her company that night, may seem probable from the conversation which arose as they plodded their way thither along the sands. "I h'ard a queer tale aboot Meg Horn at Duff Harbour the ither day," said the midwife, speaking thus disrespectfully both to ease her own heart and to call forth the feelings of her companion, who also, she knew, disliked Miss Horn.
"And when you're a midwife, Froken Hagen might quite well marry a doctor, you know." "Silly! There's no chance with hands like mine." "Do you think your hands are too big for you to marry a doctor?" "Uf! you ARE a crazy thing. Ha-ha-ha!" "Ha-ha-ha!" They both snuggled down under the clothes, with the sense of ease and peace that comes from sharing a room with a good friend in a happy humour.
"'Afterwards the king made us register our oath, the chancellor signing it first, then the queen's confessor, and I last. The oath was also signed by the surgeon and midwife who attended on the queen, and the king attached this document to the report, taking both away with him, and I never heard any more of either.
She told me that the aspect of the dead sister was dreadful, and that she had to be guarded by two women who sprinkled her with holy water, lest witches, under the form of cats, should come and tear her limb from limb. Far from laughing at her, I told her she was quite right, and asked where she had got the laudanum. "I got it from a worthy midwife, and old friend of mine.
The womenfolk must have read something in his eyes, or caught something in his tone that pleased them: for the midwife's mouth had a peculiar quirk and the other women all burst out laughing. "Say Jan, have you never cared so much for somebody that your heart has been set athrobbing because of her?" asked the midwife. "No indeed!" said Jan.
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