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[Illustration:

  And Adam knew Eve his wife,
  and she conceived, and bare Cain.
  _Chapter IV_ GENESIS. _1st verse_]




  THE
  MATRON'S MANUAL
  OF
  MIDWIFERY,
  AND THE
  DISEASES OF WOMEN DURING PREGNANCY
  AND IN
  CHILDBED,

  BEING A FAMILIAR AND PRACTICAL TREATISE, MORE
  ESPECIALLY INTENDED FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF
  FEMALES THEMSELVES, BUT ADAPTED ALSO
  FOR POPULAR USE AMONG STUDENTS
  AND PRACTITIONERS OF MEDICINE.

  By FREDERICK HOLLICK, M. D.,

  LECTURER ON PHYSIOLOGY AND FEMALE DISEASES,--AND
  AUTHOR OF THE DISEASES OF WOMAN,--OUTLINES
  OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
  FOR POPULAR USE,--NEUROPATHY,--AND
  THE ORIGIN OF LIFE.

  ILLUSTRATED BY OVER 50 SPLENDID ENGRAVINGS.

  NEW YORK:
  PUBLISHED BY T. W. STRONG,
  NO. 98 NASSAU STREET.
  BOSTON:--NO. 64 CORNHILL.
  1849.




  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848,
  By FREDERICK HOLLICK, M. D.,
  in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the
  Southern District of New York.

  The price of this Book is One Dollar.--It may be obtained of all
  Booksellers, or of T. W. STRONG, 98 Nassau-st., N. Y., who will also
  send it by Post to any part of the country, on receiving One Dollar
  and the Address.--N. B. All Dr. Hollick's other Books will be sent by
  T. W. Strong in the same way.




PREFACE.


A short time ago I published a popular treatise on _The Diseases of
Woman_, in the non pregnant state, and in that work I announced my
intention of shortly publishing a similar one on _Pregnancy and its
diseases_. This book is the fulfilment of that promise.

Being the first _popular_, and yet strictly _scientific_ and
_practical_ book on Midwifery ever published, its preparation has
necessarily been a work of great labour and difficulty. Everything
had to be simplified; familiar explanations had to be given of
complicated processes, and illustrations had to be designed that could
be understood by my readers. Little or no assistance could be obtained
from other works on the subject, because they were either designed for
professional men; and therefore too technical, or else were too general
in their explanations, and too unsystematical, to be of any practical
use. I therefore had to write every part afresh myself, and plan a new
arrangement; and so difficult was this to do, satisfactorily, that I
have _twice before_ completed the whole work, and then commenced at the
beginning again, before I was satisfied with my own production.

As it now stands, I trust this treatise answers the purposes for
which it was intended. I have taken care to make it so complete, and
scientific, that a medical student may take it for his text book; and
at the same time I have endeavoured to so simplify it that any female,
of ordinary capacity, can fully understand both its explanations and
practical directions. All purely technical words have been avoided, or,
when absolutely necessary, they have been carefully explained. Every
topic connected with the main subjects has been discussed, and the
latest information given on every point, and from every source.

Such a work as this has long been needed. Females have been kept in
shameful ignorance, of everything connected with their own systems, and
of the wonderful phenomena in which they play so important a part. That
ignorance has led to untold evils, which can never be corrected till
they become more enlightened respecting themselves. Fortunately many
of them begin to see this, and they request, in behalf of themselves
and their sisters, that such knowledge be no longer withheld. I have
been now, for a long time, engaged in this pleasing task of female
instruction, both by my Lectures and books, and in my daily communion
with them as patients; I am therefore aware both of their great lack of
proper information, and of their strong desire for it, and I flatter
myself I also know, from experience and careful observation, the
best mode of imparting it to them. In fact, I have made it a matter
of careful study, not only to render my subject _plain_, but also
_pleasing_ and _unobjectionable_; so that the most unreflecting shall
feel an interest in it, and the most sensitive be able to study it
without pain or repugnance.

The object of this book is not to make _every_ woman a professional
Midwife, nor to induce her to dispense with proper assistance in her
hour of difficulty, but simply to explain to her the nature and manner
of child-birth, and the means by which she is to be assisted. This will
disabuse her mind of many pernicious errors--make her more patient
under her unavoidable difficulties and pains--more docile to what is
required of her, since she will see the _reason_ for it--and it will
also enable her to avoid much positive suffering, and to render great
help, in many cases, to her attendant.--In a case of emergency also,
when other assistance