|
American College
of
Community Midwives |
Addendum
#2 ~
California College of Midwives - Comments
for the record
MBC Public Hearing August 1,
2003
Published
by Cummings and Hilliard - Boston, 1820
"Remarks
on the Employment of Females as Practitioners in Midwifery
The
following quotes are excerpted from a pamphlet published by a physician in
1820. It attests to the common belief of medical professionals at the time
of publication (1820) concerning midwives. In particular, these quotes
reveal their objections to women being formally trained as midwives.
This rejection of women as "practitioners" was based on a series
of erroneous and/or self-serving ideas
Although
this was written nearly 200 years ago, the ideas it espouses still reflect
the opinions of the obstetrical profession.
Excerpts advancing the idea that
woman were unfit to practice midwifery:
"A man must be a universal
practitioner in midwifery, before he is qualified for a practitioner in
difficult cases."
"The profession of medicine
does not afford a field for the display and indulgence of those finer
feelings, which would be naturally called into operation by the
circumstances in which a practitioner is placed.""
"Where the responsibility
in scenes of distress and danger does not fall upon them, when there is some
one on whom they can lean, in whose skill and judgment they have entire
confidence, they retain their collection and presence of mind; but where
they become the principal agents, the feelings of sympathy are too
powerful for the cool exercise of judgment."
".
. . we cannot expect [female practitioners] to be possessed of this
essential part of their education. . . . it is obvious that we cannot
instruct women as we do men in the science of medicine; we cannot carry them
into the dissecting room and the hospital; many of our more delicate
feelings, much of our refined sensibility must be subdued, before we can
submit to the sort of discipline required in the study of medicine; in
females they must be destroyed; and I venture to say that a female could
scarce pass through the course of education requisite to prepare her, as
she ought to be prepared, for the practice of midwifery, without
destroying those moral qualities of character, which are essential to the
office."
"Heretofore, where midwifery has been in the hands of women, they
have only practiced among the poorer and lower classes of people; the
richer and better informed preferring to employ physicians, and this has
been the reason why it has not become universal; but if it is again
introduced among the rich and influential, it will become fashionable;
it will be considered as indelicate and vulgar to employ as physician, and the
custom will become general."
"It is sufficiently obvious if the employment of female practitioners
becomes fashionable, that it will create a fastidious nicety of feeling,
which will make it be thought indelicate to suffer the attendance of a
physician in any of these complaints."
"Women seldom forget a practitioner
who has conducted them tenderly and safely through parturition. . ."
"It is principally on this account that the
practice of midwifery becomes desirable to physicians. It is this which
ensures to them the permanency and security of all their other
business."
"It
is one of the first and happiest fruits of improved medical education in
America, that they were excluded from the practice; and it was only
by the united and persevering exertions of some of the most
distinguished individuals our profession has been able to boast, that
this was effected."