Two 18th century works on Midwifery (Hamilton and White)
Letters to Dr William Osborn, Teacher and Practitioner of Midwifery in London, on Certain Doctrines Contained in his Essays on the Practice of Midwifery, &c. From Alexander Hamilton, M. D. F. R. S. Edin. Professor of Midwifery in the University, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Printed for Peter Hill; and J. Murray, London. (undated; not before Oct 27, 1792).
BOUND WITH
An Inquiry into the Nature and Cause of that Swelling, in One or Both of the Lower Extremities, Which Sometimes Happens to Lying-In Women. Together with an Examination into the Propriety of Drawing the Breasts, Of those who do, and also of those who do not give Suck. By Charles White, Esq. F.R.S. Member of the Corporation of Surgeons in London; Surgeon to the Infirmary, and Lunatic Hospital, and Vice-President of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester: Honorary Member of the Royal Medical Society; of the Physico-Chirurgical Society; and of the Society for the Encouragement of the Study of Natural History, of Edinburgh: and Correspondent Member of the Royal Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland. Warrington: Printed by W. Eyres, for C. Dilly in the Poultry, London. 1784.
Octavo in early full brown leather. Leather rather extensively scuffed and chipped along spine and at corners and edges. Joints cracked. Rear hinge cracked but board attached. Front hinge strong. “Ex Lribris John Studd” bookplate on front paste down. Prior dealer’s pencil notes on ffep. Red speckled page edges. Blued paper. Early ink owner’s name (Dr. Jeffrey) on A1 and scribbled over in pencil. Interior clean, bright, and tight throughout, but the second work is incomplete: lacking pages 77 – 87 and 3 plates from the end of the second book.
Ffep, half title, title, A – T^4, U^3, half title, title, dedication, B – E^8, F^5, G1, rfep. (text, pagination, and catchwords continuous from F5 – G1)
First work 157 pages; second work 76 pages.
The final letter of the first work is dated Oct 27, 1792. Not in G-M or Heirs but see Heirs 1033: “Alexander Hamilton (1739 – 1802). Although the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary appointed its first professor of midwifery in 1726, it was not until 1783 that Alexander Hamilton actually established the Edinburgh School of Midwifery, complete with a separate maternity hospital. Hamilton was the first to distinguish and describe uterine and vaginal discharge and he promoted the concept of the perineum as supporting the pelvic structure.
The second work is the first edition and is G-M 6271: “Charles White (1728-1813). First clinical description of phlegmasia alba dolens. White ascribed it to destruction of the lymphatics due to pressure of the foetal head.” White also published on reducing shoulder dislocation, excision of the humeral head, and cleanliness in the lying-in chamber.
