[Rarebooks] FS: Childbirth and Abortion in America, 1810

[Charles Agvent]

 From our catalog of 75 select items in a variety of fields, posted this 
week:
http://www.charlesagvent.com/shop/agvent/catalogues.html?id=jwebzuyb&mv_pc=195

BREVITT, Joseph. THE FEMALE MEDICAL REPOSITORY. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A 
TREATISE ON THE PRIMARY DISEASES OF INFANTS: ADAPTED TO THE USE OF THE 
FEMALE PRACTITIONERS AND INTELLIGENT MOTHERS; THE TECHNICAL TERMS ARE 
EXPLAINED, AND AN ATTEMPT HATH BEEN MADE TO REDUCE THESE BRANCHES OF 
"THE HEALING ART," TO CONCISENESS AND PERSPICUITY. Baltimore [Md.]: 
Hunter & Robinson, 1810. First Edition. Duodecimo (3-3/4" x 6-1/4") 
bound in full calf leather recently and sympathetically rebacked 
retaining the original morocco spine label; 252 pages. Complete but for 
the rear endpaper. An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater 
Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform: "Brevitt 
provides chapters on the anatomies of the female pelvis, the fetal head 
and the female organs of generation; menstruation and its disorders; 
diseases of the female genitalia; pregnancy and its disorders; 
'practical midwifery' (including praeturnatural labors, the use of 
forceps and caesarian section); the puerperium; and the diseases of 
infants," as well as postnatal care of infants. Brevitt also presents 
strategies for abortion, despite his footnote: "I feel constrained to 
note here the horrid depravity of human weakness, in wretches lost to 
every sense of religion, morality, and that mutual attachment from a 
mother to her offspring, and every tender tie in nature, seek the means 
to procure abortion: nor are there wanting in the other sex, infernals 
wicked enough to aid their endeavours" (page 117n). One of the methods 
suggested is "electricity" which would "restore discharge," an idea that 
would be picked up by later nineteenth century entrepreneurs who 
developed several contraptions designed to help "obstructed" women. 
Moderate to heavy foxing, some staining to upper half of pages toward 
the end; binding Fine. Overall Very Good.
Austin 271; Shaw & Shoemaker; 19633. (#017271)        $750.00

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