A Treatise on the Art of Midwifery

In this candid 1760 pamphlet a seasoned London midwife writes directly to expectant parents, urging them to examine the care of pregnancy and childbirth with their own reason rather than blind trust. She exposes the growing trend of male‑dominated obstetrics and the hazardous use of instruments, arguing that such innovations often serve fashionable pretence rather than the safety of mother and child. Drawing on years of hands‑on experience, she frames her plea as a moral duty to protect both women and their infants from needless danger.

The work blends practical advice with a forceful, almost personal, appeal for common‑sense judgment. Its clear, persuasive prose offers a rare glimpse into eighteenth‑century debates over medical authority, gender roles, and the ethics of birth‑assistance. Listeners will hear a passionate advocate who, despite the conventions of her time, insists that rational inquiry should guide the most intimate moments of life.