The Theory and Practice of Obstetrics Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 Excerpt: ...of the excavation, instead of advancing along the perineum towards the inferior strait, ascends in the curvature of the sacrum by executing the movement of rotation backwards, and being at the same time thrown back upon the posterior part of the chest. While this is going on, the forehead and face descend behind the pubis and pass downwards and backwards, until the chin engages under the arch, and then the head, which is completely turned back, traverses the perineal.strait, as in a face presentation. The disposition which the inclined plane of the cervix uteri impresses on the vertex in this position, continues M. Guillemot, is a, frequent cause of a similar transmutation above the abdominal strait. The slight backward inclination of the head, which always exists in these positions, may correct itself when the uterine contractions, by acting on the foetus, keep the chin applied to the neck; but, on the other hand, the reversion may be carried still further, or be entirely completed, if any obstacle impedes the descent of the occiput into the excavation; finally, in cases of uterine obliquity, where the inclination of the vertex is greater, the backward tendency, instead of disappearing, would be increased, and the occiput would then ascend and ihe forehead descend. Like the author quoted, I admit the fact, though I think it rare; but I cannot acknowledge, like him, the truth of the following proposition, i.e. that if the conditions of transmutation which then exist may be appreciated by a comparison of the face labors with those of the occipito-posterior positions, we should not depart far from the truth (Ibelieve it would be a wide departure) by announcing that, in every three occipito-posterior positions, one of them would give rise to a face presentatio...