But the procedure was unknown to midwives and lithotomists (specialist
removers of bladder stones). Scipione Mercurio (1540-1615) described
the operation in his first text, published in 1596. Four strong
assistants had to hold down the writhing mother while the incision was
done. Another documented case - a failure - dates back to 1610.
Survival rates were, probably, abysmal. The next mention of the
dreaded surgery was in 1793 in Manchester, England. Jane Foster's
pelvis was crushed in an accident and then she survived a Caesarean
section by one, Dr. James Barlow. The baby was less fortunate.
In the meantime, the French obstetrician Baudeloque published a book
describing dozens of cases of successful caesarean section in the
previous 50 years. The book was translated to English.
An Edom, Virginia doctor, Jessee Bennet, recorded in the margin of his
copy that he performed a section on his wife thus:
"14 Jany 1794 JB on EB up 9 Feby walked 15 Feby Cured on 1 March." The
mother was sedated with laudanum and placed on two planks set across
two barrels. While at it, the good doctor removed his wife's ovaries
to prevent a recurrence of the ordeal.
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