Sinclair, Sir William J.: Semmelweis. His Life and his Doctrine (Manchester, 1909)
VIII. Forerunners and Contemporaries
ITALY 327 tant, nec patiantur sibi a viris auxiliatrices manus admoveri.” To this the Emperor replied: Utinam non essent adeo pudicae! (Herrgott II., p. 387). Which may be strongly translated: ‘‘I wish to God they were not so modest.” In a country in which midwifery was not a compulsory subject for a degree examination, and where such sentiments prevailed among the people, what progress could be expected even in the mere mechanical part of obstetric practice to say nothing of clinical observation and intellectual acumen required to establish the true etiology of puerperal fever. The science of obstetrics could only be imported from the West. Italy. Italy has in comparatively recent times contributed much to the advancement of obstetrics and gynaecology, but largely, if not exclusively, on the surgical side. To Italy we owe Porro’s Caesarean section, and much more in operative midwifery. If we examine such a work as that of Corradi, Dell’ Ostetricia in Italia dalia meta dello seorso Secolo fino all9 Presente (Midwifery in Italy from the middle of last century to the present time), published at Bologna in 1822^-we find only the same story of backwardness in midwifery instruction and practice, such as we have seen in Germany and other Continental countries, and from almost identical causes—the division of the Italian people into many small states, the pre-occupation of the men with feuds and fights, when there was no actual civil war on hand, neglect of education, and the position assigned to women in connection with child-birth and the health of ailing women generally. There was no employment in obstetrics for the male intellect. The foundations of possible progress were laid by Maria Theresa, who commanded (ordinö) that a school of midwifery for midwives should be instituted in the Spedale Maggiore of Milan in 1767. Among the early instructors there we find the name of Assalini. Progress, though slow, ultimately became visible
