The proposed formation of an inferior order of midwifery practitioners, or, a plea for the supplying of the highest medical aid to all women during pregnancy and childbirth. / by Robert Reid Rentoul.

  • Rentoul, Robert Reid, -1925.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The proposed formation of an inferior order of midwifery practitioners, or, a plea for the supplying of the highest medical aid to all women during pregnancy and childbirth. / by Robert Reid Rentoul. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    second Midwives Bill was introduced on July lolh, 1890. This second Bill was referred to a Select Committee in March, 1892, before which Drs. L. Drage, H. Woods, G. Brown, myself and others gave evidence. Two reports of this Committee have been issued, one on June 17th, 1892, and the other in August, 1893. In February, 1891, we went as a Depu- tation to the Lord President (Lord Cranbrook) of the Privy Council, when he said that he would at once say, on behalf of the Government, that after the powerful arguments which had been put before him on the part of the Medical Profession, they would not support the Bill. (See B. M. J. February 21st, 1891). During 1S92 and 1893 we called the attention of the Medical Council to the action of Practitioners who were granting, and frequently selling Diplomas in Midwifeiy to women ; the Council resolved that such diplomas possess no legal value. Some of us opposed Registration of Midwives, because we thought it would lead to an increase in criminal abortion and infanticide, especially as no provision had been made in either Bill to prevent midwives from giving cer- tificates of Still-birth. Consequently I asked Dr. Sir C. Cameron, M.P., to move for a Parliamentary Return, showing the number of still-born children interred in the Burial Board Cemeteries in England and Wales during 1890. This Return was issued in July, 1891, and we have to thank the above Member of Parliament for it. Dr. Drage also asked Viscount Grimston, M.P., to move for a Return showing how still-births were registered in Foreign Countries. This Return was issued in July, 1893. Owing to our action the English Registrar-General issued a book of Forms for Medical Certificates of Still-births. In 1893 we also gave evidence before the Select Committee on Death Registration, showing the necessity for making provision for the Registration of Still- born Children. These references show you that we have not been idle, and that our work has been constructive ; whereas that of the supporters of Midwives Registration aims at being destructive. (Copies of the Midwives Bills, and any of the Returns referred to above can be obtained from Messrs. Eyre & Spottiswoode, East Harding Street, London, E.C., for a few pence each). The first part of the Motion before you shows, we take j/r^i^^objection to the term Registration of Midwives—as it \sgrossly misleading. At no time in this critical and anxious movement—a movement the most important since the Medical Act of 1886 was passed,—has the aim of the supporters of Midwives Registration been so simple as that of merely registering midwives. Ostensibly it has been so, but in reality their aim has been to establish by law a new and independent order of midwifery