Midwifery, Obstetrics and the Rise of Gynaecology - The Uses of a 16th Century Compendium

The Gynaeciorum libri, the 'Books on [the diseases of] women,' a compendium of ancient and contemporary texts on gynaecology, is the inspiration for this intensive exploration of the origins of a subfield of medicine.

This collection was first published in 1566, with a second edition in 1586/8 and a third, running to 1097 folio pages, in 1597.

Contents

• Introduction:Towards gynaecology Prefacing women: owners and users;
• Medical history and obstetric practice in William Smellie
• Guilty of 'male-practice'? Burton's attack on Smellie
• Delighting in a 'bit of antiquity': Sir James Young Simpson
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Index