Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 400.5

LOUISE BOURGEOIS BOURSIER (1563-1636) Obseruations diuerses sur la sterilité, perte de fruict, fœcondité, accouchements, et maladies des femmes, et enfants nouueaux naiz / amplement traictees et heureusement praticquees par L. Bourgeois, dite Boursier ... ; œuure vtil et necessaire a toutes personnes. Chez A. Saugrain 1609 [12], 120, [4] leaves (the last leaf blank and wanting) : 2 ports. (metal cuts) 18 cm.

Engraved title, engraved portraits of Marie de Medici and of the author by S. Hacquin. (Some lower margins with wormtracks skilfully repaired, some letters in facsimile.) FIRST EDITION of the first book on obstetrics published by a midwife. Louise Bourgeois was the midwife who attended Marie de Medici, the wife of Henri IV. She was one of the pioneers of scientific midwifery; her Observations was the vade mecum of contemporary midwives. She introduced premature labour in patients with contracted pelvis or uterine hemorage, an idea probably derived from Paré. She was one of the first women to be trained at the school for midwives which was opened at the Hôtel Dieu. She was the “sworn midwife” to the city of Paris & in 1601 she officiated at the birth of the dauphin, later to be Louis XIII. [Author also known as Louise Bourgeoise.]

Cited references: Waller 1365; NLM 17th C. 1625; Garrison & Morton 6145

John Martin M.D. Endowment