Posted by Goody Sandy on January 04, 2000 at 14:27:47:
In Reply to: Re: Gossip! posted by Myrrh on January 04, 2000 at 12:20:48:
: I second all the Wows so far, Sandy, thanks for that piece!
: I'm particularly interested in midwifery history, as I'm writing a story the central character of which is a midwife, though it takes place in the 14th century...probably quite a difference from the 18th. Have you read about midwifery as it was in the 14th? Please email me privately if you have, or can point me to any sources you find particularly helpful. Thanks!
: Myrrh
Hi Marcia, Diana and Myrrh:
Thanks for your comments; I was glad to share those tidbits of information about the book.
Have any of you read the novel �Midwives� by Chris Bohjalian? It tells the story of a midwife charged with murder when, in a desperate attempt to save a baby�s life, she performed an emergency c-section on a mother she believed to have died from a stroke. Was the mother really dead or did the midwife inadvertently kill her? As a consequence of her actions, the midwife had to face the law, traditional doctors and her own conscience. The book was very well written; suspenseful and a real page-turner.
Myrrh: Your story sounds fascinating and I would love to read it when you�re done. I haven�t read anything about midwifery in the 14th century, but I�ll check the bibliography of the �Founding Mothers & Fathers� book for references to any source material that you might find useful. I�ll email you and let you know what I find.
Best wishes,
Goody Sandy