Women as Patients:Women as Patients:

Obstetrics & MidwiferyObstetrics & Midwifery

Medicine on WomenMedicine on Women

Obsession with women’s Obsession with women’s reproductive functionsreproductive functions

Concerns about populationConcerns about population

Masculine concerns about male Masculine concerns about male reproductive powerreproductive power

MenstruationMenstruation

Many ancient cultures viewed Many ancient cultures viewed menstruation as uncleanmenstruation as unclean

Also possibly dangerousAlso possibly dangerous

Hypothesis that men used menstrual Hypothesis that men used menstrual lore to:lore to:– Draw distinctionsDraw distinctions– Police boundariesPolice boundaries– Enforce separation of the sexesEnforce separation of the sexes

PlatoPlato– SpeculativeSpeculative– Uterus seat of women’s sexual instinctUterus seat of women’s sexual instinct– Wandering uterusWandering uterus

HippocratesHippocrates– Regularity of mensesRegularity of menses– Position of uterusPosition of uterus– Therapies aimed at regulating theseTherapies aimed at regulating these

SoranusSoranus– MethodistMethodist– Contemporary of GalenContemporary of Galen– Believed that women’s health, like Believed that women’s health, like

men’s, was not centred around their men’s, was not centred around their reproductive functionreproductive function

ReproductionReproduction

Speculation about the relative Speculation about the relative contribution of males and females to contribution of males and females to reproductionreproduction– They called it generationThey called it generation

What determines sex of the child?What determines sex of the child?

HippocraticsHippocratics– Both male and female contributed a Both male and female contributed a

seedseed– EgalitarianEgalitarian

AristotleAristotle

– One seed modelOne seed model– Women inferior to menWomen inferior to men– Women defective in heatWomen defective in heat– Semen concocted from bloodSemen concocted from blood

– Women simply the material that the Women simply the material that the hotter male semen could work onhotter male semen could work on

– Female child resulted if not enough heat Female child resulted if not enough heat generatedgenerated

GalenGalen

– Two seed modelTwo seed model– Women still biologically inferiorWomen still biologically inferior– Women’s reproductive organs were Women’s reproductive organs were

defective version of the male’sdefective version of the male’s

– Male seed produced in right testis & Male seed produced in right testis & female seed produced in right testis and female seed produced in right testis and implanted on right side of uterus implanted on right side of uterus produced a maleproduced a male

Used anatomical explanationUsed anatomical explanation

Right testis in male and female Right testis in male and female nourished by arterial bloodnourished by arterial blood

Left testes nourished by venous Left testes nourished by venous bloodblood

Medical Treatment of Women in the Medical Treatment of Women in the 1919thth Century Century

Impact of Darwinianism on ideas Impact of Darwinianism on ideas about human reproductionabout human reproduction

Increased interest of medical Increased interest of medical profession on women’s normal livesprofession on women’s normal lives

Proliferation of medical advice on Proliferation of medical advice on many aspects of women’s lifemany aspects of women’s life

Celibacy/marriage/child bearing/child Celibacy/marriage/child bearing/child rearingrearing

ExerciseExercise

DressDress

Active promotion of the idea that Active promotion of the idea that biology is destinybiology is destiny

Era of full emergence of the Era of full emergence of the specialties of obstetrics and specialties of obstetrics and gynecologygynecology

Medicalization of ChildbirthMedicalization of Childbirth

1. Emergence of obstetrics1. Emergence of obstetrics

Seminar papers will be considered Seminar papers will be considered herehere

2. Relieving the pain of childbirth2. Relieving the pain of childbirth

Use of anaesthetics became possible Use of anaesthetics became possible in the mid-19in the mid-19thth century century– Nitrous oxide known in 1799Nitrous oxide known in 1799

Used as anaesthetic in 1844Used as anaesthetic in 1844

– Ether used in 1842Ether used in 1842– Chloroform introduced in 1847Chloroform introduced in 1847

James Simpson recommended James Simpson recommended chloroform for childbirthchloroform for childbirth

Presented physicians with moral Presented physicians with moral dilemmadilemma– Concern for the infantConcern for the infant– Religious beliefsReligious beliefs

Snow used chloroform during Snow used chloroform during delivery of Queen Victoria in 1853 & delivery of Queen Victoria in 1853 & 18581858

Ended the debateEnded the debate

Concerns that women would lose Concerns that women would lose inhibitions under anaesthesiainhibitions under anaesthesia

Seemed more likely that men would Seemed more likely that men would lose theirs in the presence of an lose theirs in the presence of an anaesthetized womananaesthetized woman

Canadian case in 1858 (Montreal)Canadian case in 1858 (Montreal)– Dentist sexually violated a female Dentist sexually violated a female

patient under anaestheticpatient under anaesthetic– Inspired medical community to create Inspired medical community to create

guidelines for administration of guidelines for administration of anaesthetics to womenanaesthetics to women

3. Contraception3. Contraception

Often portrayed as a feminist issueOften portrayed as a feminist issue

Actually much more complex & Actually much more complex & subtlesubtle

InvolvedInvolved– Organized religionOrganized religion– ClassClass– EugenicsEugenics– Professional powerProfessional power

As much a political as a medical As much a political as a medical storystory

Medical technologies prior to oral Medical technologies prior to oral contraceptives developed by womencontraceptives developed by women– Technological advances on these made Technological advances on these made

in 19in 19thth and 20 and 20thth century century

Rest of material presented will be an Rest of material presented will be an examination of contraception in examination of contraception in Canada integrating considerations of:Canada integrating considerations of:– Organized religionOrganized religion– ClassClass– EugenicsEugenics– Professional powerProfessional power