• Home
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Austensites
  • AV/E-Texts
  • History
  • JA Novels & Bio
  • Links
  • Original Sources/19th C. Texts
  • Social Customs During the Regency
  • Teacher/Student
  • Writer/Literature Resources

Jane Austen's World

This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Dave Garrick’s Villa at Hampton on The Thames, Part Two
Interview With Colin Firth, The King’s Speech »

A Male Doctor Examines a Woman, Circa 1800

November 27, 2010 by Vic

Copyright (c) Jane Austen’s World. In A Triple Tragedy: How Princess Charlotte’s Death in 1817 Changed Obstetrics, I discussed the two approaches to obstetrics in the early 19th century – the conservative approach, which meant no intervention, and the more radical intervention approach. I included no image of a physician examining a woman.

Morbid Anatomy, one of my new favorite sites, features three images of a physician examining a woman (circa 1800). These images came without attribution, but are interesting nevertheless. Click here to see them all.

Internal examination of a woman, circa 1800

In the early 1800’s there was also a growing number of formally trained doctors who took great pains to distinguish themselves from the host of lay practitioners. The most important real distinction was that the formally trained, or “regular” doctors as they called themselves, were male, usually middle class, and almost always more expensive than the lay competition. The “regulars'” practices were largely confined to middle and upper class people who could afford the prestige of being treated by a “gentleman” of their own class. By 1800, fashion even dictated that upper and middle class women employ male “regular” doctors for obstetrical care—a custom which plainer people regarded as grossly indecent.” – Witches, Midwives, and Nurses A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English

More on the topic:

  • Jane Bennet’s Apothecary in Pride and Prejudice
  • The Physician in the 19th Century

Share with others:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Georgian Life, jane austen, Jane Austen's World, personal hygiene, Regency Customs, Regency Life, Regency World | Tagged 19th century obstetrics, 19th century physician, Regency doctors, Regency Medical treatment, Regency medicine | 10 Comments

10 Responses

  1. on November 27, 2010 at 22:37 Karen

    Thanks for this post. I’ve noticed that many of the “sequels” to Pride and Prejudice have Darcy hiring a doctor for Elizabeth’s pregnancy of their progeny. I wondered how common that practice was.


  2. on November 28, 2010 at 02:04 Liana

    Nice post. I always wondered though, with practices being so prim and proper, why there was no such thing as female doctors, since it would be quite proper for them to examine female patients, without no inteference from males. Ah well.


    • on November 28, 2010 at 09:02 Vic

      Interestingly, Karen, midwives were the primary obstetricians for all classes until the 18th century, when male physicians began to be solicited by upper class pregnant women. The lower classes continued to use midwives, but by the early 19th century, these lay doctors largely served the poor. Princess Caroline’s horrible death changed how male physicians treated women during childbirth, and changed the course of obstetrics.


  3. on November 28, 2010 at 06:19 Tony Grant

    Being a man I’m not sure I should comment.

    The expression on the woman’s face is priceless. I am the father of four. No, I know. I’ll shut up now. That doesn’t come anywhere near counting does it. Very interesting article, Vic.

    Tony


  4. on November 28, 2010 at 09:55 Grace Elliot

    Fascinating glimpse into another era. The picture says it all – more like a parlour game than a professional examination.
    Just a thought…I wonder who posed for the etching?
    Grace x


  5. on November 28, 2010 at 10:38 Tweets that mention A Male Doctor Examines a Woman, Circa 1800 « Jane Austen's World -- Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Liz Burns and Vic , Grace Elliot. Grace Elliot said: RT @janeaustenworld: A Male Doctor Examines a Woman, Circa 1800: http://t.co/jRQAUBN Interesting image on Jane Austen's World […]


  6. on November 28, 2010 at 13:07 Jean at The Delightful Repast

    I’ve never understood why childbirth was considered so ordinary and not worthy of a real doctor’s attendance when so many women were dying in childbirth! I think I would have had a real doctor AND a midwife or two with me!


  7. on November 28, 2010 at 22:01 Mary Simonsen

    When I was touring a Charles St. mansion in New Orleans, the owner showed us a nude female doll owned by a family in the 19th century. A woman would described to her husband where she was hurting, pointing to the doll, and the husband would take the doll to the doctor. Oh, if they had only allowed women to be doctors!

    All your posts are great, but these medical posts are highly informative. Thanks.


  8. on December 5, 2010 at 07:15 Mandy N

    Thanks for your interesting post…the look of patience and fortitude and on the face of that poor woman! Do I detect a slight hostility in her expression ?
    A male doctor may have been more fashionable, but rightly or wrongly, reckon I’d prefer a midwife….During an internal examination of a lady patient, i wonder if another woman (midwife?) or a companion were ever present ?
    I read the personal account of authoress Maria Edgeworth (?) circa 1800 for breast cancer and it reads like a gothic nightmare ! Her own servents tied her to a dining-table, and several doctors operated on her… She wasn’t given any anathestic but she fainted from her agony and lack of air and stuffiness of the room…About the doorway, medical students gawked and watched the procedure….Still, she survived her ordeal and as she lived to write, it was worth her life as she lived to old age. I can be glad if Obsterics improved for sake of women’s health, but I some practises may’ve been more convienent for a doctor…. on Morbid Anatomy, the third image (1820’s) shows a woman being examined lying down- I’ve read this position enabled a doctor to make a more thorough examination, not the comfort of the patient or a woman in childbirth.
    Call me a prude but I prefer a woman doctor for women’s issues although I also see our family doctor, such a nice guy !


  9. on June 22, 2011 at 11:50 The Apothecary’s Prayer « Jane Austen's World

    […] A Male Doctor Examines a Woman, Circa 1800 […]



Comments are closed.

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 7,155 other subscribers
  • Items of Interest

  • Follow Jane Austen's World on WordPress.com
  • Blog Stats

    • 16,764,808 hits
  • RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND RESOURCES

  • Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen's England is now available! By JAW contributor Brenda S. Cox. See Review. Available from Amazon and Jane Austen Books.
  • Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen, Rachel Dodge, and a bookmark with the quote "A whole family assembling regulary for the purpose of prayer is fine!" Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
    We also recommend JAW contributor Rachel Dodge's devotionals based on Jane Austen's prayers and classic literature. Reviews:
    Praying With Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen;
    The Secret Garden Devotional;
    The Anne of Green Gables Devotional;
    The Little Women Devotional.
  • Book cover of Bath: An Adumbration in Rhyme by John Matthews
    Bath -An Adumbration in Rhyme. Edited by Ben Wiebracht. Read the review of the book at this link. Click to order the book on Amazon US or Amazon UK
  • In Sri Lanka lies the grave of Rear Admiral Charles Austen CB, Jane Austen’s Brother

    The neglected tombstone found in an overgrown burial ground.

    Rear Admiral Charles Austen CB

    Died off Prome, the 7th October 1852, while in command of the Naval Expedition on the river Irrawady against the Burmese Forces, aged 73 years.”

    The grave after restoration

    Read the full article in The Sunday Times. June 27, 2021.

  • The Obituary of Charlotte Collins by Andrew Capes

    Click on image to read the story.

  • Comments

    “My idea of good company…is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

     

    Gentle readers: Please feel free to post your comments and continue the conversation! Due to SPAM, we will no longer accept comments on posts after 30 days of publication. In some instances, links will be removed from comments as well.

  • Administrators and Contributors

    Vic Sanborn, founder of this blog, is supported by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers about Jane Austen and the Regency era. They are:

    • Brenda Cox
    • Rachel Dodge and
    • Tony Grant, who now contributes his photos from London and England

    Click on their names to enter their own blogs.

    In addition, we thank the many experts and authors who frequently contribute their posts and opinions, and who continue to do so freely or at our request.

  • Pin It!

    Follow Me on Pinterest
  • Top Posts

    • Growing Older With Jane Austen, Part 1
      Growing Older With Jane Austen, Part 1
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
      Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
      Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Social Customs During the Regency
      Social Customs During the Regency
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
      Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
      Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • The Strange Wax Effigy of Sarah Hare, 18th Century Spinster
      The Strange Wax Effigy of Sarah Hare, 18th Century Spinster
    • Miss Lambe and the Black Experience in Georgian England: Episode 3, Sanditon Review
      Miss Lambe and the Black Experience in Georgian England: Episode 3, Sanditon Review
    • Great Expectations 2011: Gillian Anderson's Miss Havisham
      Great Expectations 2011: Gillian Anderson's Miss Havisham
    • Exploring Jane Austen's Prayers
      Exploring Jane Austen's Prayers
  • Recent Posts

    • Growing Older With Jane Austen, Part 1
    • Jane Austen and Rom Coms: Enemies-to-Lovers in Pride and Prejudice
    • Lady Hester Stanhope: Traveler and Trailblazer
    • Jane Austen-Themed Valentines
    • Winter, Regency Style
  • Links to Jane Austen Blogs

    Click here to enter the page. Topics include Regency fashion, historic foods, Jane Austen societies, British sites, related topics. Click on image.

  • May we suggest?

  • Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. I have adored Jane Austen almost all of my life. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me and my team. We do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, we do accept and keep books and CDs to review.

    If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email us. (Yes, we are fallible. We'll own up to our mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on our faces.) Write us at

    gmailbw

    Thank you for visiting this blog. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

  • Project Gutenberg: eBook of Stage-coach and Mail in Days of Yore, Volume 2 (of 2), by Charles G. Harper

    STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE: A PICTURESQUE HISTORY
    OF THE COACHING AGE, VOL. II, By CHARLES G. HARPER. 1903. Click on this link.

     

  • Top Posts & Pages

    • Growing Older With Jane Austen, Part 1
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Social Customs During the Regency
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • The Strange Wax Effigy of Sarah Hare, 18th Century Spinster
    • Miss Lambe and the Black Experience in Georgian England: Episode 3, Sanditon Review
    • Great Expectations 2011: Gillian Anderson's Miss Havisham
    • Exploring Jane Austen's Prayers
  • Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape
  • Disclaimer: Our team makes no profit from this blog. We may receive books (physical or digitized) and DVDs for review purposes.

  • Copyright Statement: © Jane Austen's World blog, 2009-2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jane Austen's World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


  • Follow Following
    • Jane Austen's World
    • Join 7,155 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Jane Austen's World
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: