The birth of a baby using forceps
France, 1781
Forceps only came into widespread usage in the 18th century and
were designed to aid delivery during a difficult or obstructed
labour. Jean-Louis Baudelocque (1745-1810) was a French doctor who
worked to make obstetrics a scientific discipline in France. He was
influenced by the work on the Scottish-born obstetrician William
Smellie (1697-1763). In 1806, Napoleon appointed Baudelocque to the
first chair of obstetrics in France. This plate is taken from
Baudelocque's 'L'art des accouchemens', published in Paris in
1781.