[Obstetric aid seen in relation to the Nissen-family in Hillerup and on Spøttrup from about 1771 to 1835].

Abstract

The very rich owner of the medieval castle Spøttrup in Sailing, Jutland died without any descendents. A lot has been written about the Nissen-family, but the circumstances by the deliveries of their children are not explained before. In the local churchbook six of seven deliveries from 1825 to 1835 are described as it was demanded to document and explain birth of dead children to control the skills of the midwives. Only one child survived the birth, and he died in the age of eight month. In the other six cases several ways of attempts to resuscitate the babies are described. One baby had its head crushed by the forceps, and at the last delivery the midwife did not show up, as she assisted at another place. The doctor then had to assist without help. The education of midwives in Denmark took place in Copenhagen, but in lack of a sufficient number, alternative education was given by local doctors ('stiftsfysicus') in Ribe and in Viborg, both in Jutland. The bishop of Viborg, Tetens, tried to help the local 'stiftsfysicus' to establish a school for midwives in Viborg in about 1783, but without success. A grandson of the bishop was the doctor, who unsuccessfully handled the forceps at a delivery at Spøttrup and who also had the honor to assist at the last delivery without the help from a midwife.