Midwives setting the record straight

Much of medical practice during this time period was still rooted in the ideas of men from ancient Rome and Greece–that menstrual blood was harmful. But people who menstruated knew that this was not the case. 

Midwife Jane Sharp (c. 1641-1671) published her book “The Midwives Book, or, The Whole Art of Midwifry Discovered” in 1671 with the purpose of instructing women on conceiving, obstetric care, birth and postpartum care. She writes:

“some say this [menstrual] blood is venomous, and will poison plants it falls upon, discolour a fair looking glass by the breath of her that hath her courses… but were the blood venomous it self, it could not remain a full month in the womans body, and not hurt her; nor yet the Infant, after conception, for then it flows not forth, but serves for the child’s nutriment”

Though doctors of the time may have preached of the toxicity of menstrual blood, the real experts knew better. 

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Title page of the first edition of Jane Sharp's “The midwives book, or the whole art of midwifry discovered”, 1671