Chapter 476 Forceps
Since Li San Niang said she would treat all the women to a meal at a restaurant, she naturally kept her word.
So, at noon, Li San Niang brought the sixteen or seventeen women of different ages, along with her own youngest daughter, Lu Zhu'er, to eat soup dumplings at a soup dumpling restaurant on the street where the Li Family Medical Hall, which was also the Women's Support Association, was located.
This Li's Soup Dumpling Restaurant wasn't very big to begin with. After Li San Niang and her group of seventeen or eighteen women went inside and sat down, only one four-person table remained empty.
"Each person gets a bowl of soup noodles, two people share a small dish of side dishes, and four people share a plate of mutton."
"What kind of food doesn't they like, like pepper, scallions, and garlic? Remember to tell Fugui yourselves."
Li San Niang, along with Lu Zhu'er, Li's mother, Li's eldest sister-in-law, and Li's second sister-in-law, sat at a small table. After greeting the remaining women, she spoke with Fu Gui'er, who was standing to the side and was also the third son of the Li Ji Tangbing restaurant, about what they wanted for their table.
For many people, going out to eat was a novel experience for young women like Jin Zhenbao and Yu Xuelian, who had always stayed at home.
The two watched nervously as others ordered, telling Fugui'er about their dietary restrictions, and quickly repeating them when it was their turn.
"I want more pepper, more soup, and less noodles for my portion."
When Yu Xuelian heard Jin Zhenbao say this, she said when it was her turn, "I just want to be the same as her."
"Snow Lotus, you like pepper too?"
Jin Zhenbao did not answer Xue Lian's question, but continued, "I love the pepper flavor the most. I don't really like eating noodles, but I love drinking soup. I can drink a whole bowl of soup."
Yu Xuelian couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing, and also a little envious of Jin Zhenbao.
After all, the fact that Jin Zhenbao could proudly say that he could drink a whole bowl of soup proves a lot.
However, Yu Xuelian also had her own pride, so she replied, "Yes, I can also drink a whole bowl of soup."
In the afternoon, instead of simply lecturing on theory, Li San Niang began to recount typical cases of abnormal childbirth she had participated in.
Of course, the patients' names are all omitted, and they are all referred to simply as "that woman".
"...In cases like the one I just mentioned, an episiotomy can be performed to address insufficient labor and prevent tearing of the lower body."
As for mothers with breech presentation, as I mentioned before, they can use the knee-chest position around the seventh month of pregnancy to correct the baby's position.
I'll show you.
Li San Niang took off her shoes and lay down on the straw mat on the ground in a knee-chest position for everyone to see.
"These seven months are the most suitable time to correct breech presentation. It is not appropriate or safe to do so earlier or later than this time."
If malposition of the fetus is discovered at seven months, this method can be used to correct it, twice a day for 15 minutes each time.
Therefore, to avoid malposition of the fetus during childbirth, it is best for pregnant women to see a doctor in the morning, afternoon, and evening of their pregnancy.
Besides taking the pulse, one can also observe the position of the fetus in the uterus by looking at the abdomen and touching it.
However, this requires accumulating a great deal of experience to achieve a correct diagnosis.
Next, Li San Niang told another case about the measures she took when she was delivering Gao Da Sao's baby, which involved polyhydramnios and umbilical cord prolapse.
(Plot of Chapters 442-443)
As Li San Niang spoke, she took out her medical kit from the side and showed everyone the only pair of forceps.
Holding the forceps, Li San Niang explained to everyone how to use the tool to ensure the safety of the mother and fetus in such a situation.
"It's alright, you can pass it around and read it for now."
Afterwards, I would boil it in boiling water and sun-dry it before repackaging it.
I explained this to you on the first day of class; it's for disinfection and sterilization.
The forceps were passed to Jin Zhenbao, who touched them and discovered that they were made of silver!
"Sir, is this all made of silver? That's way too expensive!"
Jin Zhenbao's surprised tone attracted the attention of others. Yao Qingqing initially felt that the texture was probably not silver, but then she thought it couldn't be, since it was so heavy, it must be at least thirty taels.
Thirty taels for a delivery tool?
That's way too expensive!
Therefore, Yao Qingqing couldn't believe that it really was silver.
After Yao Qingqing heard Li San Niang say, "It is indeed made of silver. Since this thing is to be inserted into the uterus, only gold and silver can be used. If it is iron, it will inevitably have rust and dirt, which is harmful to the health of the mother and the fetus. For the time being, silver can only be used as a substitute."
Yao Qingqing gasped, and others in the room hissed in surprise, as thirty taels of silver was indeed a considerable sum.
"If something better becomes available to replace silver in the future, it would be more cost-effective to use other materials."
Haha, why are you all so surprised?
You should know that it takes a master craftsman to make this. A master craftsman's skill is far beyond what thirty taels of silver can provide.
These forceps are worth more than thirty taels of silver!
Forceps are not yet in mass production; I'm just showing them to you.
If you all end up working as midwives, it would be quite good to have a couple of personal umbilical cord scissors and episiotomy scissors.
Afterwards, Li San Niang chatted with everyone about the tools used in childbirth before saying that get out of class was over.
"You'd better do your homework well this time. I've been grading your work carefully, and it will be graded."
Li San Niang handed the homework she had just corrected to Song Fuling, and watched as Song Fuling distributed it to the maids one by one. After the maids bowed to Li San Niang, Li San Niang watched as everyone except her own family members left before she quickly yawned.
"Ah, Mother, I'm so tired. Let's not cook dinner. Let's order from the street and let my eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law rest."
Mother Li glanced at Li San Niang, looking at her with some disdain at how she had suddenly lost her demeanor as a teacher, but still nodded, "When we get home, have your second brother order it from the street."
After everyone had carefully cleaned up the classroom and returned to the Li family, they saw Li Erxiong look up from the counter and say to Li Sanniang, "Sanniang, an old woman from a family just came to deliver a letter to you and also ordered some commonly used medicines and pills here."
"I've left the letter on the table in the main hall; please go and check it."
Li San Niang nodded to Li Er Xiong, then turned to Li's mother and said smugly, "Mother, your little girl has become a gem; everyone loves her."
"Look, I get letters all the time."
Mother Li rolled her eyes, ignoring Li San Niang's behavior, and took Lu Zhu'er from Father Li, who was practicing medicine nearby, and carried Lu Zhu'er into the courtyard.
Seeing that her mother was ignoring her, Li San Niang didn't think anything of it; she had only meant to amuse her mother anyway.
So he took Sister-in-law Li's arm and walked into the yard, chatting and laughing all the while.
Li Ersao picked up Xiao Wulang from the basket beside her and went home with him.
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