A Manual of Obstetrics

A Manual Of Obstetrics by Thomas F. Cock A compact, compilation-style obstetrics handbook first published in 1858 that synthesizes essential facts for students and practitioners. Cock, a physician associated with the New York Lying-In Asylum and Bellevue Hospital, presents a systematic survey of obstetric anatomy—especially the pelvis—and the generation of the female reproductive organs, with practical guidance on pregnancy, labor, parturition, and postpartum care. The book methodically covers the bones and ligaments of the pelvis, the divisions of the true and false pelvis, the organs of generation, menstruation, signs of pregnancy, the stages and mechanisms of labor, and a wide range of obstetric complications from malpresentations to puerperal fever. As a didactic text, it emphasizes clinical observation, manual examination, and the physician’s role in managing emergencies, including instrumental delivery and caesarean options. Although primarily a compilation, it aims to provide a succinct, transferable knowledge base for obstetric instruction and practice.