Museo Galileo
italiano
Virtual Museum
Multimedia
Obstetrics in Florence
Video   Text

 

The first obstetrics school in Florence was probably founded in 1756 near the Ospedale di Santa Maria Nuova. Starting in 1776, an "obstetrical practice" with a midwife and surgeon was set up in every district of the city. In 1756, Giuseppe Vespa—a "master of the apron [i.e., a master of his art] and childbirth practitioner" who had perfected his skills at Levret's clinic in Paris—was appointed as instructor. In 1783 he was succeeded by Francesco Valle, assisted from 1806 by Giuseppe Galletti. The schools aimed to provide basic knowledge of basic hygiene standards and to substitute rigorous scientific ideas for the traditional prejudices that had blocked progress in the art of child delivery. In the process, the functions of the midwife were gradually separated from those of the physician. Guidelines were also drawn up for determining which cases required the help of a surgeon.

By the end of the eighteenth century, obstetrics was distinct from general surgery, and was practiced by specialized faculty. Pregnant women's right to assistance was recognized, and the vast corpus of case histories available had made it possible to develop ever more reliable techniques.

Objects
Model of breech birth

Model of breech birth

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of breech birth

Model of breech birth

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of caput succedaneum

Model of caput succedaneum

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of disengagement of the head in vertex presentation

Model of disengagement of the head in vertex presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of face presentation

Model of face presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of forceps delivery

Model of forceps delivery

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of forceps delivery

Model of forceps delivery

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of forceps delivery

Model of forceps delivery

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of forceps delivery

Model of forceps delivery

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of forceps delivery

Model of forceps delivery

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of forehead presentation

Model of forehead presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Model of incomplete breech presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of knee presentation

Model of knee presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of malformed fetus

Model of malformed fetus

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of pregnancy at term: cephalic presentation of engagement

Model of pregnancy at term: cephalic presentation of engagement

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of pregnancy with complications

Model of pregnancy with complications

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of shoulder presentation

Model of shoulder presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of shoulder presentation

Model of shoulder presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775

Model of shoulder presentation

Model of shoulder presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of shoulder presentation

Model of shoulder presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Giuseppe Ferrini and/or Clemente Susini [attr.], Florence, after 1771

Model of shoulder presentation

Model of shoulder presentation

Dep. OSMN, Firenze
Author unknown, Florence, 1770-1775