ABSTRACT
ThroughouttheearlymodernperiodinFrance,chirurgiensaccoucheurs[surgeon men-midwives]werepredominantlyassociatedwithbothsexualimproprietyand physicaldanger.Femalemidwivesgovernedthebirthingchamber,invitingmento assistatdeliveriesafterdaysofunsuccessfullabour,whenthechildwaslikelydead andthelifeofthemotherinperil.1Thesemenattemptedtoturnthechildinthe wombmanually,orusedinstruments,suchascrochets[hooks],toperform craniotomies,aprocedurethatentailedcrushingtheinfant'sheadandextractingits bodypiecebypiece.Notsurprisingly,theappearanceofthesurgeonman-midwife wasidentifiedwithdeath,andhewasregularlylikenedtobothabutcheranda hangman.2Frenchsurgeonsslowlymanaged,however,tochangetheirimage, attendingeventheuncomplicateddeliveriesofwealthy,urbanclientsbythelate eighteenthcentury.
