A Midwife’s Tale, written by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, is a monograph that gives us insight on colonial life in the 18th century. In this book, Martha Ballard’s historical collection of diary entries document her hectic life as a very important figure in her community. Exemplifying the epitome of a jack-of-all-trades, Martha Ballard serves her community as a midwife, nurse, physician, pharmacist, mortician, and wife all at the same time. In the book, the reader gets a glimpse of how rough it was to live at time Martha Ballard served her community. We have to understand that during the 1700s, there were not as many resources as there is now. For example, as a midwife in the city of Hallowell, Martha was in high demand and needed to travel to
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In the present day, doctors are much more present in our society. We make an appointment, and go into an actual office for a checkup. Usually, we are given medication which comes in the form of a pill. In regards to any emergency such as a broken bone or unknown medical condition, a simple call to 911 can be made. Within minutes, a person can be picked up and transported to a hospital that can alleviate nearly any ailment. However, in the 18th century, medical care was not as advanced or convenient. Unfortunately, doctors were not as prevalent at the time, and if one could get ahold of a doctor, it would take hours for the doctor to reach the ill patient. Upon arrival, a lot of the time the doctors or midwives did not know what was actually wrong with the patient, due to the lack of scientific, medical, and technological discovery at the time. During that time period, people resorted to praying for the ill, prescribing certain herbs as medicine, or a perilous option such as bloodletting, which was morbid and it never solved the issue in the eyes of Martha. Even a limb during the 1700s would be amputated without question if it were diseased, in contrast to now. It is documented in Martha’s diary that male physicians would charge more, so midwives offered a cheaper option that used natural, herbal remedies, and could be repaid with items such as sugar and
In the present day, doctors are much more present in our society. We make an appointment, and go into an actual office for a checkup. Usually, we are given medication which comes in the form of a pill. In regards to any emergency such as a broken bone or unknown medical condition, a simple call to 911 can be made. Within minutes, a person can be picked up and transported to a hospital that can alleviate nearly any ailment. However, in the 18th century, medical care was not as advanced or convenient. Unfortunately, doctors were not as prevalent at the time, and if one could get ahold of a doctor, it would take hours for the doctor to reach the ill patient. Upon arrival, a lot of the time the doctors or midwives did not know what was actually wrong with the patient, due to the lack of scientific, medical, and technological discovery at the time. During that time period, people resorted to praying for the ill, prescribing certain herbs as medicine, or a perilous option such as bloodletting, which was morbid and it never solved the issue in the eyes of Martha. Even a limb during the 1700s would be amputated without question if it were diseased, in contrast to now. It is documented in Martha’s diary that male physicians would charge more, so midwives offered a cheaper option that used natural, herbal remedies, and could be repaid with items such as sugar and