It was the first successful cesarean section that we know of.
It was about the year 1500 and the wife of pig castrator Jacob was in labor.
She had been struggling for the birth of her baby for days now. Thirteen ( I cannot believe that number, but history says so ) midwives had been already called to help and none could complete the process.
Knifer basically knew how to help his wife because he had acquired extensive knowledge and skills through his work.
Pig castrators had long performed C-sections on difficult births of animals such as mares, cows, bitches, sheep and sows.
They did this to save the young when it was feared that the mother might die.
Midwives were also familiar with this technique, but until the early 16th century, cesarean delivery was allowed only on dead mothers.
What we do today-saving the mother's life at the risk of the baby's death-was strictly forbidden.
Jacob was desperate.
He finally managed to get urgent permission from the authorities to perform the procedure on his living wife.
He used a razor blade to do the procedure.
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