Medical Text on the Use of Forceps in Childbirth

Overview

The test‑archive directory contains a short medical treatise and a scanned image of the same page. * Text file – a structured JSON record describing the document. * Image file – a JPEG snapshot of the page, accompanied by OCR‑extracted text.

Both files together provide a complete view of a 19th‑century argument in favor of obstetric forceps.

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Text Content

| Field | Value | |-------|-------| | ID | `01K8Y66Y2QSR1HPNPXJ08V95CV` | | Title | Medical Text on the Use of Forceps in Childbirth | | Creator | unknown | | Institution | unknown | | Date Created | unknown | | Language | English | | Subjects | medicine, obstetrics, forceps, childbirth, medical instruments | | Description | The text argues that forceps are more effective than other methods and refutes contemporary objections. | | Source | PINAX | | Rights | not specified | | Access URL | `PLACEHOLDER` |

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Image

The image is a scanned page of the same treatise. * URL – https://cdn.arke.institute/asset/MHFFDH8PWENMQPFXUS * File name – `test.jpg` * Size – 3,966,464 bytes (≈3.8 MB) * Format – JPEG * OCR – The extracted text begins:

> “Forceps. The objections to its use are so very evident and manifold, as to require no comments. Indeed it can very rarely be applied with a reasonable hope, far less the certainty, of forwarding parturition, where the lever becomes admissible, the forceps, if employed, would in every case supersede its use, and the result would invariably be far more certain and satisfactory. Those who regard the forceps as an instrument absolutely dangerous, and entirely ineffectual, neither know the mode of acting with them, nor the difficulties of the art, and have doubtless judged them by the abuse they themselves have made of them, and have forgot that the most safe and useful instrument often becomes hazardous in the hands of ignorance and prejudice—so says the learned B…”

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Context & Historical Significance

* Obstetrics in the 19th century – The use of forceps was a contentious topic. Proponents claimed they reduced maternal and fetal mortality, while critics warned of injury and misuse. * The Treatise’s Position – The text presents a strong defense of forceps, emphasizing their efficacy when used correctly and criticizing the “dangerous” reputation that stemmed from misuse. * Archival Value – The combination of a digital record and a scanned image allows scholars to verify the original wording, study the layout, and analyze the OCR accuracy. It also illustrates early digital preservation practices (metadata + image + OCR).

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Conclusion

The test‑archive directory preserves a concise yet influential medical argument about obstetric forceps, offering both a structured metadata record and a visual representation of the source material. This dual format enhances accessibility for historians, medical scholars, and archivists alike.

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```json { "id": "01K8Y66Y2QSR1HPNPXJ08V95CV", "title": "Medical Text on the Use of Forceps in Childbirth", "type": ["Text", "Image"], "creator": "", "institution": "", "created": "", "language": "en", "subjects": [ "medicine", "obstetrics", "forceps", "childbirth", "medical instruments" ], "description": "A 19th‑century medical treatise arguing for the efficacy of forceps in childbirth, countering contemporary objections. The accompanying image (test.jpg) contains a scanned page of the text, with OCR extracted.", "access_url": "PLACEHOLDER", "source": "PINAX", "rights": "", "place": [], "image": { "url": "https://cdn.arke.institute/asset/MHFFDH8PWENMQPFXUS", "type": "image/jpeg", "size": 3966464, "filename": "test.jpg", "ocr": "Forceps. The objections to its use are so very evident and manifold, as to require no comments.\n\nIndeed it can very rarely be applied with a reasonable hope, far less the certainty, of forwarding parturition,