Finding Aid for the Aline Chazel Lecture Notes Biomed.0351

Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections

Title: Aline Chazel lecture notes

Creator: Chazel, Aline

Identifier/Call Number: Biomed.0351

Physical Description: 1 unknown (5 manuscript volumes)

Date (inclusive): 1891-1893

Language of Material: French .

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UCLA Catalog Record ID: 7362430 

"A neatly written set of lecture notes by Aline Chazel, a student midwife at the Montpellier Ecole de la Maternité between the years 1891-1893, under the tutelage of the French surgeon and physician Joseph Grynfeltt (1840-1913), and two Sages-femmes en chef, L. Montégu and Jenny Bazin (who worked as Sage-femmes en chef for over 46 years). The five at-times quite floridly-penned manuscript volumes at first glance provide an insight into the state of French obstetrics training and the level of knowledge expected from student midwives at the end of the 19th century. An extensive amount of material is covered including general anatomy, the mechanisms of circulation and respiration, the lymphatic and digestive systems, the physiology of pregnancy, elements of embryology, a strong focus upon normal and abnormal deliveries, and with attention given to complications and associated conditions occurring both during, and after pregnancy. What is clear from her careful notes, is the enduring influence in midwifery education of some of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century French pioneers in the field, with the names of Boivin, Lachapelle, Pajot, Dionis and de Graaf still cited. A closer examination, however, seems to reveal a much more personal story. For what we have appears not to be two years of academic study, but rather Aline retaking Year One -- though now under the tutelage of Melle. J. Bazin. Thus the three volumes spanning the period between October 1892 and June 1893 cover very similar ground - in some cases in less detail, though with other chapters, notably those in the final volume concerning associated complications, seemingly taken down with greater care. This second year includes the two hand-coloured illustrations depicting the 'Vaisseaux sanguinis du systéme génital' and the 'Circulation foetale'. Aline's handwriting is much more florid the second time around - with many of the chapter headings penned in calligraphy - perhaps an attempt to really impress the information in her mind - or maybe just as a way of alleviating the boredom of sitting through already-attended lectures."--Antiquarian bookseller's description, 2014.