Lever, Hendrik van Roonhuysen, 1675-1725
Collection, Rijks Universiteit Leiden

Hendrik van Roonhuysen(1625-1672) was an Amsterdam obstetrician, who had his own solution for deliveries that had become 'stuck'. Because he was able to earn good money with it he kept this solution secret and only long after his death did it become known how he was able again and again to save the life of the unfortunate pregnant women. The instrument that he used, a simple lever, which he positioned under the chin of the stuck child an with which he was able to prise out the head with some force. In order to alleviate the unpleasant feeling of the cold metal in the mother's body somewhat he covered the lever in soft leather. However, this made the instrument difficult to clean and finally cost many pregnant women their lives after all, through infections.