It was the first successful cesarean section that we know of.
It was about the year 1500 and the wife of pig castrator Jacob Nufer 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.
Nufer 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.
Mother and child survived.
The mother later had five more children born by natural childbirth.
This means that Jacob must have been able to sew up the uterus very well.
And with his courage he saved not only his wife and son, but millions of others later.
It always takes people who have the courage to fight against the existing rules.
Otherwise we won’t go anyhere.
