Obstetrics in colonial Philippines
A historical background on the practice of obstetrics in the Philippines dating back to as early as the 18th century when the Philippines was a colony of Spain, towards the American regime in the early 20th century was provided. Online search of the Analytics in the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Online Public Access Catalog, particularly the earlier issues of the Philippine Journal of Science, first published in 1906, was done, retrieving the works of the father of Philippine obstetrics, Fernando Calderon. A manual searching of the library collection of the Science and Technology Information Institute was also done, retrieving the rare two volumes of Scientists in the Philippines that featured a full length biography of the first lady physician in the country, Honoria Acosta Sison. The results of the study showed the dominant influence of the Spanish friars on all aspects of life including socio medical. Midwives received direct instructions from priests. The friars wrote manuals on how to assist women at birthing, which although ludicrous, were obeyed to the letter. This study of early medical literature in the Philippines educates the world in the feminist tradition of pain.