Frenchman Dr. Pierre Fauchard, the father of dentistry,
recommended rubbing one's teeth and gums with a piece of sponge.
His book of 1728 described methods and instruments.
Since three out of four babies died shortly after birth, beds in
hospitals for pregnant women were established starting in 1739.
The next year physicians began to replace midwives. A hospital was
established for abandoned foundling children in 1739 so they
wouldn't die, as they usually did, in the care of parishes or
workhouses or be exposed in the streets or left on door steps of
the wealthy. It was besieged by women with babies in their arms.
In 1762 a statute made the principles of the foundling hospital
obligatory for all London parish children under six; they were to
be sent to nurses outside London who were to be paid at least 2s.
a week by the parish. In 1766, this was extended to all parishes,
and nurses who cared for a child well for a year was given a
reward of at least 10s. Also, parish children were not allowed to
be apprenticed for more than seven years or until age 21 and an
apprentice fee of at least 4 pounds, 2s. was to be paid to the
master or mistress by the parish.
After 1740, there was a steady growth of population due to
improved midwifery. William Smellie taught scientific midwifery in
London from 1741 and wrote a "Treatise on Midwifery" in 1752,
which had a clear explanation of the mechanism of labor.
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