A Midwife’s Pledge

from the midwifery textbook by Vojtech Vysin, a Professor at the School of Midwifery in Olomouc, 1888

Which, according to the Decree of the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Education Nr. 6948 from March 16, 1874, is to be taken by every midwife that has passed the scrupulous examination.

The following is read to the midwife:

You pledge that you shall readily assist with your art all pregnant women and women during and after childbirth that you may be called to help, the poor as well as the rich, and that in doing so, you shall faithfully and studiously carry out all obligations imposed upon you by laws and ordinances, as well as the specfic prescription (the government decree).

Thereafter, the pledger repeats, shaking the hand of the Director of the School of Midwifery:

I have properly understood and I pledge to follow that which has been read to me.