Luisa Rosado, una matrona en la España Ilustrada.

Abstract

Se reproduce y comenta parte de un legajo del Archivo de Simancas en el que una matrona afincada en Madrid en los años 1770 y 1771 solicita permiso para anunciarse mediante carteles. Contiene testimonios de médicos sobre partos difíciles atendidos por la solicitante, informes del Protomedicato aconsejando la denegación del permiso solicitado y dos resoluciones reales que, con algunas condiciones, aprueban la petición de la matrona. El comentario del texto se centra en el conflicto de intereses de matronas y cirujanos y en los conocimientos de una y otros a partir de los documentos reproducidos y de los tratados de partos de la época.

Luisa Rosado, a midwife who lived in Madrid in 1770 and 1771, applied for permission to advertise her services through posters; part of the Simancas Archive file regarding her application is reproduced and commented on. The file contains testimonies from physicians regarding difficult births in which they were assisted by the applicant, reports from the Protomedicato Tribunal recommending that permission be denied, and two royal resolutions which, with certain conditions, approve the midwife's request. The accompanying commentary centers on the conflict of interest between midwives and surgeons, and in the professional knowledge of both parties, based on documents and birth certificates from the period under study.