1560-1631

English midwife credited with introducing obstetric forceps to the midwifery profession. The Chamberlen family of male midwives, which included Peter Chamberlen the Younger and nephew Peter Chamberlen III, practiced in London and claimed to have a superior way to deliver babies with less pain to women. They allegedly kept Peter the Elder's forceps a "closely guarded secret," training select physicians to use them but for a price.