Context:

Sarah Stone, a midwife from Bristol originally from Somerset, is mentioned in the context of midwifery training and apprenticeship. In 1737, Stone wrote that three years of apprenticeship was sufficient to train as a midwife, though others argued for six years. This reference illustrates the debate over how long midwifery training should last in the early 18th century. Stone's published work is a rare first-hand account by a female practitioner of her era.