Inscriptions in the front of the volume tell us the name of the creator and also possible subsequent owners. Firstly, 'Ex libris John Bishop, March 17th 1760, London', in the same hand as the main text, then there is a reference to 'the late John Rootes', and indication that the Manchester Medical Society purchased the volume in 1859 from the sale of the collection of Marshall Hall (1790-1857). Once under the care of the Medical Society the manuscript was allocated the reference GO 1256 viz. their 1890 library catalogue.
The majority of the volume consists of notes from the lectures of Colin McKenzie, which can be found on folios 1-104 with writing on the recto only. A second section in the rear of the volume, on folios 106-130, can be read when the volume is turned upside down and consists of extracts from published sources and the writing is on both the recto and verso in this case.
McKenzie's lectures are all individually numbered and the topics covered in each are as follows: (1) introduction and history of midwifery, (2) on the soft parts, (3) on the male & female organs of generation, (4) on the gravid uterus, (5) on conception and the manner of touching, (6) on the symptoms attending pregnancy, (7)on natural labours, (8) on the management of natural labours, (9) on sharp instruments, (10) on cases on the machine, (11) 2nd case on the machine, (12) 3rd case on the machine, (13) on face cases, (14) on preternatural labours [breech presentation], (15) case 2nd, (16) case 3rd, (17) on premature labours, (18) on the 3rd class of labours (requiring turning), (19) case 2nd, (20) on twin cases, (21) on instruments, (22) on the treatment of lying-in women and the management of the child during the month.
The extracts in the rear consist of: a case of confirmed melancholy cured from The Gentleman's Magazine May 1760; fatal effects from exhibiting the bark too soon taken from a text by John Swan M.D., page 317; account of Dr Warner's treatise on the gout from The Gentleman's Magazine May 1768 p.241; observation on the poisonous of muscles from Universal Magazine Jan 1768; cases from William Smellie's Of Obstruction of the Catamenia, the Immoderate Flux of the Menses & of the Fluor Albus; cases of immoderate flow of the menses copied from Dr Dale's translation of Friend; a case from Mr Stead of Guy's Hospital.