Malpresentation
&
Malposition

Irving W. POTTER
(1868-1956)

Irving White Potter (Buffalo, New York) achieved fame and notoriety by practicing and advocating internal podalic version and breech extraction to shorten the second stage of labor in otherwise normal vertex presentations.

During the 1920s, over 900 obstetricans traveled to Buffalo to witness his methods. Most admired his technical prowess, but only a few tried the approach with any success; he failed to impress the leading academic obstetricians of the day.

Milton G. Potter (1895-1970) joined his father's practice in 1925 and endorsed his technique of version, albeit more conservatively. In a remarkable display of consistency, if not hubris, Milton allowed his father to deliver his sons by elective version and extraction. All three later became successful obstetrician-gynecologists.

By 1942, Irving Potter had delivered over 25,000 babies, the vast majority by elective version. He practiced well into his 80s.