Chapter I: ONCE had an accidental Opportunity of being fully satisfied of the

Veracity of this CASE, in a _Woman_ of good Note in the City of _Dresden_; who _miscarried fourteen Times_ in less than _eight Years_; being never able to _go_ beyond the _tenth Day_ of the _fourth Month_, and commonly losing the FOETUS about the _last_ of the _Third_.

AT my Arrival in that _Place_, I found my _Credit_, for my necessary _Supplies_, upon a certain MERCHANT; who (with great Concern) gave me this melancholick Account of his SPOUSE, desiring my good _Offices_, if possibly any Means could be of Service. Upon which, I first made it my Business to discover, _that internal Cause_, wherein _she_, and her ordinary _Midwives_, had been so often mistaken; this being done, I happily performed the CURE, tho’ (as a _Traveller_) I had not the Satisfaction of staying there to see the _Consequence_. But, however, by my last Advices from the grateful _Husband_, I find _she_ is now MOTHER of two pretty _Boys_ and a fine _Girl_.

THE _Cause_ of ABORTION then being duly and discreetly _first_ discovered, if it proceeds from any _Intemperature_ either of the BODY or the WOMB; the _same_ may be prevented chiefly by introducing the _contrary Temperament_, according to _Hippocrates_’s[107] Judgment, that _Contraries are the_ REMEDIES _of Contraries_.

IF it proceeds from too much FATNESS, her _Body_ is to be reduced; if it comes from too much LEANNESS, a convenient _Diet_ and good _Regimen_, &c. will help to restore her.

IF it happens from a _PLETHORY_, the too much abounding _BLOOD_ is to be circumspectly lessened: As the Humours are to be judiciously evacuated, if it arises from a _Cacochymy_; and all Causes affecting the Spirits and Humours are to be carefully removed and avoided.

DISEASES of the whole _Body_ are to be prevented as much as possible, by a _Regularity_ of proper _DIET_ and _REGIMEN_ of Health; but whenever _These_ are incident, they ought to be cured, as the _Nature_ of the _DISEASE_ and _CONSTITUTION_ of the _Woman_ will prudentially permit.

IF _ABORTION_ happens from any _Cause_ on the part of the WOMB, _that_ must absolutely be removed before _CONCEPTION_, and resisted afterwards during the _FOETURA_, by the discreet _Use_ of proper Means.

IF it arises from any _Cause_ of the _Neighbouring Parts_, that is to be carefully managed or avoided, and _prevented_ more easily than _cured_.

AS to the _Causes_ on the Part of the _INFANT_, I shall refer the _READER_ to the preceding _Chapter_ only; as I do likewise if it comes from any _SYMPTOM_ of the _Months_, or from any _Acute Disease_, to their respective _Chapters_ in this _SECTION_.

FINALLY, If it proceeds from any _Procatarctick CAUSES_, either _internal_ or _external_, all such are to be sedulously avoided and prevented; but whenever _These_ happen, they are generally _cured_ by proper _ALTERATIVES_ of an _Astringent Quality_, for confirming the _Ligaments_; and _CORROBORATIVES_ for comforting the _INFANT_, and cherishing the _WOMB_.

BUT supposing, at last, the _Case_ desperate, and past all REMEDY, through _Negligence_ or _Delay_, that the CURE cannot possibly be effected, nor the _Misfortune_ of _Instant_ ABORTION prevented; why then the _Woman_ ought to be carefully comforted and strengthened, the _Ligaments_ relaxed, the _Passages_ dilated, and the _expulsive Faculty_ assisted; so that the worse _Consequences_ and greater _Danger_ may be averted.

AND having now, in fine, thus at large treated upon the Subject of ABORTION, it leads me methodically (of Course) to touch upon all other BIRTHS respecting _Time_; I mean _Legitimate_ and _Illegitimate_ BIRTHS: Which (however) I shall discuss in as _Succinct Terms_ as I can, to oblige the READER. And _first_,

CHAP. XXXI.
_Of a LEGITIMATE BIRTH._

A _Legitimate_ _BIRTH_ respects TIME only, and that is properly so called, which most frequently happens, according to the _Common Law_ of NATURE.

IT is never sufficiently to be admired as _Wonderful_, that MAN, who is born _HEREDITARY LORD_ of the _Universe_, and invested with _SUPREME DOMINION_ over all _Creatures_, should, however yet, be the only one deprived of some certain _definite Time_ for his _BIRTH_[108]; it happening often in the _seventh_, commonly in the _ninth_ and _tenth_, and sometimes in the _eighth_ and _eleventh Months_, and _That_ also at all Times of the Year: Whereas, on the other hand, all the rest of _inferiour Creatures_ have their certain _prefixed Times_, both of _carrying_ their _YOUNG_, and _bringing them forth_, beyond which they cannot go, nor controul the Order of _NATURE_.

HOWEVER, this being the _Good Work_ and _Will_ of the Great _CREATOR_, deserves more our silent _Wonder_ and _Admiration_, than our bold _Enquiry_, or curious _Scrutiny_, into the _REASON_ of it.

BUT notwithstanding, I hope, we may easily account for the _Latitude_ of _TIME_ allowed our _Births_, when we consider what has been said of the Times of _Formation_ and _Animation_ in their proper Places[109]. If then these require a proportionable _Latitude_, what wonder is it that the _Legitimate Time_ of Birth is of such _Extent_? Not that I mean that the _rational Soul_ is introduced either at different Times, or by Piece-meals, only that it is not _done_ this or that Day _precisely_. And farther (according to _AVERROES_, that great _Commentator_) _Man_[110], not only in the Womb, but also after Birth, even until his _Juvenile Age_, is but _a-generating_; and from that Time to old Age he begins to _decline_: yet we daily see that _this Change_ is not equal to all, in that some Men do but arrive to their most robust and _vigorous State_ about the fortieth Year of their Age, whereas others come to that Length about the thirtieth, and most about the thirty-fifth.

AS it is an _Auspicious Crisis_ which happens any Time of the _Critical Day_, whether anticipated or postponed by a few Hours: And as the _Fruit_ of _Trees_ have their constituted Time of _Maturity_, which notwithstanding some are perfected sooner, and some later; so (I think) it may be also in the present Case of _Births_.

HOWEVER yet, to go a little further, without Offence: As to the _Legitimacy_ of _BIRTHS_, I don’t see any Reason why every _Birth_, producing a _vital Child_, may not be justly esteemed timely _lawful_, whether it be of the _seventh_, _eighth_, _ninth_, _tenth_, or _eleventh Month_: But because few of our antient and learned _Predecessors_ have been inclined to admit any standing _RULE_ of such a large _Extent_, in this _CASE_ we shall be far from desiring to establish any _New One_, or advance any _Paradox_.