Chapter III: THE strict CONFINEMENT of its narrow Lodging; the WOMB being

now too little to accommodate and entertain the well-grown-INFANT: Like to the YOUNG of _Birds_ or _Fowls_; which neither finding sufficient _Aliment_ nor _Room_ in the EGG, restlessly seek for _Both_, and in vain endeavour for _Either_, until at last they break the _Pellicules_: Which as soon as the _Mother_ perceives, she scratches or pecks the _Shell_, and so brings out the oppressed indigent CHICKEN. Thus also in the WOMB, it happens not unlike; for, when the _Membranes_ break, the _Humours_ and _Blood_ flow plentifully; and upon this Occasion various _Pains_ afflict the Woman: Which are always the greater and more severe in the _First BIRTH_; because of the _Coarctation_ of the _Passages_, besides the _Party_’s being unaccustomed to such sorrowful Griefs, and penetrating Pains.

NOW the _Reasons_ why WOMEN only, are so much afflicted with dolorous _Pains_ in _BIRTH_ (the rest of the _Creatures_ being in a great measure of Proportion exempted from them) ought, as some _Divines_ would have us believe, to be ascribed only to the _SIN_ of the _First Woman_; GOD resolving (for that Reason) to punish her whole SEX, by subjecting them to those Calamities mentioned in the holy _Scripture_[148]: “_I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow_, _and thy Conception; in Sorrow thou shalt bring forth Children_, &c.”——

BUT besides this _Doctrine_, I conceive there are _Four_ very considerable _natural Causes_ that may be reasonably assign’d for it; _viz._

I. THE _DEBILITY_ of _Human Nature_, which in Time of _Labour_ requires sometimes the whole _Strength_ of the WOMAN, and sometimes that of the _INFANT_ too; and that commonly above what _Either_ can well afford.

II. THE dull _Sedentary Life_ which _Women_ generally lead and indulge themselves in; as appears plain from what I have often observed in _Germany_ and _Holland_: For the _Women_ of those _Countries_ generally accustoming themselves to some sort of active _Labour_ and industrious _Exercise_, have much easier _BIRTHS_ than any _Others_ that I know.

III. BUT one general and universal _Reason_ of it is, that the _Bone_ call’d OS COCCYGIS, which is loosely join’d to the inferiour Extremity of the _Bone_ call’d SACRUM, bending outwards during the Time of LABOUR; as the _CHILD_ advances, its _Head_ presseth the _Gut_ call’d RECTUM hard against it; which causeth most severe, acute, and extreme _PAINS_.

IV. ANOTHER principal and universal _Reason_ of it, is, the BULK of the _Head_ of the _INFANT_; which (according to _Albertus Magnus_) is equal in the time of _BIRTH_, to the rest of the _Whole Man_; causing a violent _Dilatation_ of the WOMB, that is very _strait_ in comparison of this BULK; and _That_ being a very sensible _Membranous Composition_, _This_ must (of Necessity) occasion most grievous and almost intolerable _PAINS_. Whence I come to

CHAP. XLI.
_Of the CAUSES of a sooner, or later BIRTH._

MANY great Men have written and answer’d promiscuously on this _Head_, suggesting a vast Variety of _Reasons_ for it: But as _Every One_ is left to think and judge the Best he can for Himself, so I shall (in this place) only animadvert upon _Those Causes_, which I most entirely approve of; and as they are _Fivefold_, so I think, they either depend upon the _Genital Seed_; the _Formative Faculty_; the _Temperature_ of the WOMB; the _Constitution_ of the WOMAN; or the _Influence_ of _Superiour Bodies_.

I. THE _natural Cause_ may depend upon the SEED: Because as there is among GRAIN several _sorts_, some of which fructify and ripen in _Three_, some in _Four Months_, and others which require much _longer Time_; so it may be also in _human_ SEED, that it may differ as much in its Kind. Which Truth is very evident from what has been frequently observed, that _Women_ bring forth the _Children_ of different FATHERS, at different Times; whereof I shall only mention the remarkable Instance of _Vestilia_[149]: who was thus deliver’d of _Three Children_ to her _Three several Husbands_, HERDITIUS, POMPONIUS, and ORSITUS, all noble Citizens of _Rome_: _viz._ Of the _one_ in the _7th_, of the _other_ in the _11th_, and of the _last_ at the Expiration of _8 Months_.

II. THE _natural Cause_ may also depend upon the _FORMING FACULTY_; so far, as the _Formation_ and _Perfection_ of the _FOETUS_ depend upon its _Strength_ or _Debility_: For as it may be evidently observ’d after the _BIRTH_, that _some Children_ grow a-pace and very suddenly; _others_ (because of a _sickly Constitution_) thrive but very little, and grow slowly; so it happens also with the _FOETUS_ in the WOMB: for the _stronger_ that this _Faculty_ is, the sooner _Formation_ is perfected, and consequently the sooner the _BIRTH_ follows successfully.

III. THE Natural _Cause_ again may depend upon the _Temperature_ of the WOMB: Because that the _Woman_ (being the only _one_ of all Creatures which tolerates _Copulation_ during the time of _Pregnancy_) may be, by its frequent or immoderate _Use_, disorder’d in that noble _Part_; which may infallibly confound and pervert the regular TIME. For as the BUDS of _Vines_ cherish’d in the Bosom of the _Earth_, may be easily cut or dissipated by the _Plough_; so as at least to alter the TIME of _Fructification_, if not quite to destroy _Them_: So it is not very unlikely with the INFANT in the WOMB; and therefore wise _Nature_ (sollicitous of _Propagation_ and _Preservation_ of the _Human_ FOETUS) will not allow that a _Woman_ should have one _precise Time_ of _BIRTH_.

IV. THE Natural _Cause_ may also depend upon the _Constitution_ of the MOTHER, so far as her _Habits_ of Body, and _Way of Living_, are conducive (or _not_) to the _Maturation_, _Perfection_, _Strength_, or _Debility_ of the _INFANT_.