The expert mid-wife a treatise of the diseases of women with child, and in child-bed: as also, of the best ways and means of help in natural and unnatural labours. With fit remedies for the various maladies of new born babes. A work more full than any yet extant: and most necessar [sic] for all bearing women, mid-wifes, and others that practise this art. By Mr. James McMath, M.D.

CHAP. VI. How to know the different Times, and a true Term of Pregnancy.

AS it is fit to know a Woman is truly Conceived, so also how for she is gone; for if she be made to Miscarry, or her Fruit made go from her, while only a new Conceived Embryo, the punishment must be lighter, then after its Perfect Orga∣nization, when ready trimmed for the Soul, the Inspiration of which makes it all Justice and Equity, that Life go for Life without re∣spect of Persons. Hereby also is understood when Pains come at full time, and to be urged on, or arrive before, and must ever by all means then be appeased, and the La∣bour hindered; except in Vehement Floodings, Convulsions, and other Desperate Cases where a speedy Delivery is the only Hope.

Some compute from Stop of their Courses, or the Quickning, which yet are Ʋncertain and Vary, Others judge it by the Bigness, but this fails also, caused greater at sometimes by

half then at others.. In the Beginning, it is tryed by the abovesaid Signs of Conception. Some make it best known by the different Constitution of the Inner-Orifice in the Preg∣nancy, which from the Beginning, or in the the first Months, feels somewhat long, and transverse like the hole in the top of the Yard, or the Muzzle of a Puppy new Pupped, most strait, and closely conjoyned, hard also and Dense, especially in the first Child, tho' in in these who have born ofter, it is more big and Inaequal. In her hindmost Months, this Orifice turns Soft, and Pulpy, more Lax also and Tumid (as are the Lips of the Privi∣ties) and by little and little as the Labour ap∣approacheth, (chiefly after the Child is turn∣ed and falls lower) it so distends and am∣plifies (as also the Inner neck) that it turns quite flat, and almost plain with the Glob of the Womb, opens, and dilates, grows Orbicular and Round, like a Circle, Crown or Spreading-Rose, as if Nature were preparing a way for the Childs breaking out; being much helped herein, by its greater Weight, and more sturdy Stirring. Its Lips are then more Thick and Slippery, Fungous also like a Spunge. In the last 3, or 4, Weeks it is moist∣ned, and soaked with a Glutinous Viscid Hu∣mour,

or Slime filling almost the Short Neck, that it may be more fax, stretch and widen (as it does in a stupendous manner) with less Violence, and afford the Infant a freer passage at Labour.

Nature's usual, most frequent, and statute Term of compleating this great Generation, and of a Legittimat Birth is the 9th. Month entire, as the 10th was held of old: Or the end of the 9th. or beginning of the 10th. and what is made much over is a Cheat of Women, or a Mistake in their Reckoning, where∣in very oft they are grievously beguiled: Whatever also truly prevents it, is Praeter-natural, moved by some Morbifick or valid injuring Cause: And the sooner cast, more rarely kept in Life (as in the 5th. or 6th. Month, being so feeble and delicate, though some such are said to have come to a Lively Age) but the later, the more Ripe and Strong: Whence 8th. Months Births must needs be more Natural, and Vital then the 7th. which some deny, making the 7th: Month the First Term of a Lively Birth.

Most Physicians, will have this Term tho' fixed to Bruits, yet Variable and Ʋncertain to Women, through Diversity of Places, Times, Dyet, Passions of Mind, Temperament of the

Woman, of the Seed and Womb: Whence the Infants heat increases whiles more quick∣ly whiles slower, its Maturity is expede sooner, or later: And the Term prevent∣ed, or put off: Hence at this day, it is maintained as a most Firm Rule, that some Infants may, and have been Legittimatly Born (and pronounced such) in the 12th. 13th. 14th. Month (not to mention the Double, or Triple) and that for the Sickness, and Weakness of the Infant, or Mother, Cold∣ness of the Womb, Scarcity of Aliment, or the like: Though yet such late Births are very justly suspected and observed almost ever in such Widows only, who for love of a dead Husbands Fortune, playes an after Game, and pretends him the Father of ano∣ther mans Child: A Trick so frequent, as to make Clamorous, Debates among all Courts of Justice every where: and most rarely or never in Women with whom their Husbands live and Bed, who are found (by dayly Ex∣perience and in every Constitution and Cir∣cumstance) to keep this Statute Term some few Dayes only in or over, without putting off to one, much less several Months.

The Infant having by this time, its due Maturity, and now finding great Ʋnease, and

Anxiety in the Womb (which is Commonly ascribed to Straitness of the Place, Scarcity of Aliment, as also its Impurity, and Corruption: And Some hold the Redundancy of Excre∣ments within the Infant, and Necessity of their Discharge: Others its need of the Air and Respiration: And some the Wise Disposal of the Great Creator) tosses and wrests it self every way, and Spurns sharply to break through the Gate with Violence, and get out of that Obscure, Sordid, Pinched Goal (and a wonder, how it could be kept, live and move therein so long) Whence great Pains are wakened and redoubled, the Membranes wherein it is wrapt are split, the Waters therein flow out, the Womb is grievously irritated to its Expulsion; for which the Mothers Muscles, Tendons, Nerves are forth∣with copiously filled, and inflate with an Ʋniversal Influx, and Vehement Force of the Animal Spirits; chiefly the Constrictory Fibres of the Womb, and Muscles of the lower Belly, which with Joynt and Full Force makes frequent and hard Efforts, and Strong Compressions of the Infant: And so a Valid and Speedy Protrusion thereof.