AMOLEis properly nothing else, than afleshy Mass(instead of aFOETUS) engender’d, of animperfectConception, in theWomb. And is so call’d, because (quasi Lapis Molaris) like aMill-Stone, itsweightinfests theWoman.
THEREare two immediateCausesof thisConceptionofMoles,viz.theSuperfluityof Matter, and theinfirmityof theforming Faculty. Which, I think, is agreeable toHippocrateshis meaning, saying, thattoo much Menstruous Blood, or too little, weak, or insufficientSeed,is the only Cause of aMole[203].
I know, that besides these, there are many other variousCausesgiven by diverseAuthors; yea I know that theMoleit self is variously accepted among them: But as I am not to insist upon thequibblingNotions of other Men, so I shall only here observe,——
FIRST, that there is a vast Variety and Difference in theSubstance, as well as in theFormofMoles:Secondly, That there is sometimes butone,andsometimestwo,three, ormoreMoles, contain’d inOneWomb; andthat, sometimes with, and sometimes without theNaturalFOETUSas also sometimes separately, and sometimes adhering theOneto theOther:THIRDLY, That in thisCase, if theFOETUSbe not directly kill’d by theCompressionof its tender Body, it is at least inDangerof beingmisshaped, or perhapsmonstrously formed, according to theBulk,Weight, andSolidityof what is contain’d with it in theWomb.
HOWEVERin regard to theFOETUS, when we are certain of itsExistence; tho’ in theWomb, withoneormoreMoles, it may perhaps be very safe; Therefore I again observe, that, in thisCase, as long as theWomanis no ways endangered, theExclusionofBothought to beNatural, and accordingly theappointed Timewaited for: When according to allAuthors, theMolecomes sometimes before, sometimes with, sometimes immediately after, and sometimes a few Days, or perhaps Weeks, after theFOETUS. But suchMidwivesas follow myMethod, already plainly laid down[204], will scarce trust theirWomanwith the Charge of aMole, one moment after theBirthof theInfantandSecundine: Because by such means, yea, even by a smallClodofBlood, which is a far less matter, retain’d after theBirth,Millionsof Women have lost their pretiousLives.
INthe mean time, asMolesare most commonly generatedalone, without anyFOETUS; I come now to indicate their peculiarDiagnosticks, which theReadermay take as follows,viz.First, theWoman’sBellyswells equally in all itsDimensions; whereas inCaseof aNaturalConception, it is raised, and as it were acuminated or pointed towards theNavel, and a little compressed onboth sides.
SECONDLY, TheOrificeof theWombnever shuts inthis, as it does in theNatural,Conception: And theMolemay be distinctly felt by theTouch, like aGlobular Mass, in theRegionof theWombandLoins.
THIRDLY, Anyexpert Womanmay also distinguish thisCase, by itsMotion; which is very different from that of aFOETUS, as also from that occasion’d by afalseConceptionas above described: TheFOETUShaving not only atotal, but also aPartial Motion; which always differs according to thePartorMembermoved; and is consequentlyfirstperceived about thefourth Month: Whereas theMolehas no distinctMotion; only, as theWomanturns to eitherSide, she may feel it (like aStone) falling to the sameSide; and in her walking, she may easily perceive itssuppressing deadWeight.
FOURTHLY, HerBreastsswell, but give seldom any manner ofMilk, and about the 4th and 5thMonths, when she, who has aNatural Conception, is commonly best inHealth; then theMOLE-BEARERfalls worse; HerLimbsandLegsextenuate; herFaceandSkinare all over discoloured, as the wholeBodylanguishes;Painsof theBackandGroinsfollow of Course, together with a Difficulty ofRespiration; as sometimes also,WindandHumoursbreak out of theWomb.
UPONthe whole, thePrognostickof thisCaseis, that as theMOLE-BEARINGWomanmust in all respects, be verymuch discommoded, and afflicted with heavy threatningSymptoms, so she lives continually in Danger of her Life: And the longer she entertains this unwieldyGuest, the more rigid it grows, and the closer it sticks to her; so that consequently, the more difficult it is to dislodge or extract thispræternatural Body: For as theMolehas noSecundine, norUmbilical Vessels, but adhering by its own grossSubstanceto the oppress’dWomb, attracting itsNourishmentdirectly from theUterine Vessels; So it also fixes it self more and more strongly, and the longer the more firmly among them, to the great Prejudice and Damage ofNature.
NOW, as to theCure, or theDeliveryof theMole, as has been said, thesoonerit is undertaken, the easier it is performed: And in thisCase, I know allAuthorsadvise only, to endeavour itsExpulsionbyBleeding in the Feet,by proper Baths,by strong and Acrid Clysters, &c. in order by such likemeans, to excite or stir upThrowsto open theWomband irritate theexpulsive Faculty. But for my part, I would not too much afflict thePatientwith these uncertainmeans, especially if thePræternatural Bodybe of any long standing; but rather at once betake my self, to that which cannot fail me,thatis theHand-Cure; after Bathing, relaxing and moistening thePassageswithOilsoremollient Ointments: AndThisI would undertake, and perform after the same manner, as in theConditionof aDead Child, when thePainsare altogetherDeficient. Again farther——
I observe that, of all theCountriesI know, there is none, whoseWomenare so subject toMolar Conceptions, as theProvinces of Holland: And moreover, by what I have diligently observ’d my self in thoseParts, as well as by what I have comprehended from their mostLearned Men, theMOLESgenerally conceived there, are very different fromOtherscommonly conceived inother Parts; Insomuch thatThoseare of a strange, astonishing, deformedshape,having (as it were) something in them like theRudimentsof aWork imperfectly begun; such aPiece, as, for Example, aLimnermay draw at the firstDraught, with a rudePensil; together with something of bothLifeandMotion:Livinghowever only (as it were)Vitâ Plantæ, and moving but byPalpitation; as I have also seen and observ’d thisBodyto contract it self sensibly at theTouch, and immediately again dilate it self perceptibly. In theinterimI must farther observe in this Place, that most commonlyNatureejects theseBodieshappily about thefourth Month; however yet, not alwaysallat once, but most frequently byPiece-Mealand inHeaps, not unlike as thePumpdoes theBilge-Waterout of theShip.
BUThere it may beask’d, why theDutch good Women, should be more subject to thesePræternatural Conceptionsthan anyothers? To which Ianswer, according to the Sense and Sentiments of most oftheir own greatest Men;First, that all over theseProvinces, the veryBordersof theSeaare inhabited, and a World of People live (as it were) in the veryJawsof theOcean; whose bellowingWavesand tumultuousSurges, are not only obvious to theirEyesall Day, but obnoxious also to theirEarsall Night long; as they continually beat upon theirCoasts, and sometimes too near their veryDoors: From whence theseWomencannot but be much affected and disturbed, if not also frighted in their veryEmbraces.
HOWEVERyet, I do not conceiveThisto be always theCause, sinceMOLAR CONCEPTIONSare also very common in their greatestCities; But asthosehappen there most frequently among theSea-faring Men’s Wives; so, I think, we may rationally account for them after this ensuing manner,viz.TheSailersarriving from theirVoyages, and coming Home merrily with full Sail up to their very Doors, incontinently embrace theirWives, without having any regard to theirNatural Course, theSilent Moon,or any otherCircumstance; And the honestWives, having perhaps long wanted theirHusbands, make noProcrastination, but eagerly fall to enjoyingOne Another; the goodWomenattracting as greedily the virile Benevolence, asNaturecan prompt, or asCerberuscould snap at aPiece, or theHunger-starvedaBitofBread. Upon which, if noEfluxionhappens in the Beginning,NATUREbeing incapable ofelaboratingsuch anunapt confused Matter, it is converted to aMOLE; which (as aforesaid) is frequently cast forth about thefourth Month, and call’d by themeen Manekindt, as we for the same reason call it aMoon-Calf.