THESECUNDINEis a thick carnousMass, of a softvasculous Substance, compos’d of thematernal Menstrua; whichwaxesupon the outside of theChorionin proportion with the Growth of theFoetus; encreasing (as theWatersdo) together with theInfant. It is also called theWomb-Cake, orPlacenta Uterina; but most commonly theWoman’s AFTER-BIRTH.
ITis call’dPlacenta, because of its flat circularFigure, resembling a pretty thick round Cake; being about eight InchesDiameter, and oneThick; a little thicker in theMiddle, where theUmbilical Vesselsare fixed, than at theEdges.
ITSthickest spongious Part(properly call’d thePlacenta) adheres to the Bottom of theWombby innumerableVessels, and the Interposition of a very thinMembrane, which is a Continuation of theChorion.
ITSConcave Parttowards theInfant, is join’d to theNavel-String, and encompass’d with a smoothMembrane, which it derives from theChorionandAmnion.
THEVesselsterminating in theNavel-String, are inserted atone End, almost in the Center of thePlacenta; as theother Endadheres to theNavelof theInfant.
THESECUNDINEis rough and unequal on theOutside, and smooth and soft on theInside; and cannot be extracted, without breaking the mentionedVessels: From hence an Effusion ofHumoursand Fluxion ofBloodalways follows it; which (according to theWoman’sState of Health) is of afairer, ordarker, redColour.
THEUse of theSECUNDINE, is to receive and absorb theNutritious Juicefrom theWomb; (as theIntestinesimbibe theChyle) which it afterwards transmits to theInfant, by theUmbilical Vein.
INCase ofTwins, or moreChildren, if conceived atone Time, they have butone common SECUNDINE, (notwithstanding the contrary Opinion ofothers) which adheres to theFundof theWomb, by thePlacenta, as above: Wherefore I must needs reject theTestimonyof suchMidwives, who give out that they have found theSECUNDINE,fix’dto anyother Partof theWomb; tho’ I experimentally know, that it is sometimes found in theHinder Partnear theLoins, sometimes in theForepart, sometimes near theDiaphragma, sometimes in theRight, and sometimes in theLeft Side.
BUThowever, we should be grossly mistaken, if from hence, we did conclude, that theSECUNDINEadher’d toany other Part, than theBottomof theWomb: Since such erroneousApprehensionsare merely occasion’d by the variousMotion, or obliquePositionof theWomb; as hereafter will appear more at large.