CHAPTER II.
I
N this Chapter I have avoided the Use of Terms of Art, or explain’d them, in Regard to those for whom I chiefly write, as far as my Regard to Decency admits; but if any Word should occur not easily understood by any of my Readers, almost anyEnglishDictionary will explain its Meaning; and it cannot be expected that any Book can instruct those who cannot read, tho’ I am sorry to say too many such assume the Office ofMidwives.
As Curiosity may reasonably induce many of the Sex concern’d in the Subject of these Sheets, to be inform’d of somewhat of the Provision supreme Wisdom has made for the Existence of Children in the Womb, I shall briefly mention the most obviousInstrumentsrelating to their Breeding and Birth, without puzzling my Readers with minuteanatomicalDescriptions.
The Vagina, or Passage, lies between the Neck of theBladderand the large or strait Gut; it is connected at the inward extreme to theWomb, and called theoutward Orificeat its beginning.
TheWomblies between theBladderandStrait Gut, and is connected to both; during the Time ofBreedingit increases in itsDimensions, and rising higher in the Body, by Reason of the Weight and Substance of it, with its Contents, at the Fund, or remote End of it, may be liable to swag too muchforwardorbackward, or incline more or less to either Side, especially in such, as by their Occasions of Industry in Life are obliged to a Variety ofindirectSituations; by which Means theinwardOrifice is perverted from adirect Sitewith Respect to the Passage, and obstructs an easy Exclusion of the Infant in Travel.
ThePlacentaorAfter-birth, adhering to theFundof theWomb, receives theMother’s Blood, by theUmbilical-Vessels, orNavel-String, conveys it to the Child for its Nourishment, and retransmits what is superfluous; maintaining by the Intercourse ofArteriesandVeins, the Circulation of the Blood between Mother and Child.
TheMembranesclosely connected to thePlacenta, and theFundof theWomb, between both which they seem to take their Rise, contain theHumoursin which the Infant swims, the better to preserve it from Injuries, by its Pressure againstunyieldingParts, and theHumoursbefore, and after theBreakingof theMembranes, commonly call’d theBreaking of the Waters, in the Birth, very much facilitate it, by opening theinward Orificeof theWomb, and lubricating thePassagefor the Child: TheseMembranescome away with thePlacenta, under the Name of theAfter-birth, orSecundines, indifferently.
ThePelvisorBason, wherein theUterusorWombis seated, is form’d by theforwardBones, commonly call’d theShare-Bone, theHip-Bonesand their Continuation on each Side, and the lower Part of theBack-Bone, all which are so contiguous to each other, as to form this Cavity, generally much larger in Women than Men, cloathed with Muscles, between which theVaginais inserted.
The right Formation of thePelvis, is of the greatest Consequence in Favour of aneasyBirth; when theBonesforming it,forwardandbackward, and oneachSide, both above and below, don’t too much approach each other, and prevent the Exclusion of the Child between, by a free Admission.