Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

QVEST. XIII. Of vitious or faulty Conceptions, and especially of the Mola.

THat Conception is made by the in-bred propriety of the Wombe, this a∣mong the rest manifestly prooueth, that into what part of the body soeuer, sauing into this, the seede is powred, this power or efficacy is neuer stirred vp, neither commeth into acte; so that conception is as properly the action of the wombe, as Chylification is the action of the stomacke. But that con∣ception may be perfect, the seede which is yeelded and reteined must be pure and fruitfull. By pure I vnderstand with Hippocrates, that which is not sickly or diseased, neither yet min∣gled with blood. For blood is not requisite to generation till after the description of the spermaticall parts is begun; otherwise the seede being choaked by the aboundance of the blood, neither at all attempteth his worke, neither can it bring to perfection that it could haue well begun. Againe, if the seedes be vnfruitfull, what hope can there be of a haruest.

To perfect conception there is further required an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or lawdable temper of the wombe; for those whose wombes are either hot or colde, or moyst or dry aboue measure do not conceiue as saith Hippocrates. If therefore any of these things be wanting, wee can∣not hope for a lawfull conception, but either there will bee none at all, or a depraued and vitious, such as is of the Moone-calfe or Mola. For Nature rather endeauoureth an imper∣fect and depraued Conception then none at all, because she is greedy of propagation and diligent to maintaine the perpetuity of he kindes of things: wherefore rather then she will do nothing, she will endeuour any thing how imperfect soeuer. So when Nature maketh wormes in the stomacke and guts, she doth better then if she should generate nothing at al, because of a thing immooueable she maketh a thing mooueable by itselfe and of it selfe, & of a putrid and rotten humour an animated creature.

The nature and causes of this faulty conception which they call the Mola or Moon-calfe we will endeauour to finde out. The Mola the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, some think that the name came from a Bakers Mill, because it is like thereto both in hardnesse & in round∣nesse. Among the Persians the word Moli signifieth a deformed thing. Affranius the Poet calleth it Molucrum, Aristotle often 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it is like a parboyled thing. We call it A Moone-Calfe. Galen in the 7. Chapter of his 14 Booke de vsu partium, defineth a Mola to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, an Idle and imperfect flesh. But this definition dooth not expresse the whole Nature of the Mola. For there may bee a rude flesh generated without motion, which is not a Mola. There are euery where Caruncles generated, which no man wil call Moles. We thinke that this rather is a perfect definition of a Mola. The Mola or moon calfe is an idle flesh without forme and hard, engendred onely in the wombe of a woman, and that of weake seede, which seede vndertaking the Conformation, but beeing oppressed or stifled vvith aboundance of blood, it cannot atteine his owne end, and therefore in steade of a creature genera∣teth a lumpe of flesh.

The particular parts of this definition we will discourse of and discusse in order. The Mola is a flesh, because his substance is fleshy and red like clodded blood. It is Idle, that is, without any Animall motion; for it is not at al moued vnlesse it be after the motion of the wombe. It is rude without forme, not that it wanteth his owne forme, for it hath as saith the Philosopher his owne being, but it hath neyther 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nor 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, neither the species nor the forme of a creature. It is engendred onely in the wombe of a woman, because as wri∣teth Aristotle, onely a woman hath aboundance of menstruall purgatoins, for that her di∣et is moist, and her course of life sluggish and idle in respect of other creatures. That which is obiected of the Beare which alwayes bringeth foorth her young rude and vnformed, and perfecteth them by licking, either we say it is a Fable, or else that their young doe appeare deformed or vnformed but are not so indeede, but because they lurk all winter in the caues of the earth, they are couered with a slimy and Flegmaticke moysture which the Dam lick∣ing of makes their proportion appeare.

The rest of the parts of our definition, doe fully declare the manner of the generation, and the causes of the Mola. I know there are diuers opinions of the Ancients concerning their generation. Plutark saith that a Mola may be generated without the cōpany of a man, whom many follow, who thinke it may be generated onely of the seed of the woman, when to it a great quantity of her bloode accrueth. But this opinion is disprooued by Galen in

the 7. Chapter of his 14. Booke de vsu partium, where hee saith that among all creatures which walke continually vpon the earth, none doe euer conceiue without the seede of the Male, no not a faulty or vitious conception; because all beginning of conformation pro∣ceedeth from the seede of the Male as that which is the first principle of Generation. Add hereto that if a Mole could be conceiued onely of the seede of the woman, then those Vir∣gines which doe suffer nightly polutions might conceiue the same which neuer yet was hard off.

The Coagmentation therefore of the Mole is neuer made without copulation. Some thinke that the Mole is generated as other flesh, onely by the affluence of aboundance of bloud which is gathered or caked together by the heate of the wombe. But because the blood hath no actiue or operatiue power but onely passiue, I doe not see how a Moale can be made onely of bloud, when as we see it is tyed with ligaments to the wombe and inue∣sted with membranes, which ligaments and membranes are the rudiments of a conforma∣tion inchoated or begunne. Neither are wee to giue credite to them that affirme that it is generated onely of crude and corrupted seede, or when the seede of the woman ouercom∣meth the Seede of the Male. The true manner of their Generation Hippocrates setteth downe in his first Book de morbis mulierum, which, because we esteem it as an Oracle, I wil here transcribe. Concerning the Conception of the Mola this is the very trueth: when agreat aboundance of bloud cloyeth a little ill disposed seede there cannot bee a lawfull conception, yet the belly swelleth as if the woman were with Child. What could be sayed more succinctly, what to better purpose?

Two things he requireth to the Generation of the Mola: First that there be the Seede of the man; but that in little quantity and vitious or faulty. Secondly that great quantity of blood should flow vnto it. That little and vitiated seede vndertaketh the worke of confor∣mation and beginneth to forme the membranes; for almost all Moone-calues are couered with filmes and membranes.

But when as the seede thus little and weake endeuoureth to perfect his woorke hee hath begun, then is the discretion or separation of the parts hindered and interrupted by the af∣fluence of too much blood, & the Conception becommeth illegitimate, because the blood beareth greater sway then the seede; so that in steade of a liuing Creature which was the first intention of Nature, there is generated an vnformed & rude masse of flesh hauing in∣deede the principles of Life, but those so weake that they are presently suffocated and ex∣tinguished. For whereas it dayly groweth and encreaseth that commeth not by true nu∣trition but by apposition onely.

Some thinke that this flesh is not altogether without life, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as if they should say it had halfe a Soule. It is therefore Hippocrates resolution that the mola can neuer bee generated without the seede of the man, and that the beginning of the coagmentation or gathering of the same is alwayes from that same seed. The very same thing Actuarius con∣firmeth by this definition. The Mola sayeth he, is a fleshy tumor which hath his beginning and his firmenesse or fastnesse from prolificall Seede. And thus much shall haue been sufficient to haue sayd of the Nature and cause of the Mola.

Now let vs acquaint you by what notes and signes it may be distinguished from a true Conception. Hippocrates in his first Book de morbis mulierum, and in his Book de Sterilibus conceiueth that the signes of the Mola are fetcht from these foure. The tumor or swel∣ling of the belly, the motion, milke and the time of the gestation. For the first, the belly sooner swelles vpon the conception of a Mola then of an Infant; beside, it is stiffer stretched and carried with more difficulty. For the motion; if after the third and fourth moneth the woman feele no motion the Conception is faulty; for sayeth Hippocrates Male Infants do moue the third moneth and Females the fourth.

But the Mola is altogether immoueable vnlesse it be accidentally moued together with the wombe: and if a woman in that case feele sometimes a trembling and panting motion, wee say it is not so much caused by the Mola it selfe, as from the wombe which striueth to shake off so vnprofitable a burthen. Beside, the motion of the Mola and the Infant is alto∣gether vnlike: for the Infant of it owne accord turneth himselfe and mooueth euery way, the Mola like a bowle or vnwealdy bulke is rowled to the right side or to the lefte as the wombe doeth incline to either hand. A Mole pressed with the hand giueth way instantly but presently returneth thither againe: the Infant as it yeeldeth not presently, so after it hath giuen way it returneth not into the same place and position againe.

The third signe of the Mole Hippocrates taketh from the Nature of the Milke. This is the greatest and most certaine argument of the Mola, if there appeare no Milke in the Pappes. But if the Conceptions be legittimate there is milke. For this we haue a Golden saying in the Booke de Natura pueri, As soone as the Infant beginneth to mooue, euen then the Milk bewray∣eth it to the mother. But if a Mola be conceyued there is no Milke generated. Amongest all the rest, there is indeede no signe so infallible as that which is fetched from the time of the Gestation. For, if the Tumor of the belly continue after the eleauenth month which is the vtmost limit of Gestation, and yet there appeare no signes of a dropsie, wee may bee bold to say, it is not an infant but a Mola that is conceiued. And Hippocrates saith, That a woman may beare a Mola two yea three yeares.

Aristotle also in the 7. chapter of his fourth Booke De generatione Animalium saith, that a Mola may endure in a womans body foure yeares, yea the whole course of her life, so that she may grow old with it, yea and dye with it of another disease; and in the tenth Booke De Historia Animalium he rendreth the reason; because (saith hee) being no creature it vrgeth not the wombe neither mooueth therein as doth the childe, who by kicking seeketh a way out for himselfe. Moreouer, the Mola breatheth not, neither needeth any aer at all, and therefore seeketh not passage for it.

The late Writers add, that the woman which hath conceiued a Mola becommeth pale, looseth all her colour, yea and pineth away in her whole body. And thus much of the Mo∣la his nature, and the signes whereby it may bee distinguished from a Lawfull Concep∣tion.

Notes

• What is requi¦red to perfect conception.
• Nature ende∣uoureth a de∣praued con∣ception rather then none & why.
• The names of the Mola.
• Affranius.
• Galens defini∣tion.
• A perfect de∣finition of the Mola.
• Flesh. Idle.
• Rude.
• Onely in a woman.
• Plutark of the Mola. Disprooued.
• Mercurialis his opinion.
• Re••elled.
• Hippocrates o∣pinion.
• Explayned.
• The maner of the generati∣on of the mola
• Actuarius defi¦nition.
• The signes to distinguish a Mola from an Infant out of Hippocrates.
• The tumor of the belly.
• The motion.
• 3. signifi from the Milke. Hippocrates.
• A Mol•• may lye long in the womb & why.