Bartholinus anatomy made from the precepts of his father, and from the observations of all modern anatomists, together with his own ... / published by Nich. Culpeper and Abdiah Cole.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Womb in General.

THe Womb is by the Latins termed Uterus, from Uter a Bottle by reason of its hollowness, in which Sense Tacitus does use Uterum Navis for the Keel of a Ship. Isidorus saies tis so called, because tis on each side one: in a more large signification tis termed Ven∣ter in the Digests and Institutes. Also tis called Matrix, Utriculus, and Loci muliebres, where consist the begin∣nings of Generation, according to Varro. In other A∣nimals, according to Pliny, tis termed Vulva, especially in Sows, which the ancient Romans did account a de∣licate Dish: Of which see Plutrach, and Langius in his Epistles, also Martial, Horace, Apitius, Athenaeus, and among late Writers Castellanus. Hofman conceives that Vulva is corrupted from Bulga, and Bulga a Word used by Lucilius and Varro, is originally French, if we believe Festus, who renders it a Bag. Nonius interprets it to be a Satchel or Knapsack hanging about a Mans Arm. See hereof Vossius. But the term Vulva is ap∣proved by Celsus, and the Authors formerly commen∣ded.

It is situate in the Hypogastrium, or* 1.1 the lower Part of the lower Belly, which is framed in the Cavity termed Pelvis, by the Ossacrum and the Flank∣bones. And therefore that Pelvis or Basin, is larger in Women: and therefore they have Buttocks greater and wider. Now it was requisite that it should be so placed, that the Womb might be distended according to the greatness of the Child, and that the Child might be conveniently excluded.

Moreover the Womb is placed in the middle incli∣ning to no side, save somtimes when a Woman is of Child with a Boy or a Girl: for then the Child lies more to the right or left side, though that be no certain Rule.

Now it lies between the Intestinum rectum or Arse∣gut, which is beneath it, and the Bladder which lies upon it, as between two Pillows. Why therefore should we be proud who are bred between Dung and Urin?

Its Magnitude is considered in length* 1.2 depth, and thickness, and all these vary in respect of Bodies, Age, and Venery.

Its Length in those of a middle stature, who use Venery, from the external Privity to the bottoms end, is commonly eleven fingers; the bottom is three fin∣gers.

The Breadth of the bottom, is two or three fingers, because in Women not with Child the latitude of the bottom and neck is one and the same. And hence the amplitude may easily be conjectured.

But in Virgins, which have not attained to ripeness of Age, it is little and less then the Bladder: in such as are full of Age it is greater: yet if they abstain from Venery it is small enough, though thick, as it is also in very old Women. But it is greater in such as have oft conceived, and bore Children: that a man may well near grasp it in his hand, unless when the Women are great with Child: for then it is more and more enlar∣ged, and whereas before Gravidation, the bottom of the Womb did not pass beyond the beginning of Ossa∣crum, it reaches afterward to the Navil and beyond, so that it rests upon the thin Guts.

The thickness of the Womb does va∣ry* 1.3 after the same manner. For in Vir∣gins the substance thereof is thin, in grown persons thick; and by how much a Woman hath been oftner with Child, by so much is the substance of her womb the thicker. When the Courses flow, the womb grows thick; and when the voidance of the Courses is at hand, the substance of the womb appears swelling and thick. In Women with Child, Galen, Vesalius, and other Anato∣mists* 1.4 conceive, that the womb the more it is stretched, the more it is attenuated, & that its thickness is spent in its length, as Galen speaks. But ocular Experience makes against this, and the Authorities of Sylvius, Mundellus a Surgeon of Paris, Aranthus, Varolus, Platerus, Bauhinus, Heurnius, Rou∣settus, and Laurentius. For from the first Conception until the Birth, it is encreased according to all Dimen∣sions, and becom•• as larger ••o a little thicker and softer, so that in the last ••onths ••••e wombs substance is two

[illustration]

[illustration]

The XXVI. TABLE▪

This TABLE presents t•••• Generative Parts of Wome•• taken out of the Body.

The Explication of the FIGURE.

• A. The right side deputy-Kidney.
• B. The left deputy-Kidney.
• CC. The Kidney on both sides.
• DD. The right side emulgent Veins.
• EE. The right side emulgent Arteries.
• F. The Trunk of Vena cava.
• G. The left emulgent Vein.
• HH. The left emulgent Arteries.
• II. The right spermatick Vein.
• K. The right spermatick Artery.
• L. The left spermatick Artery.
• M. The left spermatick Vein.
• NN. The Trunk of the great Artery.
• OO. The Stones in Women.
• PP. A broad Ligament, like the wings of Bats or Flitter-mice.
• QQ. The Trumpets of the Womb.
• R. The Bottom of the Womb.
• SS. The round Ligaments of the Womb, cut off at the Share.
• T. The Neck of the Womb.
• VV. The Hypogastrick Veins on both sides.
• XX. The Hypogastrick Arteries on both sides, carried unto the Neck.
• Y. The Sheath or Scabberd of the Womb.
• Z. A Portion of the Intestinum rectum, or Arse-gut.
• ...aa. The Ureters cut off.
• ...bb. The Vasa pampiniformia, or Vessels cris∣ped like the Tendrels of a Vine.
• ...cc. A Passage or deferent Vessel to carry from the Stones to the Horns of the Womb.

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fingers thick. The Womb does then so far depart from a membranous Substance, and becomes red, and of a fungous and spungie Sub∣stance, and full of holes like a Pumice-stone, divisible as it were into many Barks and Shells: which happens because of the plentiful Afflux of Blood and Spirits for the Child. Touching both Opinion Falcobergius thus judges; that the Substance of the Womb does indeed become more thin, as he observed in Dissections of Women with Child; but that it seemed thicker, be∣cause the Womb-liver does grow exceeding close ther∣to, and that this might deceive many. But Nicolas Fon∣tanus saies, that in the womb of a Woman with Child, he hath separated the Womb-liver from the Mem∣brane, and that he hath found the Membrane to be ex∣ceeding thick. Which may very well be, for the Mem∣brane being spungie, drinks in the affluent moisture of the womb, and puts on a thicker condition of Sub∣stance. If at any time it happen to be praeternaturally thin, either through defect of Humor, or through much Distension, it is easily broken. And Salmuth hath observed as much in a Childbed woman, by reason of strong Forcers. Now the Substance of the womb is thickest of all about the internal O•…•… ••hich is strait, whence proceeds that •…•…e adm•…•…e Dilata••ion in Child•…•…, and Co•…•… of 〈…〉〈…〉▪

The Figure of the Womb is by some* 1.5 counted round, by others Pear-fashi∣on'd. But though the Womb encline to roundness that it may be of the greater capacity; yet we conceive with Soranus and Fallopius, that its bot∣tom may best of all be resembled to a Gourd; because it is by little and little straitned downwards. But the Neck of the Womb resembles an oblong and round Pipe or Channel.

The Connexion is either of the Neck of the Womb or of the Bottom.

The Neck is tied by its own substance, and by mem∣branes; but the Bottom by peculiar Ligaments.

On the foreside the Neck grows to the Piss-bladder and the Share-bones, by Membranes arising from the Peritonaeum. In the hinder part to the Ossacrum, and the rectum Intestinum, with some Fatness. But about the Privity it grows together with the Fundament. On the sides, it is loosely knit by certain Membranes to the Peritonaeum.

The Bottom is not fastned by its* 1.6 Substance, but is free, because it ought to be moved, as shall be said in its A∣ction (w••••refore a Venetian woman died of pains in

her womb, the bottom thereof being tied by the Call) but in the sides it is knit by two pare of Ligaments, whose use is to hold the womb suspended or dangling.

One upper pare is broad and membra∣nous, and is held to arise from the Mus∣cles* 1.7 of the Loins; and it ends into the bottom of the womb, near the horns. It is loose and soft, that it may be di∣stended and contracted. Aretaeus likens it to the wings of Bats or Flitter-mice. And by help of this pare, the bottom is fastned to the Bones of the Flank. But be∣cause it is interwoven with fleshy Fibres, therefore Ve∣salius and Archangelus have, perhaps not unjustly, rec∣kon'd them to be Muscles. Now they carry along the praeparatory and deferent Vessels, even as they contain the Stones. Now this pare of Liga∣ments or Muscles, is somtimes loos∣ned* 1.8 by violence, difficult Labor in Childbed, weight of the Child in the Womb, &c. so that the Bottom of the Womb fals in∣to the Privity, somtimes with the Neck inverted; also somtimes it hangs out, and is cut off; in which case al∣so it is necessary that there be a Solution of the Con∣nexion of the Neck.

The other pare is lower, being round like Earth-worms, reddish like Muscles* 1.9 (whereupon some have conceived them to be Muscles, that perform the Office of the Crema∣sters in Men, so that the Womb is by them moved up and down, or at least is established and strengthned, in carrying Burthens, expelling the Child, Outcries, and Labors, in Deflux of Humors into this Part, which O∣pinion Pinaeus embraces. Also it is hollow, especially in the end. It arises from the sides of the Bottom of the Womb, and at its beginning touching the de∣ferent Vessels, it ascends to the Groins, and as the sper∣matick Vessels in men, so these Ligaments in Women, pass along through the productions of the Peritonae∣um, and the Tendons of the obliquely descendent Muscles of the Belly, and there they are obliterated in∣to Fat, or Membranes of the Bones near the Clitoris, to which they are fastned, and degenerated into a broad and nervous thinness. Where two other Muscles be∣gin, without the Belly, being thin and broad, cloathing the whole inner face of the Lips; by help of which, some women move the Lips. The remaining part of the foresaid Ligament, runs to the Knee, and after∣ward into a Membrane of the inner part of the Thigh. Hence it is, as Riolanus acquaints us, that women with Child do in their first months complain of a pain in the inside of their Thighs.

The Use of this Part is, 1. As hath been said, to draw the Bottom of the Womb upwards, least it should fall down in relaxations, in bearing of weights, and in taking off pains; which nevertheless be more right∣ly said of the pare. 2. To hinder the ascent of the womb towards the upper parts, which of it self cannot happen, unless wi••hal the Privities which are continu∣ed therewith, and the sheath be drawn upwards, but in the womb relaxed, and distended, it often happens. 3. Riolanus suspects that the excrementitious Humors of the womb are somtimes carried into the Kernels of the Groins, by these Ligaments, where also he hath found venereous B••bo's raised. Otherwise, Hippocra∣tes draws the Bubo's in the Groins of Women from their Courses, which Aurelius Severinus refers to criti∣cal Abscesses, and Arantius seeks out their Passages in the Veins, by which the turgent Humer is carried from the womb to the Groins. I put the Arteries in place of Veins, whereby Excrements are both here and in other parts, carried to the extremities or out∣most places in the Body. 4. Spigelius in a Woman kil'd with over much carnal Copulation, observed these Ligaments near the Womb, full of Seed. Which makes me suspect that these Ligaments, having recei∣ved a Seminal Moisture, do moisten the neighbouring Parts in Women with Child, that all Parts may more easily be loosned and stretched in Virgins and barren Women, they are meer Ligaments, and by their Moi∣sture defend the womb from the violence of burning Heat.

The Substance of the womb is mem∣branous,* 1.10 that it may be dilated and contracted, as need shall require, furnished with many pleits and folds, which in Women with Child are stret∣ched our, to widen the womb, but they are contracted when the Child is excluded, and in aged women. Be∣sides these pleits, it hath in women with child Pipes and large Cavities, or Cells exceeding manifest. Now the Substance of the womb is made up of a common and proper Membrane.

The common is doubled, and grows* 1.11 to the sides on each hand, arising from the Peritonaeum, being exceeding thick, and most firm for strength, smooth every where, save where the Sper∣matick Vessels enter, or the Ligaments go out.

The proper and internal is also double; though it is hard to discern so much, by reason of its close adhaesi∣on, save in Exulcerations. And be••ween both there were fleshy Fibres, such as are found in the Stomach: which some call the proper Substance and Parenchy∣ma of the womb (whereinto a spungie Body is here and there strewed) and the use thereof is to heat the womb. But these Membranes are not of the same thickness alwaies: as was said before, when I spake of the Magnitude.

The Vessels of the womb are Veins, Ar∣teries,* 1.12 and Nerves.

The Veins and Arteries accompanying one another, are carried between the Coats of the womb, and pour forth their Blood into those membranous Pipes of the womb, but are not carried into the inmost Cavity of the womb. And they are twofold: some arise from above, others from beneath. For, from the upper and lower parts, that is to say, from the whole Body, the Blood ought to come, both that in the monthly terms, the whol Body may be purged, and also that in the time of a womans going with child, her Fruit might be nou∣rished. Those which come from above, do creep all the womb over, but especially in the bottom thereof, and they are Branches derived from the Seminal Vessels, before the praeparatory Vessels are constituted, and al∣so from the Haemorrhoidal Branch, whence there is so great a Consent between the Womb and the Spleen. The left ends of the Veins and Arteries are joyned with the right ends: that* 1.13 the right part may also be augmented with plenty of Blood. The Menstru∣al blood is shed forth by the Arteries in Women not with Child: and there∣fore according to the Observation of Walaeus, if about the time of the Menstrual Flux, the Pulse of the Heart and Arteries may be made greater, then the blood is more vehemently forced into the womb by the Arteries, and so the Menstrual Flux furthered. We see also when we have given Cordials appropriate to the womb, and stirring the Spirituous part of the Blood, that then the Courses encline to flow. Finally, the colour of the Menstrual blood in healthy women, declares that it is Arterial blood. Now it r••ns back again to the Heart, by the Veins▪ •…•…d to the Arteries▪ for all that Blood

neither can, nor must be voided out of the Body, when they are obstructed, because the blood cannot freely pass upward out of the lesser Veins of the womb into the greater, the Menstrual blood is collected in great quantity, and makes great commotions of the womb. Those Veins and Arteries which come from beneath and ascend, do arise from the Hypogastrick Branches of the Cava and the Aorta, and creep through the neck of the womb, and the lower part of the bottom, where they are every where joyned with the superior ones. For very broad Vessels are united through the bottom, both without, and* 1.14 in the substance of the womb, which A∣nastomoses do more appear in menstru∣al women, and in such as are with Child. And they may be easily observed, if in dead Bodies some of them be blown up. For they all swell by that blast into one. The Mouths of these Vessels or Pipes rather, do enter into the Cavity of the bottom, and are called Acetabu∣la or Cotylidones Cups or Saucers: which gape and are opened, when the Menstrua are purged. And in Wo∣men with Child, when the womb-liver is joyned to them (in Beasts the Verticilli or Tufts) drawing blood for the Child. And because Branches are carried into the neck of the womb from these Vessels, by them wo∣men with Child that are Plethorick, may void Men∣strual blood in their first months, when there is more blood then needs to nourish the Child. For it is not probable, that that blood comes out of the womb: for the Child would be suffocated, and through too great opening of the internal mouth of the womb, Abortion might follow.

Now it is observable, that the Ves∣sels* 1.15 of the womb, do in the time of a a womans going with Child so swell with blood, especially about the time of Childbirth, that they are as big as the Emulgent Veins, or half as big as the Vena cava or Aorta.

Nerves very many in number, are carried from the pares of the Nerves of Os sacrum, and from the sixt Conjugation of the Brain, to the Neck of the Womb, and the parts about the Privities for pleasures sake: as also to the lower part of the Bottom. Whence there is a great Sympathy betwixt the Womb and the Brain. To the upper part of the Bottom few Nerves are car∣ried, and they are intertwisted like a Net.

The Action and Use of the womb, is to attract and retain the womans* 1.16 seed expelled by her Stones, and the mans seed, cast in by his Yard. Both these Seeds are drawn into the bottom, retained, con∣served, and cherished, whence proceeds Conception. For the Womb is like a Garden or Field, which re∣ceives, preserves, and nourishes the Seed: and there∣fore Aristotle cals it the Field of Nature. For even the womb is also a Field of Generation, the place or mat∣ter wherein, affording also Nutriment of Arterial blood, yea and the Matter of which viz. the womans Seed; for the Spirituous substance of the Mans Seed, is the Architect which performs the work, and gives life to the womans Seed. Now the Seed of both of them, ought to be fruitful with the formative virtue which falls from the whole Body, and well and duely constituted; the womans being fit to receive the ani∣mated form, and the mans to give the same. To the internal Heat of which two Seeds joyned together, the external Heat of the womb joynes it self, and by a sin∣gular virtue, stirs up that same inbred •…•…ative facul∣ty, to perform its work, by a way to 〈…〉〈…〉 together un∣known. Hogelandius adds the Fer•…•… Action it self impressed upon the Seed, and the due Situation of a certain Mass in the Seed, because we see that of an Eg never so little shaken, no Chicken is ever hatched, and alwaies in the middest of the Seed of Animals, a little after Conception, we find a certain chrystalline transparent Mass. Certain it is, that all the Particles of the Seed, have a peculiar Determination, referring to that Part of the Body of the Parents, from whence they came, and which they are to form in the Child. But the change of this, or that determinate clotter of the Seed, does only vary the Situation of the Child formed in the Womb, which is the cause that we find the Child variously situate in the Womb. Eggs that have been shaken, seem to be less fruitful, by reason of the confusion and rupture as it were, of the singular de∣terminate parts, and the loss of the Heat. Fabricius, Pacius, and Harvey do attribute the formative or sha∣ping Faculty to the Womb, and deny the same to be in the Seed; wherein they are mistaken. For, 1. Chic∣kens are hatched out of the Eggs, only by the sitting of the Hen or some other Bird, also in a bed, in the artifi∣cial Furnaces of Aegypt, Tuscany, Denmark, and Seeds of corn do sprout upon Chamber-floures, without the assistance of any womb. 2. The external Members would sooner be shaped then the internal. 3. The Fa∣ther should contribute nothing to the sormation of the Child. 4. No cause could be given of the likeness of the Child, somtimes to the Father, otherwhiles to the Mother. Now the Followers of Des Crates▪ and a∣mongst the rest Regius do aver, that the Particles of the Seed are agitated only by the Heat of the womb and of the Seed, and they being agitated, in regard of their figures, do necessarily fall into the Branch of a Live∣wight, just as when the oblong Particles of Salt, agita∣ted in water by the force of Heat, and joyned one with another, do first make a plate, and by the frequent multiplication thereof a four square grain or corn, and as of six little balls agitated upon some plane and uni∣ted together a Rose is made; and as of the Particles of Vapors arising out of Cellars in cold weather and va∣riously smiteing upon their doors, with a whirling mo∣tion, sundry pictures of the patts of Plants are formed. And out of the said Branch or Stalk, by little and little the whole shaping of the Child is perfected without a∣ny understanding of the Soul, or any corporeal Facul∣ty, directing the same, as in the Work∣houses of Glass∣makers after a Bubble of Glass is rudely cut, Gloves, Boots, and other things are blown by ignorant per∣sons that come to see the works; and in some Foun∣tains, by reason of the figures of the Pores in the Pipes, we see Images formed by force of the water breaking forth. A neat way, truly, of Conception and Forma∣tion in the womb, if it were true. No man is able in this Matter to trace the Workmanship of Nature. But I cannot as yet perswade my self, that all things are done rudely and mechanically in the Body, who have alwaies had an higher Opinion of Nature then so. By this means a Man were an accidental Being, and his first shaping would be accidental and fortuitous, o•• by chance medley. The figures of the foresaid things happen by accident and contingently, and vary in the Particulars, whereas the Divine Shape of the most noble Creature Man, is alwaies one and the same, and happens of it self after the same manner. How could that Branch be formed without the Mind, which is not in our Hands? I profess I know not. For a Glass is formed by the widening and working of an inanimate Matter, and as in the formation thereof, there is requi∣red the blast and the hand of the Artificer, with the as∣sistance of ••••e fire; so in an animated Child, the in∣ternal

[illustration]

[illustration]

The XXVII. TABLE▪

The Womb taken out of the Body, with the Stones, and all kind of Vessels fastned thereun∣to, and the Piss-bladder.

The FIGURES Explained.

FIG. I.

• A. The Piss-bladder turned up∣side down.
• BB. The Insertion of the Ureters into the Bladder.
• CC. The Neck or Sheath of the Womb into which very many Vessels are disseminated.
• D. The Bottom of the Womb.
• EEEE. The two low and round Liga∣ments of the Womb cut off.
• FF. The Vas caecum. or trumpet of the Womb, as yet fastned to this upper and broad Liga∣ment.
• GG. The same Vessel on the oppo∣site side, separate from the broad Ligament.
• HH. The deferent Vessels of both sides, ending from the Stones to the Bottom of the Womb.
• II. The upper and membranous Ligament of the Womb, re∣sembled to the wings of Batts, through which very many Ves∣sels are disseminated, arising from the praeparatory Vessels.
• K. The praeparatory Vessels of one side, as yet not freed from the membranous Ligament.
• L. The praeparatory Vessels of the other side, freed from the membranous Ligament, that their Insertion into the Stone may be discerned.
• MM. The Stones of which the right is covered with its Membrane and the left quite naked.
• NN. Very many Veins and Arteries spred abroad into the Neck and Bottom of the Womb, serving for the monthly Purgation and the Nourishment of the Child.
• OO. Nerves spred up and down through the Body of the Womb, which are represented by the Graver too large.

FIG. II.

• A. The bottom of the womb.
• BB. The lowermore round Ligaments of the womb cut off.
• C. The Region wherein the inner Mouth of the womb is placed.
• D. The right Stone covered with its Membrane.
• EE. The deferent Vessels reaching from the Stones to the Horns of the womb.
• F. The upper and membranous Ligament of the womb, fastning the deferent Vessels to the Stones.
• G. The Membrane of the Stone separated therefrom.
• H. The glandulous or kernelly Substance of the Stone.
• I. The Neck of the womb, commonly called the Sheath.
• KK. Passages arising from the deferent Vessel, and carried into the Neck of the womb, into which they say Women with Child do squirt their Seed.

page 69

formative Faculty of the Animated Seed. does jovn it self to the Heat of the womb and of the Seed. Nor is the Formation of the Child only apparent, as the artificial Images of water are, but true, constant, and permanent. Abensina, Paracelsus, and Am••••tus Lusitanus, have contrariwise been perswaded that a Child may be generated our of the Mothers womb: but nob•••• will be forward to believe them, unless

they could snew us some example, which their Fol∣lowers will never be able to do. For that a little child should be made in a Glass of a Mans Seed and Men∣strual Blood, placed in Horse-dung, it hath never been my hap to see as yet, and it ought to be doubted, be∣cause the Experiment cannot be made. For the Heat and Virtue of the Seed and Blood would expire, be∣fore they could be mingled in the Glass, and it would be a very hard matter, to get the Seed of a woman to mingle among the rest.

That Conception hath been made, and a Child for∣med out of the womb, some Examples testifie. Touch∣ing the Trumpet of the womb, I spake before, from the Relation of Riolanus.* 1.17 That a Child was conceived in the Sto∣mach of a young woman the Wife of an abominable Taylor, and voided by her mouth the length of a mans finger, but well shaped in all Parts external and internal. Salmuth informs us, describing the Story from the Letters of Komelerius to Gothofredus Hofmannus, nor does he doubt of the truth of the Story. That the same may be per∣formed in the neck of the womb, those Superfoetati∣ons, seem to demonstrate, which are voided in the first place to make more room for the larger Conception in the womb. But these are to be accounted very rare and praeternatural cases, if true. But Superfoetation, whether in the womb or without, depends from the virtue of the womb, reaching all over the whole Body thereof.

The womb is therefore necessary to preserve the Spe∣cies or kind. Howbeit it contributes also to the health of the Individual, as the emunctory or clenser of the whole Body. Howbeit very many women have li∣ved very long, and happily without it, witness Abenzo∣ar, Aegineta, Wierus, Zacutus. When it hath fallen out putrified, it hath been all in a manner cut off without danger, according to the Observations of Rhases, Car∣pus, Mercurialis, Langius, a Vega, Paraeus, Baubinus, and others. Fernelius tells us he saw a childing woman, who voided with her Child her whole womb, pluckt away by the roots, without danger of life. Saxonius relates other Stories of like Nature. Saronus saies that Sows are made more corpulent in Galatia, by cutting out their wombs. Pliny tells us that Sows were hung up by their sore Legs, and had their stones and wombs cut out, that so looseing the use of Venery, they might become more fat and delectable to the Palate. Nor is it without reason, because the womb is the Mother of many Diseases, by reason of the Obstruction of the narrow Vessels, and the ready falling down of Hu∣mors, which when the womb is away, are more readi∣ly purged out by a larger passage.

Moreover another action of the womb is said to be a certain Natural motion:* 1.18 whence Plate would have the womb to be a certain Animal or Live-wight, and Are∣tius saies it is an Animal in an Animal, because of its motion. For in carnal Copulation, and when it is poffessed with a desire to conceive, it is moved now up and then down, and gapes to receive the Yard, as a Beast gapes for its Food. And somtimes it is moved downwards, to expel the Child and Secondine, with so much violence, that it falls out.

Moreover it is moved with, rejoyces in, and is de∣lighted with sweet smelling things: but it shuns stink∣ing and strong smelling things, as Castoreum, Asafoeti∣da, &c. Hence Aristotle saies, that women with child will miscarry at the smell of a Candle-••••uff.

But the womb is sensible of C•…•… not under the formality of Odours, but is only affected by the deli∣cate and subtile vaporous matter conjoyned. Even as we see al the Spirits recreated, by sweet smelling things, not in respect of the smell precisely, but of the vapor conjoyned therewith, which is familiar and acceptable to the Spirit. And therefore the Genital parts of wo∣men are the sooner affected, because they have an ex∣ceeding quick Sense. And because sweet smelling things have good and pleasing Vapors joyned with them; and stinking things have filthy and ugly Va∣pors; therefore by the latter, the Spirits are made more impure, and because the womb is full of Spirits, there∣fore she is delighted with sweet and fragrant things, and abominates such as are stinking.

And nevertheless, some women are* 1.19 found whose wombs are badly con∣stituted, who are put into Fits of the Mother by sweet smelling things, and cured by such as stink: because Na∣ture being provoked to Expulsion by the latter, does with the stinking Vapors expel the morbifick Matter. But with the former filthy Vapors are stirred up in the womb, which before lay hid, so that they ascend to the Midriff, Heart, Brain, &c. whence proceed strang∣ling Fits of the Mother. Now these Vapors ascend partly by the sensible Pores, and partly by the Veins running back, and carrying the said Vapors with the u∣terine Blood: for I cannot allow of the power Hel∣mont assigns to his ruling Parts, without manifest and known Passages. Now the womb it self does not as∣cend, nor is it moved out of its place, unless being di∣stended, it takes up more room then ordinary, nor does it roule up and down like a Bowl or Globe in the Ca∣vity of the Belly, as Hippocrates and Fernelius have ima∣gined. Nor do the horns of the womb being swelled, move any more then the womb it self, as Riolanus sus∣pects, for they are fastned by their Membranes, and they cannot shed their Seed into the Belly, the waies being stopped, but Vapors have an ••asie motion, which being dissipated, the Swelling of the Belly pre∣sently falls.

Besides its Sense of Smelling, Tasting, Feeling, it is furnished according to Helment, with a kind of brutish Understanding, which makes it rage, if all things go not according to its desire. But these things favor of the Opinion of Plato, who improperly did compare the womb to a living Creature. Whence that fury proceeds, I have already declared. As for what that same Novellist Helmont saies, that it lives many times, and keeps a coile after a woman is dead, no man will easily believe it. For its life depends upon the life of the whole Body; and if it stir after death, either that motion proceeds from winds, or from a Child seeking its way out, after the Mother is dead, as sundry Exam∣ples demonstrate. Sphinx Theologico-Philosophica, tells us that the Mother being dead, a Child suddenly issu∣ed out of her womb, and cried lustily. After which manner Laurentius describes the Birth of Scipio and Manilius. Eberus hath two Examples of a Child born after the Mothers death, as also Johannes Matthaeus, and the like cases are fresh in the memory of many here at Hafnia. But in opposition to Winchlerus, Sperlingerus, and others that deny it, we must observe, 1. That the Child must necessarily be strong. 2. That the Ori∣fice of the Mothers womb must be large. 3. That the Mother being dead, the mouth of the womb must be widened, and her Thighs spred, or else the Child will be strangled before it can come forth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why the womb is placed in the Hypogastrium.
• * 1.2

  Its Magnitude.
• * 1.3

  Whether the womb becomes thinner in wo∣men with Child.
• * 1.4

  An Error of Galen and Vesalius.
• * 1.5

  The true Figure of the Womb.
• * 1.6

  The Ligaments of the Womb.
• * 1.7

  The upper Li∣gaments of the Womb.
• * 1.8

  The falling down of the Womb.
• * 1.9

  The Lower.
• * 1.10

  Its Substance.
• * 1.11

  Its Membranes.
• * 1.12

  Its Vessels.
• * 1.13

  Why the left Veins of the Womb are joy∣ned to the right
• * 1.14

  Anastomoses in the womb.
• * 1.15

  The Largeness of the Uterine Vessels.
• * 1.16

  The Action and use of the womb.
• * 1.17

  A Child con∣ceived in a womans Sto∣mach.
• * 1.18

  The wombs motion.
• * 1.19

  Why sweet smel∣ling things do hurt some wo∣men.