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THE SIXTY-SECOND TABLE.
THE Abdomen of a Female Foetus Seven Months after Conception open'd, to shew the Progress of the Umbilical Vessels towards its Navel.
A, The Umbilical Rope suspended.
C C, The Common and Proper Integuments of the Abdomen turn'd aside.
E G, The Umbilical Vein entering the Liver at a Fissure near the Mid∣dle of its lower Part, whence the Ligamentum Suspensorium Hepatis may be here seen continu'd to the Ensiformal Cartilage and Diaphragm.
F, The Liver, which in Proportion to the rest of the Viscera in a Foetus, is very large, extending it self to both Hypochondria.
The Magnitude of the Liver in a Foetus rather Proceeds from a greater Quantity of Blood car∣ri'd into it by the Vena Umbilicalis, than any proper Office it then Executes: This Disproportion of the Liver do's not remit in an Infant, but seems to continue in some Measure, till they are Four or Five Years Old: Hence it is, that the Intestines of Infants and Children are suppli'd with more Gall than those of riper Years; and are therefore incident to be gript much in the lower Belly, and attended with a Diarrhoea. Nor do I in this conceive Nature has any Ways committed a Mistake; for sure it is very necessary some notable Discharge ought to be made of the Serosities in Children, whilst their Limbs are not able to perform those Exercises which promote Perspi∣ration and the like.
The Blood imported into the Liver by the Umbilical Vein meets with a contrary Current of Blood in the Vena Porta, as it passes the Sinus to the Vena Cava; whereby some of the Capillary Vessels about the Liver or Umbilical Vein are frequently broken, and the Blood is discharg'd in∣to the Cavity of the Abdomen.
In an Abortive Humane Foetus (after Seven Months Conception) I found the Abdomen with∣out any Integuments; its Viscera being expos'd, as in this Figure: Nor could I find so much as any Part of the Peritonaeum that had cover'd them; which I suspected might have been broken. The Left Kidney also was expos'd to View. Besides this, the Top of the Skull was wanting, and in∣stead of it a Membrane distended with Grumous Blood. Very little Part of the Brain appear'd on the Basis of the Skull, but it was chiefly contain'd in the Specus of the Vertebrae of the Neck. The Left Eye and Ear were wanting, as well as the Nose. A Ligament of about an Inch in Length, fasten'd the great Toe of the Right Foot to the Bone of the upper Jaw. The Left Arm was want∣ing; and instead of it, something like a Hand was fram'd, seeming to have a Thumb and Fore-Finger: This was ty'd by Two Ligaments; the one springing from the Carpus was short, and fasten'd it to the Scapula; the other Ligament was longer, and arising between those Parts which repre∣sented a Finger and Thumb, was sixt to the Basis of the Skull on the same Side.
Upon opening the Thorax I found the Cone of the Heart pointing upwards; its Basis towards the Diaphragm. And both Extremities of the Bastard Ribs of the Left Side resting on their Vertebrae.
G G, The Two Umbilical Arteries Arising from the Two Internal Iliack Branches of the Arte∣ria Magna, and passing on both Sides the Bladder of Urine to the Umbilical Rope.
H, The Bladder of Urine.
I, The Vrachus where it is visibly pervious.
The Ligamentum Suspensorium Hepatis, is here well Exprest between the Umbilical Vein and Enfiformal Cartilage; and the Small Gutts in their Natural Situation, are also Represented.