The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. XIII. Of the structure of the Yard.

THE structure of the Yard is not unknown, that is to say, at the root of the share bone in the hinder part of the Hypogastrion or lower part of the belly, where the hair grows; which bone is cal∣led, Os pubis. Though the greatest part of it, is not pendent without, but adjoining to the Podex, is situa∣ted near the joining of the share-bone, being fast knit to it in the Perinaeum, or space between the Cods and the Fundament; the other part is pendent and is seen hanging outward. This situation is most appropria∣ted to the manner of the act of generation, usual and peculiar to men, who do not couple after the manner of Beasts. The figure of it is in a manner round, though not exactly; broader in the upper part which is called the back of the Yard.

The thickness and longitude of the Yard is so much as is required for Procreation; yet it is not so long as in many other creatures. Yea, and in several men there is a very great diversity; little men being for the most part, best provided in that part: It is a gene∣ral received opinion, that the often use of Venery doth increase the quantity of it in all dimensions.

The Yard will also be longer, if the Navel-strings are not bound up, or knit too close by the Midwife, in Children that are newly born; but at some distance from the Navel: This happens by reason of the Li∣gament coming from the Navel to the bottom of the Bladder; which if it be too much abreviated, draws up the Bladder, and consequently shortens the Yard; but if the Navel-string be left at a longer distance, the Urachus is enlarged, and consequently the Yard hath

more liberty to extend it self; And therefore the Midwives are from hence advertised, that they do not spoil the harvest of generation, by cutting the sithe too short.

As to the substance of the Yard; it is not of a bony substance, as in Dogs, Wolves, or Foxes; for so it would become always hard and erected, and hinder men from all business but the act of Venery: Neither is it gristly, for so it could neither erect it self, nor flag, when occasion required: Neither is it full of veins, for so it could not be emptied and repleted on such a sudden as often happens; besides, the Tunicles of the veins are so thin, that they could not suffer so great a distention; neither can it be full of Arteries, because it wants a continual pulsation; neither can it consist of Nerves, because they having no hollowness, cannot be extended and loosned, as it must of necessity happen to the Yard. It is therefore necessary that the Yard should have such a substance, as is not peculiar to any part of the body. It is to be understood, that there do concur to the framing of the Yard, two nervous bo∣dies, the passage for the Urine which is called Urethra, the Glans or Nut of the Yard, four Muscles, the Ves∣sels, and the skin.

Here doth arise a question, why the Yard hath not any fat? Which is in brief, thus; because that there should be no hindrance to the perfect sense of the Yard, which could of necessity not be avoided, if that mem∣ber were subject to any obesity; the fat being subject to be melted by frication.