CHAP. XLVI. How to know whether the woman be dead in the strangulation of the womb, or not.
I Have thought it meet (because many women, not only in ancient times,* 1.1 but in our own and our fathers memory have been so taken with this kind of symptom, that they have been sup∣posed and laid out for dead, although truly they were alive:) to set down the signs in such a case which do argue life and death. Therefore first of all it may be proved, whether she be alive or dead, by laying or holding a clear and smooth looking-glass before her mouth and no∣strils. For, if she breath, although it be never so obscurely, the thin vapor that cometh out,* 1.2 will stain or make the glass duskie. Also a fine downish feather taken from under the wing of any bird, or else a fine flock being held before the mouth, will by the trembling or shaking motion thereof, shew that there is some breath, and therefore life remaining in the body. But you may prove most certainly whether there be any spark of life remaining in the body, by blowing some sneesing powders of pellitory of Spain, and Elebore into the nostrils. But though there no breath ap∣pear, yet must you not judge the woman for dead, for the small vital heat, by which, being drawn into the heart, she yet liveth, is contented with transpiration only, and requires not much attracti∣on, which is performed by the contraction and dilatation of the breast and lungs unto the preser∣vation of it self. For so flies, gnats, pismires and such like,* 1.3 because they are of a cold tempera∣ment, live unmoveably inclosed in the caves of the earth, no token of breathing appearing in them, because there is a little heat left in them, which may be conserved by the office of the arte∣ries and heart, that is to say, by perspiration, without the motion of the breast, because the greatest use of respiration is, that the inward heat may be preserved by refrigeration and ventilation. Those that do not mark this, fall into that error which almost cost the life of him who in our time first gave life to Anatomical administration, that was almost decayed and neglected.
For he being called in Spain to open the body of a noble woman which was supposed dead through strangulation of the womb, behold, at the second impression of the incision-knife,* 1.4 she be∣gan suddenly to come to her self, and by the moving of her members and body, which was sup∣posed to be altogether dead, and with crying, to shew manifest signs that there was some life re∣maining in her. Which thing struck such an admiration and horror into the hearts of all her friends that were present, that they accounted the Physic••an, being before of a good fame and report, as