In a preternatural Birth,
when the Child is sent forth unripe, by Natur's force, dividing the Connexion of the Vessels, there are somtimes less acci∣dents then in a Natural, if the Child be small. But if there be this Separation of Vessels by a greater force, and solution of continuity, and tearing, which stirrs up Nature to the work, there are greater acci∣dents, as Pains and Bleeding.
There are divers Causes of the di∣viding of the Vessels,
and spurring of Nature to the work which procure Abortion, if the Child be shaken by violent Motion of the Body, so that the Vessels by which it hangs to the womb are divided. Nature especially when near the time, will send it forth, so it may be driven down by leaping, as Hippocrates speaks of the tyre-maker, that cast away her Child voluntarily, also it may come by other violent motions, especially of the lower parts, by riding, running, or other violent Mo∣tion.
It may come also with pressing of the Belly, by some ex∣ternal Injuries, or with strong tying of the Muscles of the Belly, or from couging, vomiting, neesing, crying, scowr∣ing, by which also in a Natural Birth, the Delivery is helped.
As the Excrements of the belly, so the Child also may be driven down in a Convulsion made by the compression of the Muscles, and a violent motion of the body. As we saw one that without Sense aborted in the fit of a Convul∣sion: and wondered when she came to her self what had been done to her Belly.
Also Nature stirred up by Passions of the Mind, through the vehement Agitation of the Spirits, will cause Aborti∣on; as by Fear, Anger, and other Passions hath been ordi∣narily seen, especially if they swound, for then the Child is deprived for that time of vital Spirits, with the Mother from whom it receives them.
When Nature is stirred up by things taken or applied,
it voided divers things, and so also the Child, as by the use of purging Medicines, which force Nature violently, so that not on∣ly the Excrements, but the Child also is voided. Also by the use of those things mentioned in the want of Terms and bringing forth, either taken in, or applied to the womb by opening the Passages, and provoking the womb, by a Propriety to provoke Terms, or driving down the Child, Abortion may be caused.
The expulsive Faculty is compelled somtimes by humors that burden the womb, to void not onely them, but the Child also, especially by blood, which if it be too plenti∣ful for the nourishing of the Child, and not consumed by it, about the Veins of the Womb, it burdeneth Nature, which labours to throw it out, and sometimes the Terms comming upon a Woman with Child, the Child is also sent forth with them. Therefore when women with child have their Terms, they are in danger to miscarry. Or if the Terms be provoked by opening a Vein in the Foot, the same may happen, and therefore women with Child must not be let Blood in the Foot. Also the Terms will sooner be provoked, if the blood be thin, cholerick or foul, and unfit to nourish the Child.
When the womb is moistned with water, so that it is too loose to hold the Child, that it is the chief cause of Abor∣tion, as some say. And if it were so, it must needs be without it, and moisten the Orifice of the Neck of the womb, which is close shut in women with Child, because it cannot be in the womb, whose cavity is filled with the Child; and if it could be there, it could not so loosen it; nor can it do it when in the Neck of the womb, because it cannot remain there, and there must be a greater cause of Abortion then that.
The chief Abortion is from a dead Child,
because then Nature labours to void it, as being burdensom, the causes of dead Children are divers.
As external force to the belly being great, as a Stroak or Contusion.
Want of Nourishment by which it decaies and at length dieth, this is not easie, for while the Mother liveth, the Veins can scarce be so empty, that there is nothing for the Child. Moreover, though the Mothers blood be impure and foul, the Child will have the best of it, hence it is that we have observed, that women in Ptysicks and Hecticks, have gone their time and brought well. But it may hap∣pen, that if a woman with Child have her Terms violently and long, the Veins of the womb, and all other parts will be so exhausted, that the Child must want Nourishment. And this is so, if for the Causes aforesaid, the Child being alive, the Vessels are separated from them of the womb. And then it can live no longer, not only because it wants Blood, but because it wants vital Spirits, by reason of the Separation of the Arteries, and cannot take breath.
The Mothers by certain signs do know that the Child in the womb, hath a Disease and is sick, and like to die, but those are not easily determined till Birth, nor then, except there be visible manifestation, as I said of the Dropsie. But without doubt Children in the womb have some Diseases, as a hot Distemper must needs be in the Child, when the Mother hath a Feaver, which is in all Parts, and also in the Child. Or when the woman hath another Disease, she may communicate it to the Child, or she being full of evill Humors, may conveigh them into the Child with the blood, and so it may be cacochymical or of evil Juyce, or she may give it the Pox, or Plague, and this is not without a great cause, because the Child takes the best, and most agreable to it, and though the Mother be sick the Child may be sound. As Children that sucked their Mothers of the Plague have been by us observed to escape it when o∣thers have died. Yet I knew a Child born of the mother when she had the small Pox to be full of the same. Also it is thought that things taken by the mother or applied to her womb may bring a malignant quality destructive to the child; as many Medicines which do kill children, and are Poyson.
Some Diseases that come from the Seed in conception to the child, appear sooner some, later, and kill him before his Birth, or continue by him after, they are mentioned in Deformity in Diseases original.
There is a Solution of continuity,
divers waies in the voiding of parts that constitute the Body, as a wound, when part of the substance of the brain Lungs, Liver, Spleen, is cut off and comes out by the wound, or the teeth or tongue is cut off; they or some of its Humors fall out, which also may come from an Ulcer. Also the Brains may come out at the Nose by a contusion: as we shewed in Wounds of those parts.