ON PARTURITION. 639 



and closely sealed, as not to admit a probe, can suffer such 

 distension at the time of deliver} 7 . He gives, 1 however, the 

 following reason : " that the unimpregnated uterus is of a 

 thick and hard consistence, and so is its orifice, but when im- 

 pregnated is yielding and soft, and in proportion as the term 

 of delivery approaches, both the body of the uterus and its 

 orifice become more and more yielding." He believes this to 

 arise " from the distension which the uterus undergoes, and that 

 when this distension takes place, the compact and plaited, so 

 to speak, body of the uterus is expanded and unfolded ; thus 

 what was before thick and hard becomes soft and yielding, and 

 ready to admit of the passage of the foetus." He adds subse- 

 quently, " Some one may ask if all this is correct, how is it 

 that in pregnant animals the uterine aperture is so closed that 

 it will not admit a probe? I answer, that this is so because 

 the uterus, whilst it is being distended and undone, like a 

 closely-folded piece of linen, begins to undergo these changes 

 at its superior part ; the lower portions then gradually widen, 

 until the power of distension arrives at the aperture; this 

 generally takes place at the period of birth. "VYith reason then 

 is the uterine orifice closely shut in the first months of preg- 

 nancy, whilst it is still hard and thick, but inclined to dilate 

 in the latter ones. Thus much may be said about the un- 

 known cause of Galen. Other circumstances may be mentioned 

 as conducing to the dilatation of the orifice; for instance, the 

 excretions of the foetus, such as the sweat and urine; for although 

 these are contained in their proper receptacles and membranes, 

 yet some degree of moisture may be communicated to the ute- 

 rine aperture, especially as it lies low, and always in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhod of these humours ; added to which, 

 mucous and slimy matters are always found about the orifice." 

 But in my opinion this great man is wrong ; for the neck of 

 the uterus is not hard from being folded on itself, but in con- 

 sequence of its own proper substance and cartilaginous nature; 

 and the accidental causes which he gives can have but little 

 weight towards furthering the dilatation. This, doubtless, like 

 every other contrivance in the human body, is owing to the 

 divine providence of Nature, which directs her workmanship to 



1 P. 143. 



