382 HISTORY OF 



In the stomach is found a liquor similar to that 

 in which the embryo floats ; in one part of the 

 intestines a milky substance, and in the other 

 an excrementitious. There is found also a small 

 quantity of bile in the gall-bladder, and some 

 urine in its own proper receptacle. By this time, 

 also, the posture of the embryo seems to be deter- 

 mined. The head is bent forward, so that the 

 chin seems to rest upon its breast ; the knees are 

 raised up towards the head, and the legs bent 

 backward, somewhat resembling the posture of 

 those who sit upon their haunches. Sometimes the 

 knees are raised so high as to touch the cheeks, 

 and the feet are crossed over each other ; the arms 

 are laid upon the breast, while one of the hands, 

 and often both, touch the visage ; sometimes the 

 hands are shut, and sometimes, also, the arms are 

 found hanging down by the body. These are the 

 most usual postures which the embryo assumes ; 

 but these it is frequently known to change ; and 

 it is owing to these alterations, that the mother 

 so frequently feels those twitches, which are 

 usually attended with pain. 



The embryo, thus situated, is furnished by na- 

 ture with all things proper for its support ; and, 

 as it increases in size, its nourishment also is 

 found to increase with it. As soon as it first be- 

 gins to grow in the womb, that receptacle, from 

 being very small, grows larger; and, what is 

 more surprising, thicker every day. The sides of 

 a bladder, as we know, the more they are distend- 

 ed, the more they become thin. But here, the 

 larger the womb grows, the more it appears to 



