Chap. 42.] Calculations resetting Births } &c. 41 j 



from fomething more than four pounds to a little 

 more than eleven. By far the greater number weigh 

 from five to eight pounds, avoirdupois. At the end 

 of the third month, the bulk of the foetus, with the 

 membranes and placenta, is very inconfiderable, as is 

 feen in abortions, which are moft frequent at this pe- 

 riod of geihtion. During the courfc of the fourth 

 month the uterus becomes too large to remain within 

 the pelvis, and rifing into the abdomen, gives lome 

 flight degree of protuberance. The foetus now in-- 

 creafes much fafter than before ; but the principal 

 part of its growth is performed during the three laft 

 months of geftation, when the uterus at length rifes as 

 high as the ftomach, preflmg the inteftines towards 

 the backbone. The diftended uterus is now ftimu- 

 lated to contraction, and the pains of child-birth arc 

 fucceeded by the effufions of maternal fondnefs. 



It appears from a very accurate regifter, kept by 

 Dr. Clark, phyfician to the Lying- inn Hofpital at 

 Dublin, that the proportion of children is about nine 

 males to eight females j children dying under fixteen 

 days old, as one to about fix and an half; children 

 ftill-born, as ons to twenty; women having twins, as 

 one tv fixty $ women dying in child-bed, as one" to 

 about eighty -fe-ven. 



There is, however, a greater mortality of male 

 children, owing, as Dr. Clark fuppofes, to their 

 greater fize, and particularly to the fize of the head, 

 which becomes injured in parturition, and confequentty 

 affects the health; and the proportion is reduced to 

 quite equal before the age of puberty. 



If every mother in a great city was obliged to fuckle 

 her own child, the proportion would be one good nurfe 

 in Jive j and in the country, not one bad nurfe in ten *. 



* Clark's Observations, Phil. Tr. 76. 



