984 OF GENERATION. 



990. In regard to the shortest period at which Gestation may terminate, 

 consistently with the viability of the Child, there is a still greater degree of 

 uncertainty. Most practitioners are of opinion, that it is next to impossible 

 for a foetus to live and grow to maturity, which has not nearly completed its 

 seventh month ; but it is unquestionable that infants born at a much earlier 

 period have lived for some months, or even to adult age. It is rare in such 

 cases, however, that the date of conception can be fixed with sufficient precision 

 to enable a definite statement to be given. Of the importance of the question, 

 a case which some time since occurred in Scotland affords sufficient proof. A 

 vast amount of contradictory evidence was adduced on this trial ; but, on the 

 general rule of accepting positive in preference to negative testimony, it seems 

 that we ought to consider it possible that a child may live for some months, 

 which has been born at the conclusion of 24 weeks of gestation. In the case 

 in question, the Presbytery decided in favor of the legitimacy of an infant born 

 alive within 25 weeks after marriage. 1 A very interesting case is on record/* 

 in which the mother (who had borne five children) was confident that her period 

 of gestation was less than 19 weeks ; the facts stated respecting the develop- 

 ment of the child are necessarily very imperfect, as it was important to avoid 

 exposing his body, in order that his temperature might be kept up ; but at the 

 age of three weeks, he was only 13 inches in length, and his weight was no 

 more than 29 oz. At that time, he might be regarded, according to the calcu- 

 lation of the mother, as corresponding with an infant of 22 weeks or 5? months; 

 but the length and weight were greater than are usual at that period, and he must 

 have been probably born at about the 25th week. It is an interesting feature 

 in this case, that the calorific power of the infant was so low, that artificial heat 

 was constantly needed to sustain it ; but that, under the influence of heat of 

 the fire, he evidently became weaker, whilst the warmth of a person in bed 

 rendered him lively and comparatively strong. During the first week, it was 

 extremely difficult to get him to swallow ; and it was nearly a month before he 

 could suck. At the time of the report, he was four months old, and his health 

 appeared very good. Another case of very early viability has been more re- 

 cently put on record by Mr. Dodd : 3 in this, as in the former instance, the 

 determination of the child's age rests chiefly on the opinion of the mother ; but 

 there appears no reason for suspecting any fallacy. The child seems to have 

 been born at the 26th or 27th week of gestation ; and having been placed under 

 judicious management, it has thriven well. One of the most satisfactory cases 

 on record is that detailed by Dr. Outrepont* (Professor of Obstetrics at Wurz- 

 burg), and stated by Dr. Christison in his evidence on the case first alluded 

 to. The evidence is as complete as it is possible to be in any case of the kind; 

 being derived not only from the date assigned by the mother to her conception, 

 but also from the structure and history of the child. The gestation could have 

 only lasted 27 weeks, and was very probably less. The length of the child was 

 13 1 inches, and its weight was 24 oz. Its development was altogether slow ; and 

 at the age of eleven years, the child seemed no more advanced in body or mind 

 than most other lads of seven years old. In this last point, there is a very 

 striking correspondence with the results of other observations upon premature 

 children, made at an earlier age. A very remarkable case has been since put 

 on record by Dr. Barker of Dumfries, 5 in which the child is affirmed to have 

 been born on the 158th day of gestation, or in the middle of the twenty-third 

 week after intercourse. Its size, weight, and grade of development were con- 



Report of. Proceedings against the Rev. Fergus Jardine," Edinburgh, 1839. 



'Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal," vol. xi. 



'Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal," vol. ii. p. 474. 



'Henke's Zeitschrift," band vi. 



' Medical Times," Sept. 7 and Oct. 12, 1850. 



