406 OP THE GROWTH AND DECREASE 



face, in the delicate reticulum of some flat bones of 

 the skull, — of the frontal and occipital, but less early 

 in the parietal. In general, the growth of the embryo, 

 and indeed of the human being after birth, is more 

 rapid as the age is less, and vice versa. (A) 



643. About the middle of pregnancy, certain fluids 

 begin to be secreted, as the fat (486) and bile. In the 

 course of the seventh month, all the organs of the vital, 

 natural, and animal, functions have made such progress, 

 that, if the child happens to be born at this period, it 

 is called, in a common acceptation of the word, vital, 

 and regarded as a member of society. 



644. In the foetus, near its full growth, not only is 

 the skin covered by a caseous matter, but delicate hair 

 appears upon the head, and little nails become visible ; 

 the membrana pupillaris splits (262); the cartilaginous 

 external ear becomes more firm and elastic ; and in the 

 male the testes descend. (510 sq.) 



645. About the end of the tenth lunar month, the 

 child, being born (595), undergoes, besides those impor- 

 tant changes of nearly its whole economy which were 

 formerly described at large, other alterations in its ex- 

 ternal appearance; v. c. the down which covered its 

 face at birth gradually disappears, the wrinkles are 

 obliterated, the anus becomes concealed between the 

 swelling nates, &c. 



646. By degrees the infant learns to employ its 

 mental faculties of perception, attention, reminiscence, 

 inclination, &c. whence, even in the early months, it 

 dreams, and s. p.* 



* Consult Tiedemann, uber die EntwUkelung drr Seelen/tLhigkriten bty 

 Kindrrn, in the Heswch. Brytr. Vol. ii. P. ii. iii. 



