PRECURSORY SIGNS. 267 



turn, the bladder, the nervous plexuses and the blood vessels; thence 

 come the tenesmus, the bearing down, the lymphatic or sanguine 

 engorgement of the lower limbs and vulva, the relaxation of the 

 symphyses, the formation of mucus, &c. By sinking lower down, 

 and removing to a distance from the epigastrium, the womb leaves 

 the stomach and liver more unconstrained; the diaphragm, being 

 less elevated, permits the lungs to dilate more, whence more freedom 

 in respiration, circulation, the digestive functions, and consequently 

 in the exercise of the intellectual and locomotive faculties. 



§. II. First Sta^e, or Period of Dilatation. 



679. After these preliminaries, labor at length begins; its origin 

 is marked by pains, and short and slight colicky sensations, recur- 

 ring at considerable intervals. The external parts of generation 

 become moist, and the secretion of glairy mucus, provided it had 

 not appeared before, is added to the number of precursory symp- 

 toms. When the colic pains are present, the womb hardens, be- 

 comes rounder, and its summit sinks into the excavation, it dimin- 

 ishes in all its diameters, in one vi^ord, it contracts: the lips of the 

 OS tincae are effaced, and in an evident manner grow thinner; the 

 orifice stretches, and from the same cause loses its thickness, assumes 

 more decidedly the form of a circle, and manifestly contracts; by 

 introducing the finger into it, the membranes of the ovum will be 

 found endeavoring to engage in it, they are compressed by it and 

 forced lower down, they grow harder, become tense, very elastic, 

 and difficult to indent. The woman is now frequently tormented 

 with sinister forebodings; she becomes low spirited, and despairs of 

 safety, says she is going to die, loses all her courage, and is over- 

 whelmed with gloomy thoughts, and a sadness which nothing seems 

 able to dispel; she weeps, is agitated, or remains motionless, and in 

 some instances feels horiipilations all over the body. Animals them- 

 selves, a very remarkable circumstance, also fall into this state of 

 lowness at the commencement of labor; they refuse to eat or drink, 

 seem to be tormented with fear; and to be occupied only with the 

 dangers that threaten them. 



680. The pains, which gradually increase in strength and severity, 

 at the same time become longer and more frequent; reddish or 

 bloody striae are soon found to be mixed with the mucous discharges, 

 which are also found to be increased in quantity; the mouth of the 

 womb begins to open, and dilates by degrees; the lower segment of 

 the ovum passes through it, and under the title of bag of waters, 

 projects into the upper part of the vagina; as the pains grow more 

 severe, the general irritation becomes more considerable; the inter- 



