432 THE HUMAN SPECIES 



abnormalities of the uterus, such as new growths or displace- 

 ments, to the occurrence of a menstrual period, or finally to any 

 cause producing death of the foetus. Habitual abortion is very 

 frequent in women affected with syphilis. In Bartel's work, 

 recently edited by Ploss, the commonest cause of abortion in 

 savage races all over the world is said to be overstraining of the 

 women by hard work, tiring journeys or carrying heavy loads. 

 To this, to the difficulty of rearing children, and often to the 

 sterility of the soil must be added the frequency of artificial 

 abortion in all savage races in America, Asia, Africa and Aus- 

 tralia. European observers admit that the same motives for 

 this may exist as are found in civilised peoples, namely, indo- 

 lence on the part of women, and attempts of erring girls, and 

 wives, to get rid as soon as possible of the evidence of their 

 guilt, in which they may be helped by more experienced women. 



Artificial abortion, as practised by savage and civilised 

 peoples, or induced in cases of necessity by medical men, is a 

 special attainment of man which no animal has ever succeeded 

 in reaching. 



Natural abortion is much more frequent in animals. Though 

 unusual in the smaller ruminants, and still more unusual in the 

 carnivora and swine, it occurs often enough among the larger 

 domestic animals, such as mares and cows ; in the former it is 

 usually between the fourth and ninth month, and in the latter 

 between the third and seventh. Sporadic cases occur as the 

 result of circumstances causing death of the foetus, such as disease 

 of the placenta, overstrain, and psychical influences (anxiety or 

 terror), or, as the result of eating bad fodder or ergot (in rye, 

 various grasses or reeds), a whole series of animals will abort one 

 after the other ; infective material may indeed produce abortion 

 throughout a whole herd or stable. 



Artificial abortion, which is not infrequently practised by 

 veterinary surgeons, has but little in common with the patho- 

 logical variety. It is a measure which is adopted as in human 

 beings when it is rendered necessary by a contracted pelvis or 

 by maternal disease ; the principal conditions for inducing pre- 

 mature labour are the extreme asthenia of old mothers, oedema 

 of the fcetal membranes, serious haemorrhage, or an extreme 

 degree of prolapse of the vagina. 



