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22 OF THE GROWTH, &c. 



difcharge of the waters, there is fufficient room 

 left in the uterus for the midwife to return the 

 child, when its pofuion is unfavourable to the 

 birth. After the child comes into the world, 

 the delivery is not completed. The placenta 

 and membranes ftill remain in the uterus ; and 

 the child is attached to them by means of 

 the umbilical cord : They are eafily brought a- 

 way by the hand of the midwife ; and fome- 

 times the weight of the child is fufficient. Thefe 

 organs, which were neceffary to the exigence 

 of the foetus, become ufelefs, and even noxious 

 to the child, after birth. They are, therefore, 

 inftantly difengaged from the child's body, by 

 cafting a knot on the umbilical cord, about an 

 inch from the navel, and by cutting the cord an 

 inch above the ligature. In fix or feven days, 

 the remains of the cord dry up, and fall off clofe 

 to the navel. 



By examining the foetus before birth, we are 

 enabled to form fome ideas concerning the me- 

 chanifm of its natural funcOiions. There are or- 

 gans neceffary to it while in the womb of the 

 mother, but which become ufelefs immediately 

 after birth. The better to comprehend thefe 

 fundions, we muft explain more fully the na- 

 ture of thefe acceflbry parts, the umbilical cord, 

 the membranes, with the liquor they contain, j 

 and the placenta. The umbilical cord, which 

 is attached to the body of the foetus at the nra- 

 vel, is compofed of two arteries and a vein: By 



thefe 



