340 OF THE GROWTH, Sec. 



after this periodic difcharge, fucceed much bet- 

 ter ; becaufe the foetus is allowed more time to 

 grow, and to fortify itfelf againft the adlion of 

 the blood, when the next revolution happens in 

 the fyftem. 



After the foetus has been enabled to refift the 

 adlion of the firft revolution, the increafe of its 

 growth, and of its attachment to the uterus, ren- 

 der it ftill more capable of refifting any of the 

 fubfequent revolutions: Abortions, indeed, fome- 

 rimes happen during every revolution ; but they 

 are more rare in the middle of the period of 

 geftation than either at the beginning or near 

 the end. Why they are more frequent at the 

 beginning, has already been explained : It only 

 remains to fhow why they are likewife more 

 frequent towards the end. 



The foetus generally comes into the world du- 

 ring the tenth revolution of the menfes. When 

 it is born at the ninth or eighth, it lives, and is 

 not, therefore, regarded as an abortion. Some 

 have pretended to have feen inftances of chil- 

 dren born at the feventh, and even at the fixth 

 revolution, who, notwithftanding this unfavour- 

 able circumftance, continued to live. There is 

 no difference between abortion and birth, but 

 what relates to the Hving powers of the child. 

 In general, the number of abortions in the firft, 

 fecond, and third months, for the reafons already 

 affigned, is very great ; and the number of pre- 

 mature births, in the feventh and eighth months, 



is 



