432 



OF PUBERTY. 



thors, endeavour, like Galen, to eftablifli the 

 fad upon the tcftimony of women. Hippocra- 

 tes fays, 'quae in utero gerunt, harum os uteri 

 * claufum eft ;' or, according to another tranfla- 

 tor, * quaecunque funt gravidae, illis os uteri 

 ' connivet.' Opinions, however, are various as 

 to the changes which the uterus undergoes after 

 conception. Some maintain, that the edges of 

 the OS tincae are drawn fo dole together, that no 

 vacuity is left between them ; and others affirm, 

 that thele edges are not exadly clofe till after 

 the two firft months of pregnancy. They agree, 

 however, that, immediately after conception, the 

 orifice isfhut up by a glutinous humour ; that 

 the OS tincae, which, previous to conception, 

 might admit a fubftance of the fize of a pea, 

 has no perceptible aperture ; and that this dif- 

 ference is fo evident, as to be diftinguifhable by 

 a fkilfnl midwife. If thefe affertions were 

 founded in truth, the ftate of pregnancy might 

 be known a few days after conception. 



It is urged, oa the other hand, that if, after 

 conception, the orifice of the uterus were clofed, 

 fuperfoetation would be impoffible. To this it 

 may be replied, that the feminal liquor may per- 

 haps penetrate through the membranes of the 

 uterus ; that the uterus itfelf may open to 

 receive the materials necefiary for fuperfoeta- 

 tion ; and that, at any rate, i'uperfoetations fo 

 feldom happen, that they make a very trifling 

 exception to the general rule. Other authors 



maintain, 



