405 



remains bloodless. The placenta, however, is empty, only in the part 

 that adheres to the uterus, the rest of the placenta, as well as the foetus, 

 are filled with blood, as usual. It is obvious, that if the vessels of the 

 uterus had been directly continuous with those of the placenta, delivery 

 would not have taken place, without their being torn, alarming hemorr- 

 hage, inflammation, and even suppuration of the uterus would have been 

 the consequence. Lastly, the force with which the heart and arteries of 

 the mother impel the blood along her vessels, would have been attended 

 with danger to the organs of the foetus, which are too soft to sustain, 

 without injury, so violent a shock. Though the placenta and the umbili- 

 cal cord form the bond of union between the foetus and the mother, it 

 must be confessed, that they belong chiefly to the former, and may be 

 considered as a continuation of its body. 



- CCXIL The existence of the foetus is solely vegetative; he is continu- 

 ally drawing from the juices, which the vessels of the mother send to the 

 placenta, what is to serve to his nourishment and growth. He may be 

 considered as a new organ, the product of conception, participating in 

 general life, but having a peculiar life, and to a certain degree, independ- 

 ent of that of the mother. Bent on himself, so as to occupy the least 

 possible space, he cannot be considered as asleep ; for not only are the 

 organs of sense and of motion in a perfectly quiescent state, but, besides, 

 several of the functions of assimilation are inactive, as digestion, respira- 

 tion, and most of the secretions. The foetus performs, in the midst of 

 the liquor amnii, spontaneous motions which accoucheurs reckon among 

 the signs of pregnancy. The existence of these phenomena has been de- 

 nied, and the displacement of the foetus has been ascribed to a mere 

 shaking of the body: this was asserted on the ground of the intimate 

 connexion between respiration and muscular motion. It was said, that 

 the blood of the foetus, not being impregnated with oxygen, in its passage 

 through the lungs, contractility would not exist. But besides, that a fact 

 may be certain, without being easily explained, it may be answered, that 

 the mother fulfils this office for the foetus, and sends it arterial blood, fit- 

 ted to maintain the contractility of the muscles. 



As we perform no motion, but in virtue of impressions previously re- 

 ceived, and as the organs of sense, in the foetus, are completely inactive, 

 it is not easy to say, why it should move in the womb. The touch, how- 

 ever, is exerted, when any part of the surface of the body of the foetus 

 comes in contact with the internal part of the cavity in which it is con- 

 tained. Lastly, the internal impressions experienced by the great sym- 

 pathetics, may act as an occasional cause of such motions. 



The foetus is nourished, like every other organ, by appropriating to it- 

 self, whatever is suited to its nature, in the blood brought to it, by the 

 vessels of the uterus. The interception of this fluid, by a ligature, or by 

 compression of the umbilical cord, would occasion death, though not, as 

 has been imagined, by a sudden and quick suffocation, but the action of 

 the organs would become gradually weakened, and at last cease, when 

 the fluids of the foetus, being no longer vivified by the mixture of new 

 juices from the mother, would be completely deprived of their nutritive 

 parts. It is now well ascertained, that the liquor amnii does not serve to 

 the nutrition of the foetus, whose mouth is closed, whose head is bent on 

 his breast, and whose intestinal canal is filled with a fluid different from 

 that in which the whole body is immersed. Besides,*may not the unctu- 

 ous substance with which the surface of the skin is covered, prevent the 



