14 Conception, Birth and Infancy in 



of the three. We of today try to reduce infant mortality to a 

 minimum by applying the results of scientific study to safeguard 

 delivery and the crucial periods before and after. But the Ro- 

 mans resorted to much simpler and probably, in some cases, to 

 what were really less dangerous devices to protect the two persons 

 most involved. For example, it could do the woman who was 

 lying in no harm, at any rate, if somebody threw a stone over the 

 house in order to ease her suffering by an act of magic. 49 Pre- 

 sumably this would scare away any evil spirit who was hovering 

 around. If in the Italy of our own time a relative of a woman in 

 travail steps to the window in her chamber and with a fierce look 

 around at the possible witch or witchcraft in the air spits out three 

 times, he is observing due precautions of a similar nature and not 

 merely indulging a personal habit or relieving a supercharged 

 gland. 50 In the region of Perugia there is current a rather simple 

 prescription against miscarriage. The woman has merely to wear 

 from the first months of pregnancy in contact with her abdomen 

 the skin or a part of the skin of a calf taken alive from its mother's 

 womb by a Caesarean operation. 51 



Among ancient protective charms were certain small bones 

 which we are told were found in the heart and uterus of a hind. 

 This animal taught mankind their utility by swallowing them at 

 some time during her own gestation period. 52 Pregnant women 

 were much indebted also to the wolf. Not only was its fat praised 

 as a fine emollient for the womb and its liver used in some way 

 or other as an anodyne for uterine pains, but, as the woman neared 

 delivery, she should eat some of its flesh as meat, and during 

 childbirth see that some person was near her who had done this: 

 it would nullify any noxious spells. On the other hand, it could 

 work the parturient woman great harm if that person should 

 chance to arrive on the scene just at the birth. 53 Even in the 

 midst of her pains she might have to take a dose of dung, that 

 of a wild boar or a pig, powdered and sprinkled in her drink. 54 

 A mixture of sow's milk and honied wine is said to facilitate par- 

 turition. 54 So, too, goose dung and the uterine discharge of a 

 weasel. 55 



In antiquity there was a custom of giving a woman a key as a 

 symbol of easy parturition, in other words, an instrument for un- 

 locking and opening. 56 A key in my collection of antiquities from 



