194- Mifcellanea Curtofal 



vey back again the Surcharge of the Mot her' % 

 Blood j the Umbilical Arteries only, have nothing 

 to oV) and are fuperfluous and impertinent, 

 which is contrary to the conftant Practice of 

 Nature. Yet if Autopjie did in the leaft, coun- 

 tenance this Hypothefis, fbme Defence might 

 ftill be made ; but we find in the Umbilical 

 Vein of a Foot us nothing but Florid Blood, fuch 

 as in all probability it received immediately 

 from the Arteries of the Mother without any 

 mixture. And therefore I can't help conclud- 

 ing, that this Opinion engages its Favourers in 

 fome Abfardity, without Necerlity and without 

 Proof. 



They that from the Placenta fupply the Body 

 of the Foetus with Air, ire as much diftrefs'd as 

 t'other ; for they are forc'd to beg the Queftion 

 twice, which, even when .granted, will not an- 

 fwer their Ends. Firft, they fuppofe, that an 

 intimate mixture or confufiori of Air with the 

 'Bloody is neceflary for the fiipport of Animal 

 Life, a Pojlulatum, which perhaps the former 

 part of this Difcourfe may have render'd unne- 

 cessary ; and next, that the Feetus is fupply'd 

 with Air from, and its Blood mix'd with it in th« 

 Placenta. 



But here again they fetch a Compafs without 

 neceflity or proof. For if a mixture of Air were 

 neceffary to a Fcetus 9 why fhould it be (epara- 

 ted from the Mothers Blood, and not rather 

 both communicated together, fince it is fo much 

 more eafie and commodious ? But neither does 

 the Placenta feem to be inftru&ed and pro- 

 vided for the feparation of Air, but of a much 

 gr offer Fluid, deftin'd to fbme other ufe, which 

 4utoj>Jie confirms : Yet, were both thefe Opi- 

 nions 



