MIDWIFERY. 
woman miscarried from weakness, we may 
prevent a recurrence of it by strengthening 
her by good diet, and the use of bitters 
and tonics. There are women who appear 
to miscarry regularly from the state of the 
uterus being, as we have already Observed, 
unfavourable to growth beyond a certain 
extent; in this state abortion is frequently 
prevented by immersion in the warm bath ; 
it lessens the disposition of the uterus to 
contract. If there be any reason to sus- 
pect great weakness in the utehis and ute- 
rine vessels, the application of cold will be 
of great advantage in giving the proper 
tone to the vessels. Many women miscarry 
in consequence of the connection between 
the sexes ; when this cause exists, the par- 
ties should be separated till the period is 
gone by; for after quickening there is 
infinitely less risk of its occurrence. 
LABOUR. 
The gestation being completed, labour, 
or the pains so denominated, is the natural 
process by which the child is forced into 
the world. 
There is some little variance in the term 
of gestation of different women ; at least 
the regularity in the human species does 
not eq'iial that which we behold in other 
animals. The usual term is forty weeks, 
or nine calendar months ; and the period 
from which the time ought to be dated, is 
a middle point between the antecedent and 
succeeding times of menstruation. The 
Roman law allows ten months to legitimate 
parturition, or, in other words, ten months 
after the death of the husband. Hippo- 
crates, upon whose opinion this law was 
probably founded, allowed this term, in 
like manner, as its utmost stretch, and 
would not extend it a moment beyond. 
The old French law (for the present may 
perhaps vary) was coextensive. Yet Hal- 
ler gives instances, which it is difficult not 
to credit, of eleven, twelve, and even more 
than twelve months; whence the law of 
England is wisely silent upon the subject, 
and chooses rather to trust to the fair pro- 
fessional .opinion and observation of the 
day, in connection with collateral circum- 
stances, than rashly and abruptly to ruin a 
female reputation upon a moot and contro- 
verted point. 
It is a law of nature tliat about this pe- 
riod of time the foetus should be expelled 
from the womb, and hence, whether living 
or dead, whether light or bulky, whether 
tlie utenis be strong or feeble, the foetus is 
expelled. A thousand causes have been 
as^gned for expulsion at this rather than at 
any other period, but not one of them ap- 
pears to hold. It is a law of nature, and 
we know nothing beyond. 
Labour then is intended to expel the 
child and its membranes from the uterus ; 
and from the variety of phenomena it pre- 
sents, it has usually, and may conveniently 
be divided into three classes; natural j diffi- 
cult, and preternatural. 
In the first kind the head presents, and 
the pains progressively increase, and in 
consequence of such increase, by pressing 
tlie head against the orifice of the uterus, 
gradually enlarge it, by which it becomes 
protruded into the vagina : the same coer- 
cive power being exercised over which the 
head of the child is shortly aflerw'ards pro- 
truded into the world. The whole process 
is completed within twenty-four hours at 
the . utmost, and is unaccompanied with 
difficulty or danger. 
In the class of difficult labours, the head 
.indeed still presents ; but the term is pro- 
tracted beyond this period from accidental 
circumstances, that render it doubtful whe- 
ther the life of both the mother and child 
can be preserved ; or are else accompanied 
with other accidents, as twin cases, flood- 
ings, convulsions, rupture of the uterus. 
The class of preternatural labours includes 
every presentation besides that of the head, 
or that of the head itself in conjunction 
with an upper or lower extremity. 
NATURAL LABOUR. 
In this division of labour there are 
four stages, according to tlie mode in 
which its progress is usually contem- 
plated. The first stage is that in which 
the head of the child enters the pelvis, 
passing down as far as it can move without 
changing its position. The second includes 
the period of the child’s head passing 
through the cavity of the vagina and os 
externum. The third, the change taken 
place in the vagina and os externum. The 
fourth, the delivery of the body of the 
child, and the expulsion of the placenta. 
In one of the two first stages the os uteri 
ddates, and in one of the three first the 
membranes are ruptured. 
In the regular process of natural labour, 
the head, by the contractions of the uterus, 
is forced down and passed through the o.s 
externum. The uterus, after ■an interval of 
rest, again contracts, by which effort the 
shoulders are expelled. I'he breech and 
lower extremities presently follow. Dur- 
