12 
/ 
CONCEPTION. 
feries of animals, may, by inducing a change in the gene¬ 
ral mafs both of the.male and female, be the remote caufe 
of a change in their product. See the article Com¬ 
plexion, vol. iv. p. 899. 
After what has been premifed, it feems rational to 
conclude, that the prolific fluid, in coition, is neither 
carried through the Fallopian tubes, nor protruded thro’ 
the aperture of the uterusr to the ovaria ; but that it is 
taken up by the abforbent veflels, and conveyed into the 
fanguiferous fyftem; where indeed every aCtive principle 
that can poffibly affeft the human conftitution is alfo 
conveyed. That, by circulating through the blood, it is, 
by its natural impulfe and the additional ftimulus ac¬ 
quired from the mother, forced through the correlpond- 
ing veflels into the ovaria ; whefe, if it finds one or 
more of the ova in a ftate fit or ripe for impregnation, 
conception takes place accordingly 5 and either one or 
more are impregnated, as the maturated ftate of the ova¬ 
ria might happen to induce. But if none of the ova are 
in a ftate fufliciently mature, or are injured by any offend¬ 
ing humours, by debility, or difeafe, in either of thefe 
cafes conception is fruftrated, and cannot take place un¬ 
til the offending caufe is removed. Thefe premifes are 
farther confirmed by the evidence of diffedtions, which 
have been made on females after premature death, pur- 
pofely to inveftigate this myfterious work of nature. 
The recent experiments of Dr. Haighton, publiflied in 
the Philofophical Tranfadlions for 1797, likewife fupport 
this theory of conception. Thefe experiments chiefly 
-confifted in dividing the Fallopian tubes both before and 
after coition, in brutes, and in a fubfequent anatomical 
infpedtion of the ovarium. They feem to have been d.e- 
vifed with great judgment, and executed with equal ac¬ 
curacy. The important concluflon deduced from thefe 
experiments was, that the ovarium was affedled by the 
ftimulus of impregnation, notwithftanding the tubes 
were divided, and thus rendered incapable of performing 
that office. 
The anatomy of the gravid uterus has likewife pretty 
nearly fhewn the period intervening between conception 
and the evolution of the ovum ; and alfo the progrefs 
and change which the foetus undergoes during the nine 
months of geftation. The powers of conception are fup- 
pofed by the generality of anatomifts, to propel the ova, 
within eight or ten days, from its feat in the ovarium, to 
a fufpended fituation in the womb, hanging by a minute 
thread, that afterwards becomes the umbilical veil'd, or 
aperture through which the nourifhment is conveyed 
from the mother, to the child. This firft vifi'ole ftate of 
pregnancy which refembles the lucid appearance of a 
drop of water ftanding on the ovum, and tending to co¬ 
agulation, is correctly fhewn in the flrft figure of the an¬ 
nexed plate, precifely as it was extracted from the uterus 
of a female, who died prematurely foon after conception. 
At the time the ovum, or rudiments of the embryo, 
defeends into the womb, it is indeed very minute ; but at 
the end of about thirty days we may partly dil'cover the 
firft lineaments of the foetus, though finall and imperfed, 
being then only about the fize of a houfe fly. Two lit¬ 
tle veficles appear in an almoft tranfparent jelly; the 
largeft of which is intended to become the head of the 
fcetus,andtheotherfmalieroneisdeftined for the trunk; but 
neither the limb's nor extremities are yet to be feen ; the 
umbilical cord appears only as a minute thread, and the 
placenta, which only refembles a cloud above, has no ra¬ 
mifications, or appearances of blood-veffels. This ftate 
of the embryo is expreffed in the fecond figure of the an¬ 
nexed plate. 
Towards the end of the fecond month, the foetus is 
upwards of an inch in length, and the form of the face 
begins to be evolved. The nofe appears like a fmall pro¬ 
minent line ; and we are able to difeover another line un¬ 
der it, which is deftined for the feparation of the lips. 
Two black points appear in the place of the eyes, and 
two minute holes mark the formation, of the ears, At 
the Tides of the trunk, both above and below', we fee four 
minute protuberances, which are the rudiments of the 
arms and legs. The veins of the^placenta are alfo now 
partly vifible : as may be leen in the Succeeding figure in 
the annexed plate. 
In the third month the human form may be decidedly 
afeel'tained ; all the parts of the face can be diftinguith- 
ed ; the fliape of the body is clearly marked out; the 
haunches and the abdomen are elevated, and the hands 
and feet are plainly to be diftinguifhed. The upper ex¬ 
tremities are obferved to increafe falter than the lower 
ones; and the feparation of the fingers may be perceived 
before that of the toes. The veins of the placenta are 
now diftended, and are feen to communicate with the 
umbilical tube. This ftate of geftation is delineated in 
the fourth figure. 
In the fourth month the feetus feems nearly completed 
in all its parts, and is about four inches in magnitude. 
The fingers and toes, which at firft coalefced, are now 
feparated from each other, and the inteftines appear, in 
all their windings and convolutions, like little threads. 
The veins of the placenta begin to be filled with blood* 
and the umbilical cord is confiderably enlarged ; as may 
be noticed in the fifth figure of the Cubjoined plate. 
In the fifth month,, the bodily conformation being per¬ 
fected, and a complete circulation of the blood induced, 
the mother quickens. The foetus now affumes a more, 
upright figure, which correfponds with the ftiape of the 
uterus. Its head is found more elevated, its lower extre¬ 
mities are more diftended, its knees are drawn' upwards* 
with its arms refting upon them. It now meafures from 
feven to eight inches in length, and is delcribed in the 
fixth figure of the iubjoined plate. 
Towards the end of the fixth month, the foetus begins 
to vary its pefition in the womb. It will by this time be. 
increafed to nine or ten inches ; and its ufual pofture after 
quickening may be feen in the ftventli figure of the plate.. 
In the feventh month the child acquires ftrength and. 
folidity, as may be demonftrated by thofe painful throws 
and twitchings which its mother feels from time to time; 
and it is now increafed to eleven or twelve incites. The 
feetus is now alfo found, from the weight of its upper ex- 
tremicy, to incline either to the right or the left fide of 
its mother, as fltewn in the eighth figure of the engraving. 
In the eighth month it generally meafures from four¬ 
teen to fixteen inches; and, in the ninth month, or to¬ 
wards the end of its full time, it is increafed from eigh«- 
teen to twenty-two inches, or more ; when the head, by 
becoming fpecifically heavier than the other parts, is 
gradually impelled downwards, and,' falling into the 
birth, bring? on what are termed the pains of parturition, 
or natural labour. For the ufual pofition of the.child in 
the womb, during thefelaft months, as well as the former, 
fee the correfponding figures in the engraving, the whole 
of which were correftly drawn from real feetufes, ex- 
traded from the wombs of different women, and preferv- 
ed in Dr. Hunter’s' invaluable collection, and in Rack- 
ftrow’s curious mufeum in Fleet-ftreet, London. See the 
article Midwjfry. 
CONCEPTION,/ A feaft eftablifiied in honour of the 
Virgin Mary, particularly with regard to her having been 
conceived and born immaculate, i. e. without original 
fin, held in the Romifli church, on the 8th of December,. 
The immaculate conception is the great head of contro- 
verfy between the Scotifts and Thomifts ; the former 
maintaining, - and the latter impugning it. In the three 
Spanifh military orders, of St. James of the fword, Cala- 
trava, and Alcantara, the knights take a vow at their ad- 
miflion to defend the immaculate conception. Peter d’Al- 
va has publiihed forty-eight large volumes in folio on the 
myfteries of the conception. 
CONCEPTION, a large bay on the eaft fide of New¬ 
foundland, whofe entrance is between^ Cape St. Francis 
on the fouthward, and Flamborough-head on the north¬ 
ward. It runs a great way into the land in a louthern. 
direClion 3 
