Graphic illustrations of abortion and the diseases of menstruation / Consisting of Twelve Plates from Drawings Engraved on Stone, and Coloured by Mr. J. Perry, and Two Copper-plates from the Philosophical Transactions, Coloured by the Same Artist. the Whole Representing Forty-five Specimens of Aborted Ova and Adventitious Productions of the Uterus, With Preliminary Observations, Explanations of the Figures and Remarks, Anatomical and Physiological.

by A. B. Granville

4. Any deviation from those laws—any violent change in those phenomena—and, still more so, any impediment to the accomplishment of the ultimate purpose of Nature, is a defeat of her intention.

5. Such a deviation, change, or impediment may occur at any time previously to the period established for the appearance of a new and perfect being. If it occur at such a time as shall be incompatible with the maturation, and consequently with the life of the new creature, or even with its maturation alone, (although tokens of life be observed at the time in question,) a MISCARRIAGE is said, in common parlance, to have taken place; for Nature has miscarried in her undertaking: she has been foiled in her expectations.

6. In the reproduction of the human species, such an event might justly be considered to have occurred, if, at any time before the completion of the natural period of gestation, the fœtus be expelled, whether dead or alive. But as in many instances, notwithstanding its premature expulsion, the fœtus has grown and has continued to live its extra-uterine life, in spite of the want of maturity, (a case known to have occurred even so early as between the sixth and the seventh month,) the expression, before mentioned, (5) is not applied to any untimely expulsion of the fœtus that may take place later than that period—at which, and after which, and till the completion of the ninth month of gestation, such an expulsion would be called a premature labour. The distinction, however, is more specious than useful: it is an offering to social etiquette, rather than to science.

7. The premature expulsion of the produce of conception before the seventh month, has also received the name of ABORTION. This denomination has been generally adopted, and is used by the writers of every civilized nation, ancient or modern, according to their respective languages. It is that which has been employed in the following explanations of figures taken from nature, which are intended to exhibit several examples of abortion in the human species.

8. The study of abortion, in this point of view, (7) is an infinite source of interest, whether considered in reference to science and the important question of generation, or simply in reference to medical practice. On the continent of Europe, and even in the States of America, but more particularly in Germany, the subject, under its two-fold aspect, has engaged the serious attention of some of the most learned philosophers and most skilful practitioners. I know of no other professed writer on the same subject, besides Burns, in this country. His work on abortion is brief, and more valuable for the practical suggestions it contains, than for any luminous or accurate view of the various scientific points connected with that subject. But like every thing which proceeds from the hands of that able practitioner, the performance is respectable.

9. It is impossible, thoroughly and accurately, to comprehend the mode in which abortion takes place, without being previously acquainted with the origin, formation, progress, and metamorphoses of the fœtus, and its connection with the mother. On all these points, we have, until lately, been in the habit of professing the same articles of belief as our predecessors: we have repeated what we heard them say, or what we read in their writings; and many, both here and elsewhere, repeat still the antiquated theories respecting conception and the structure of the human ovum, which they have learned on the obstetrical benches.

10. The great advancement—the great and forward strides which physiology has made in France, as well as in Germany, have contributed to explode those antiquated theories. Acute and indefatigable anatomists have been busy watching Nature in all her movements, from the first moment of her calling the rudiments of a human embryo into existence, until her magnificent work has been completed by the production of a new, life-gifted, individual of the species. They have called to their aid the much improved art of microscopical observation, and have thereby succeeded in almost tracing the very earliest instant of embryonic existence. The register of their observations constitutes the biography of the human fœtus.

11. It is with the view of contributing to the common stock of new and interesting information on this all-important question, that I bring forth the result of my inquiries into the morbid state of the human Ovum, and its structure under circumstances of premature expulsion. If such inquiries have led me to adopt the improved notions of the more modern physiologists and anatomists in these matters (which I have professedly studied, and have had the most ample opportunities of studying for many years); they have, likewise, enabled me to detect some of the oversights of those observers, and to add a little to what has already been brought forward; while, at the same time, they have induced me to join that class of writers who dismiss, as inconsistent with facts, the theories and assumptions of olden times, whose strongest authority has been their mere repetition.

12. The ideas which are now entertained respecting fecundation, after the successful congress of the two sexes, in the human species—respecting its seat—respecting the first origin, station, and rudimental creation of the embryo—respecting the journey of the latter into the womb, its sojourn in that cavity, and the various metamorphoses it undergoes therein, up to the period fixed for its projection into the WORLD, may be comprised within a small number of propositions. I shall support those propositions by references to facts, or the quotations of competent authorities, and the allegation of anatomical discoveries. But as the object of the present work is to illustrate abortion, and not the complete life-circle of the fœtus, I shall stop the number of my propositions at the fifth month of its intro-uterine existence. After that period, the various phenomena of fœtal gestation are so uniform, that they afford less matter of interest to the philosopher.

13. Conception, or that result which follows sexual congress, in virtue of which one, or more individuals, of the same species is called into being, takes place in the ovarium of women. This is doubted by Meckel and others, who look upon all cases of ovaric gestation (see Plates IX. and X, A. and B.) as mere accidents, and as only proving that if conception has not before taken place in the womb, it may take place in some other part connected with it; but the point has been set at rest by the more recent experiments and microscopical observations of Professor Boer, of Kœnigsberg. I adopt his conclusions. Their correctness is corroborated by the interesting experiments of Prevost and Dumas, although these experimenters admit not that fecundation takes place in the ovarium.