[388]. Cap. iii, §. 12.
[389]. Hippocrates Lib. de Septimest. et Octomest. Part. edit. Halleri. See also Aristot. Metaphys. Lib. 1, c. 5.
[390]. It is generally computed from a single coitus, or from a fortnight subsequent to the last menstrual period; in some cases the computation has been made from the time of Quickening; in either of the two first methods of calculating, forty weeks are allowed, in the last about twenty-two weeks.
[391]. Independent of its obvious importance in determining questions of legitimacy, it may often be important to determine the longest period of utero-gestation, for the purpose of ascertaining a child’s right to property. A child in ventre sa mere is capable of taking by bequest or devise, even from the earliest period after conception; in which point our civil is more merciful, and more consonant to the course of nature, than our criminal law, which regards only the time of quickening. If therefore A bequeath or devise to all the children of B living at the time of his death, and B six or seven months after his death is delivered of a child, that child was clearly in esse at the time of the testator’s death, and is entitled to its share; it is equally clear at nine months, provided the child be of its full growth; but after ten it may be made a question whether such child is or is not entitled.
Si home morust feme ad issue nee 40 weekes & 8 jours puis son mort, come sil morust 23 Marcii & l’issue est nee 9 Jan ensuant, cest issue serra legitimate, car ceo poet estre legittimate par nature, & la ley n’ad limitt ascun certain temps del nestre de legitimate infants Mich. 17 Ja. B. R. —— —— —— sur evidence al barr que concern leire dun Androwes resolve per Curiam, en quel case Doctor Paddy & Doctor Mumford deux Physitians esteant jure informe le Court, Que per nature tiel issue poet estre legitimate, car ils disont, que lexact temps del nestre dun infant est le 280 jours del conception, scilicet 9 moies & 10 jours apres le conception, accountant ceo per menses solares scilicet 30 jours al chescun mois; mes est natural auci si le nestre soit ascun temps del 10 moies scilicet dans 40 semaignes, sont tout un; mes per accident un infant poet estre nee apres les 40 semaignes on devant; Et en le case al barr fuit prove que le feme longe pur choses en vie sa baron, & que le baron morust del plague, issint que il fuit egrote forsque un jour devant son mort, & que le father in lawe del feme luy persecute & use ove grand inhumanitie, & cause luy a demurrer en le streete per divers nuits, & que le feme fuit en travell 6 semaignes devant el fuit deliver, mes que ceo fuit interrupt per le dit usage del sa pere in lawe, & que el fuit deliver deins 24 heures après que el fuit receive en un mese & bien use que fuit bon proofe del legittimation, Coment que fuit prove de l’auter parte, que le feme fuit un lewde femme de sa corps. Et sur evidence le Jurie luy trove legitimate. Nota que a la triall un Chamberlaine un home midwife informe le Court sur son serement, Que il ad conus un feme destre deliver dun infant, & 2 semaignes apres destre deliver deu auter. Et les Doctors disont que le nestre est citius on plus tarde solonque le nutriment que le mere ad purluy. 1 Rolle Ab. 156.
[392]. By the law of Scotland, a child born six months after the marriage of the mother, or ten months after the death of the father is considered as legitimate.
[393]. Elements of Juridical Medicine, edit. 2, p. 249.
[394]. Quæst. Med. Leg. Lib. vii, Q. 2.
[395]. This conference was held in consequence of the writings of Bohn, Professor at Leipsic, and of Albert of Halde Magdebourg, who asserted that after the first week, any personal examination was unsatisfactory.
[396]. Traité de Med. Leg. par Fodere, tome 2, p. 18; and Bulletin des Sciences Med. de la Societé Med. d’Emulat. de Paris, tom. 5, no. 39, p. 105.