IT may be adjudged to a Depravity of Aliment, when the Woman (by a vitiated Constitution of Body) is subject to some certain Distempers; and, besides, in short, any Procatarctick Cause is discoverable from the Relation of the Patient.
BUT whatever the Cause may be, the Diagnostick Signs of this unhappy Affection, are commonly One or more of the following Six; viz.
1. THE turgid swell’d Breasts of the Pregnant Woman, all on a sudden[[91]], fall and extenuate into a Flabbiness.
2.[[92]]THEY diffuse copiously a thin Waterish Milk, not half digested to its due Perfection.
3. THE Menstrua return at an uncommon Rate, and in an irregular Manner.
4. THE Woman personally is either very frequently Sick, or long expos’d to a lasting Sickness. Or,
5. SHE is either subject to a very frequent, or long continu’d Looseness, and constant Diarrhæa.
6. THE Infant which used (as it ought) to move briskly, is now but very seldom, and more faintly perceiv’d in Motion.
ON the other hand, the Prognosticks of this Case, are briefly Two: For either Abortion follows, or (which is worse) the Infant dies; if not timely prevented, by removing the Efficient Cause of it, upon comforting and strengthening both the Woman and the Child.
IN a Word, the Latter of these tragical Events I shall refer to Sect. V. Chap. last. But the Former leads me more immediately to consider it in the proper Method of my Discourse.