VII. ALL Corporeal Causes, exagitating the Spirits and Humours; which have the same Effect and Force to irritate the Expulsive Faculty.
VIII. ALL Diseases incident to the Body, whether they be Acute, Remiss, or Diuturnal; which may easily effect ABORTION. But
SECONDLY, The Causes on the part of the Womb, are not to be lightly or slightly considered; because if it be not both naturally well constituted, and carefully well dispos’d, it can neither foment, cherish, nor retain the Infant. For the least Flaw of its morbifick Causes, stimulates to a great Degree the expulsive Faculty: which Causes are, in my Opinion, as follow; viz.
I. THE Womb’s Præternatural SIZE, either in Magnitude, or Exiguity: The one giving room for the Infant’s too much tumbling or too frequent Motion; and the other restraining the CHILD too much, even to the suppressing and stifling of it.
II. ITS præternatural CONSTRICTION or Coarctation; which may resist its necessary due Extension, for containing the growing Infant.
III. ITS præternatural DENSITY; which may not only hinder the requisite Distention, but also prevent the Secundine[[95]] from being firmly connected to the Vessels.
IV. ITS LAXITY of the Orifice, or Lavity of the interiour Surface; proceeding from pituitous[[96]] or viscous Humours, which slacken the Ligaments, and give way to the Foetus.
V. THE Womb’s too frigid and siccid Intemperature; which Qualities are the greatest Enemies to Nature and all the Actions of Female LIFE.
VI. ITS frigid and humid Intemperature; which (abounding with Mucosities or slimy Humours) so relaxes the Ligaments, that they cannot hold or detain the INFANT.
VII. ALL obdurated and confirmed Tumours and Ulcers, all Erysipelas and Inflammations of the Womb: Which often prove the Causes of the same Effect.