The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

by John Maubray

VIII. A præternatural Situation, or an oblique Position may become the 8th and last Cause of ABORTION, which I shall mention on part of the Womb.

FROM hence I come, Thirdly, in a due Method, to Those Causes respecting the neighbouring Parts; which I humbly conceive to be as follow.

I. ALL Diseases, Pains, and what Causes soever of those Parts, may tend much to deject or affect the Spirits, and stir up the Humours with unusual Alteration.

II. ALL Causes and bad Affections compressing the lower Belly, and exagitating or straining its Muscles.

III. A præternatural Site and inapt CONFORMATION[^[97]] of the Umbilical Vessels, for their due Operation.

BUT then again, Secondly, It also often happens that, tho’ the pregnant Woman labours under no Disease or Misfortune, either in Body, Womb, or neighbouring Parts, yet notwithstanding the Expulsive Faculty is irritated to Ejection by several Causes of the Constitution of the INFANT itself, as follow; viz.

I. ITS præternatural Bulk, or vitious Conformation, oppressing and straining the Womb, either in Whole or in Part.

II. ITS Debility and Weakness, or contracted, infirm, feeble Constitution, as mentioned in the preceding Chapter.

III. THE Death of the INFANT, emitting nauseous Vapours and putrefy’d Matter, stimulates the Womb sooner or later to Expulsion: And (in this tragical Case) the sooner the Better; as will hereafter appear.

AND moreover, Thirdly, the SYMPTOMS of the Months, frequently prove Causes of ABORTION; of which SYMPTOMS, having already treated particularly, I shall in this place repeat little or nothing, only refer the Reader to their respective Chapters in the preceding Part of this Section: And yet under this present Head, may be also comprehended all Acute Diseases, which (too often) prove of the same bad Consequence; as is evident from Chap. 28.