Their Figure is broad and flat, (seldom exceeding the Substance of a small Pigeons Egg) they are tied and held fast by some part of the Flag of the Trumpet; and they are knit to the spermatick Vessels, which grow larger after the Egg has taken Root in the Womb. For their Substance, they are a collection of Vesicles, commonly took for Eggs. In the Ovarium of a Woman are a Million of fine small Blood Vessels dispers’d upon the Tunicles; and small imperceivable Glandules, that strain out a white milky Liquor, which attains perfection in the cavity of these Vesicles, and then composes the matter of the Egg, which includes the Sperm that contains the Fœtus.
The more volatile part of the Seed of a Man passes through the Tubæ to the Ovarium, in order to fecundate the Eggs. The Tubæ are of the form of a Trumpet, which gives them their Name: They take rise from the bottom of the Womb, and their Orifice, which is continually open, is lac’d round with small Membranes like a Fringe, and is call’d the Devil’s-bit, or the Flag of the Trumpet. The office of the Tubæ, is to facilitate the descent of the Egg into the Womb. The seminal Spirit puts the Tubæ in motion, whereby the jagged part embraces the Ovarium, and the Egg fermented by the Spirits of the Seed, insensibly, disengages it self from the Ovarium, and breaking its Membrane, enters the Tubæ, in order to descend into the Cavity of the Womb: And in case of Twins, or where two or three Children are Born; they always spring from the like number of Eggs, disengag’d from the Ovarium at the same time. The extremities of the Tubæ inserted into the bottom of the Womb are call’d the Horns.
The Womb is cover’d with the Peritonæum; and a peculiar Membrane which lines the whole inside; and the bottom is generally smooth and even, but the Neck is always furl’d. The Ligaments are nothing else but Productions of the Peritonæum, which come from the Loins, and are inserted in the bottom of the Womb to prevent its falling down upon the Neck: They likewise keep the Womb from mounting too high: When these Ligaments are unbent, they resemble Bats Wings.
There are several Lymphatick Vessels belonging to the Womb, which creep along its outer part, and after a reuniting into large parts, empty themselves into the Cistern of the Chyle.
The Womb has a short Neck, distinguish’d by that Name from the Vagina; it is the Passage which reaches from the inner Orifice to the principal Cavity of the Womb: It is about an Inch long.
In the Cavity of the Womb, the two Horns dilate themselves, and form particular Bags, each of which contains a Fœtus. This Cavity enlarges itself more or less in proportion to the bigness of the Fœtus, or the number of Children, as in case of Twins.
The Womb is seated in the lower part of the Hypogastrium, between the straight Gut and the Bladder. The Cavity where ’tis lodg’d, is call’d the Pelvis or Basin, and is larger in Women than in Men, so as to give the Womb liberty to distend it self upon Impregnation; it is tied fast at the bottom, and at the Neck. The Neck is knit before to the Bladder, and the Share-bone, and behind to the straight Gut and the Os Sacrum. The bottom is not tied so fast as the Neck, it requiring more liberty to move and dilate it self; but to prevent the shifting of its Seat, the Ligaments are equipp’d, being four in Number, two above, and two below.
Having describ’d the Privities of Man and Woman: I come now to my dissertation upon the Generation of Man, and the more particular use and dimensions of the Parts employ’d therein.
Of the Generation of Man.
An Animal cannot be produc’d without a Couple, viz. a Male and a Female, each of which performs its part in the work of Generation.