The following case was reported by Brillaud-Laujardiere. A farmer who was responsible for the condition of a servant of his household conceived the idea of riding horseback with her in order to bring about an abortion, and pushing her off when the horse was running at great speed. This he repeated several times. The woman gave birth to a perfectly normal infant at full term.
Hofmann reports that another farmer, under similar circumstances, brutally kicked the woman in the abdomen repeatedly until she lost consciousness. The pregnancy continued to full term notwithstanding. In another case of Hofmann's, a woman allowed a heavy door to fall upon her, but the pregnancy was not affected.
Dr. Guibout relates that a German woman, living with her husband in California, being pregnant, wished to return to Munich, her home-town, to be delivered. The train in which she travelled through Panama collided with another train. Threatened abortion required her to take a rest. She took a steamer and after a very rough passage reached Portsmouth. From there she went to Paris. Here she fell down a flight of stairs in the hotel where she was stopping. Again she was threatened with abortion, but after a rest was in good condition and continued her journey. She finally reached home, and was delivered at full term of a normal infant.
Vibert reports the case of a woman who was in a train accident which injured her severely, killed two of her children, but did not affect her pregnancy. She was delivered at the proper time of a normal baby.
Chapter Eighteen[ToC]
THE MENOPAUSE OR CHANGE OF LIFE
Time of Menopause—Cause of Suffering During Menopause—Reproductive Function and Sexual Function Not Synonymous—Increased Libido During Menopause—Change of Life in Men.