Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 1 of 2).djvu/537

 to be born, when it makes the turn, and is forced down- wards, relaxes and opens the os uteri ; but coming down he will stick fast, and scarcely be brought forth if he chance to abut upon the point of the os coccygis, and immediately the case is one not without danger both to the child and mother. But nature's intention was obviously to relax and soften all the parts concerned ; and the attendant knows that when the uterine orifice is discovered in a soft and lax condition, by the finger introduced, it is an infallible sign that the delivery is at hand even though the waters have not broken. Indeed and I do not speak without experience if anything remains in the uterus for expulsion, either after delivery or at any other time, and the uterus make efforts to get rid of it, the orifice both descends lower and is found soft and relaxed. If the uterine orifice recedes, and is found somewhat hard after delivery, it is a sign of the woman's restoration to health.

Taught by like experience, I assert that the ossa pubis fre- quently become loosened during labour, their cartilaginous connexion being softened, and the whole hypogastric region enlarged in the most miraculous manner, not, however, by any pouring out of watery fluids, but spontaneously, as ripe fruit gapes that the included seed may find an exit. The degree in which the coccyx may impede delivery, however, is apparent among quadrupeds having tails, which can neither bring forth, nor even discharge the excrement from their bowels, unless the tail be raised; if you but depress the tail with your hand, you prevent the exit of the dung.

Moreover, the most natural labour of all is held to be that in which the foetus and afterbirth, the waters inclusive, or the ovum, is expelled entire. Now if the membranes have not given way, and the waters have not escaped, it comes to pass that the surrounding parts are more than usually distended and dilated by the labour pains, in consequence, to wit, of the entire and tense state of the membranes, by which it happens that the foetus is produced more speedily, and with a less amount of effort, although with more suffering to the mother. In cases of this kind we have known women who were suffering much in their travail in consequence of the too great disten- sion, immensely relieved by the rupture of the membranes and the sudden escape of the waters, the laceration being